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Sony Recalls Vaio Battery Packs Due to Fire Hazard

Sony has announced that it is recalling about 1,700 Panasonic lithium-ion battery packs installed in VAIO laptops due to overheating that may pose a fire hazard. No related incidents or injuries have been reported, according to a notice from the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission. The battery packs made by Panasonic can be found on 18 different VAIO models. LaptopMag reports: The battery packs involved in the recall feature the model number VGP-BPS26 and part numbers 1-853-237-11 and 1-853-237-21. Users affected by the recall should stop using their devices and call Sony toll-free at 1-888-476-6988 or contact the company through online support.The affected models are as follows: SVE15132CXW, SVE1513KCXS, SVE15134CXP, SVE1513MCXB, SVE15134CXS, SVE1513MCXW, SVE15134CXW, SVE1513MPXS, SVE15135CXW, SVE1513RCXB, SVE151390X, SVE1513RCXS, SVE1513APXS, SVE1513RCXW, SVE1513BCXS, SVE1513TCXW, SVE1513JCXW, and SVE171390X.

21 comments

  1. Slow news day? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    1,700... Is that all??
    Why is this news?

    1. Re:Slow news day? by wkwilley2 · · Score: 1

      Is that all???

      That accounts for all their laptop sales since 2012.

      --
      Have you ever fallen asleep at the keybhanusdiog?
  2. looks like a near miss!! by nimbius · · Score: 1

    I noticed the vaio I ordered gets a little warm when gaming, but nothing to be concerned about so far.
    FWIW crysis seems to run just fine on the SVE17133@!!!#[NO CARRIER]

    --
    Good people go to bed earlier.
    1. Re:looks like a near miss!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      when life hands you lemons. make lemonaide

    2. Re:looks like a near miss!! by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 1

      >> when life hands you lemons. make lemonaide

      I think the correct phrase here is "when life hands you an unintentional hot plate, make fajitas"

    3. Re:looks like a near miss!! by Yvan256 · · Score: 1

      when life hands you lemons...

      “When life gives you lemons, don’t make lemonade. Make life take the lemons back! Get mad! I don’t want your damn lemons, what the hell am I supposed to do with these? Demand to see life’s manager! Make life rue the day it thought it could give Cave Johnson lemons! Do you know who I am? I’m the man who’s gonna burn your house down! With the lemons! I’m gonna get my engineers to invent a combustible lemon that burns your house down!” - Cave Johnson

    4. Re:looks like a near miss!! by antdude · · Score: 1

      Wow, you still use dial-up modems? :(

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
  3. Let's think this through. It is important news. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Let's think this through, shall we? It turns out that it is important news after all.

    So there are 1,700 battery packs that could be affected, based on what the summary says.

    Let's assume that around 50% of those laptops are used on a desk, with the remaining 50% being used on somebody's lap. So that's around 850 that could be in close contact with somebody's groin region.

    Let's assume that 50% of those laptops are owned by males, males who identify as females, or female-to-male post-op transsexuals. That means that about 425 are owned by people with a penis of some sort.

    If there's the chance that even just one of these 425 batteries could catch on fire, that's more than enough reason to play it safe and do a recall.

    That's right, the risk of there being even just one burnt, disfigured, and ruined penis is more than enough to justify not only the recall, but also Slashdot's reporting of it.

    The whole point of a recall is to put safety first, and if Slashdot can help spread the word about such a recall then I think it's very justified in posting a story like this.

    1. Re:Let's think this through. It is important news. by tiberus · · Score: 1

      50% being used on somebody's lap.

      And 10% of those are holding them between their thighs while driving away from a McDonald's drive through.

      So that's around 850 that could be in close contact with somebody's groin region Let's assume that 50% of those laptops are owned by males, (or just something that has a penis)

      "There is no such thing a a re-####-e-o-to-my" ~Brad Williams

  4. Only 1700 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That's not surprising since the Panasonic 18650 batteries are the best.

  5. Old by bestweasel · · Score: 1

    Didn't Sony stop making laptops a couple of years ago?

    1. Re:Old by mister_playboy · · Score: 2

      Yes, but you can still buy a Vaio from here.

      --
      Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law ::: Love is the law, love under will
    2. Re:Old by The+Grim+Reefer · · Score: 1

      But aren't they made by Japan Industrial Partners since Sony sold off the Vaio brand in 2014?

  6. Sony again... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I have yet to regret that I stopped buying their crap all those years ago and the news keeps proving that decision to be correct.

    1. Re: Sony again... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My last Vaio lasted from 2006-2015 and wasn't crap at all.

  7. Friendly reminder by 101percent · · Score: 1

    While fire is bad, when these batteries vent and you breathe it in, you are exposing yourself to extremely harmful toxins.

  8. Slashdot Miracle Synchronicity by ktilford · · Score: 1

    On May 4th, 2012 I filled out an online form for a Sony Vaio lithium-ion battery recall mandated by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. When the battery wasn't delivered within 4 months, I was given an "Incident Reference # 120819-000860" and a "Category Level 1: Order Status - Undelivered Order". Over the years, I emailed & called Sony periodically, using this reference # and was always told some excuse, given a courteous apology, and nothing happened. In April of this year I contacted the CPSC Office of Compliance and filed an official report of non-compliance. On April 25th I was assigned a new "Event # E59924916" and given a promise the battery would arrive in "30-45 days". When the 45th day arrived, I wrote Sony that I was going back to the CPSC to report the non-compliance. I was given an excuse that was non-truth, the excuse was that a new regulation required Sony to ship lithium-ion batteries by boat on the ocean. In reality the new regulation only limited shipment as "cargo" within the "cargo hold" of "passenger aircraft", but placed no regulation upon "cargo aircraft". So today I'm sitting at my computer reading Slashdot, and start this comment rant about my experience, when I notice a new email from Sony. It says, "We apologize any inconvenience this has caused you. I just wanted to inform you that the tracking information for the battery is now available please, see below for the tracking number and the link to the to the FedEx delivery website. The battery is expected to arrive today by 8p. Tracking number: 582295384066. I click the link, and it says "Delivered. Left at front door". I walk to my front door, and now I'm sitting at my computer holding my new Vaio battery in my hand, exactly 4 years, 1 month, 13 days later. God made the world in 7 days. Sony took 1,505 days to comply with a CPSC Vaio battery recall. Miracles do happen. Slashdot's a miracle worker.

    1. Re:Slashdot Miracle Synchronicity by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      If that is all true...is the computer even useful after that long?

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  9. Sony getting roughed up as usual by axewolf · · Score: 1

    Is it just me or does Sony appear to be the target of a crazy amount of espionage?

    All part of the plan to destabilize Japan and force it to go multicultural I guess.

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  11. He's right by Tiger+Smile · · Score: 1

    When NAFTA passed, nothing happened. The idea of non-US made products was only "theoretical". He's brilliant.

    --
    -- Prepared at the direction of, or to be sent to Legal Counsel, in anticipation of litigation. Attorney Client Pri