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The battery recall bug is back

In 2006 more than 10 million Sony-manufacturered notebook batteries were recalled -- an error that cost Sony more than $444 million dollars to correct.  A completely different hazard condition came to light today, this time from Sanyo.

Today Lenovo has issued a recall on 9-cell lithium-ion batteries.  Lenovo insiders stress to DailyTech that this recall is not due to the same conditions as the Sony battery recall from 2006; the batteries are of Sanyo manufacture and the hazard occurs when the battery has undergone considerable abuse. 

"Lenovo has confirmed that notebook computers containing the recalled battery packs may overheat, posing a potential safety hazard to users if the battery pack experiences a strong external impact," the company stated in a press release.

All affected batteries will be replaced free of charge.  Lenovo suggests removing the battery from defective units and using the AC adaptor until a replacement has arrived.

The 10.8V, 5.2 Ah batteries, manufactured between November 2005 and February 2007, are found in the following notebook models; which includes replacement batteries and factory-bundled batteries:
  • R60 and R60e Series
  • T60 and T60p Series
  • Z60m, Z61e, Z61m, and Z61p Series
Lenovo also stresses that only the 9-cell batteries with the Sanyo manufacturer part number 92P1131 are affected.  Lenovo has created a help page for owners of those notebooks.

Sanyo, the manufacturer of the batteries in this set of recalls, had an excellent track record for 2006, issuing no recalls.  Sanyo was actually called upon to fill replacement orders after the Sony battery debacle.

Just last month, Panasonic senior manager Michael Bucker stated to DailyTech “When any supplier has a problem, it creates concern for the technology itself. The challenge that we must meet is to reassure the public that Lithium-ion batteries are safe.”

Panasonic has taken steps in the last 18 months, which include new battery designs that incorporate heat resistance layer technologies, to prevent further recalls.  However, these extra-durable designs were not part of the ThinkPad build-of-materials.

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NO-Its product design & quality control
By crystal clear on 3/2/2007 10:56:55 PM , Rating: 2
"the hazard occurs when the battery has undergone considerable abuse."

Then its time user learn to use their laptops with a little bit of care/caution.

"When any supplier has a problem, it creates concern for the technology itself. The challenge that we must meet is to reassure the public that Lithium-ion batteries are safe.”

No you are wrong in this-The best keep secret is "QUALITY
CONTROL".
Enforce the highest Manufacturing standards & Quality controls,before the products is shipped out.

Laptop designs-Blaming the supplier of laptop components is not the solution-rather the laptop manufacturers should design the case or shell as I call it with materials that
protect all the components inside from ware & tare or external impact.
They should take it for granted all laptop users are ABUSERS
that use their laptops recklessly & make a HARD SHELL that Encloses/Protects the components inside (incl the batteries).
Example-THE HUMAN SKULL & THE BRAIN (inside it).




By mindless1 on 3/8/2007 7:05:55 PM , Rating: 2
I'm sorry but this is wrong, it should be evidence enough that it was specific packs with the problem and these were replaced, that alone shows it is a battery supplier problem that can be fixed with a different supply.

I don't mean to suggest a laptop manufacturer can ignore the potential of an abusive user, nor design badly and blame a pack that's sitting in an oven-like environment, but clearly blaming those who make packs that can't survive when a replacement can is the solution.

Ultimately, the pack must be designed to work in the laptop, this is not a secret to the manufacturer of the pack.


Hah
By Derka on 3/2/2007 8:49:17 AM , Rating: 2
Good thing I ditched my thinkpad last year for a HP




Sony
By adam92682 on 3/1/07, Rating: -1
RE: Sony
By sviola on 3/1/07, Rating: 0
RE: Sony
By frobizzle on 3/1/2007 2:23:44 PM , Rating: 1
Perhaps industrial espionage? Maybe someone from Panasonic stole Sony's battery secrets and then Panasonic used these blueprints for their own batteries.
Karma can be a real bitch!

</sarcasm>


RE: Sony
By aos007 on 3/1/2007 4:29:52 PM , Rating: 3
Actually, do you guys remember "leaky capacitors" affair several years ago? It was caused by industrial espionage - people stealing the formula for the capacitor's electrolyte and then not making it properly (hydrogen would get created but there was no chemical component to take care of it, capacitors would bulge and eventually leak, destroying the motherboard, etc.).

I don't think it's the case here though :).


RE: Sony
By handydave on 3/1/2007 3:06:59 PM , Rating: 2
It's Sanyo batteries and not Panasonic


RE: Sony
By scrapsma54 on 3/1/07, Rating: -1
RE: Sony
By cheetah2k on 3/2/2007 12:00:12 AM , Rating: 1
quote:
Sony is involved with this, but everyone already had that feeling anyway


Where the F$*k does it say "Sony" is involved????

U on drugs mate??


RE: Sony
By Samus on 3/2/2007 3:40:51 AM , Rating: 1
Sanyo, Sony, all made in china!


RE: Sony
By atticu5 on 3/1/2007 10:05:56 PM , Rating: 2
man you guys, get off sony's back. im not a sony defender or sony lover, i know that they are a pain in the ass and they make constant mistakes, but seriously. Sanyo is not Sony. look they're even spelled and pronounced differently.


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