by , 12:40 PM EDT, May 20th, 2005
Apple, in conjunction with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, has issued a recall for certain batteries sold with 12-inch G4 iBooks and 12- and 15-inch G4 PowerBooks. The recall also applies to batteries sold separately for use with any iBook and PowerBook laptops. The affected products include model numbers A1061, A1078 and A1079, with serial numbers beginning with HQ441 through HQ507 or 3X446 through 3X510.
Anyone with an affected battery should visit the page Apple has set up to deal with the recall. Consumers need to enter your laptop's serial number as well as the serial numbers for up to three affected batteries; Apple's page explains where on the batteries to find the relevant information. The company will issue free replacements.
This recall affects approximately 128,000 laptops in the United States, according to the press release issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Batteries that fall outside the affected model and serial numbers are not involved. Apple said that it has received six reports, including two in the U.S., of the affected batteries overheating due to an internal short, which creates a fire hazard. Apple and the CPSC recommend removing a defective battery immediately and discontinuing its use.