HP Expands Laptop Battery RecallHP Expands Laptop Battery Recall

Hewlett-Packard has expanded its recall of laptop batteries that pose a fire hazard by 54,000 units.

The latest recall, announced Friday, adds to the 70,000 batteries HP recalled in May 2009. The recalls were announced in conjunction with the U.S. Product Safety Commission.

Since the first recall, HP has received 38 additional reports of the lithium-ion batteries overheating and rupturing. In 11 of the reports, the flawed batteries have caused minor injury, according to the commission. Minor property damage occurred in 31 of the reports.

The rechargeable batteries are used in various models of laptops under the HP, Pavilion, Compaq and Compaq Presario brands. The computers were sold directly by HP or through electronic retailers from August 2007 through July 2008 for between $500 and $3,000. The batteries, manufactured in China, were sold separately for between $100 and $160.

Consumers with recalled batteries will receive a replacement at no charge. HP has set up a Web site that provides serial numbers of affected products and instructions for getting replacement batteries.

Battery recalls are not uncommon in the computer industry. HP alone has issued recalls in 2005, 2006 and 2008.

In 2006, Sony embarked on a massive recall of lithium-ion batteries used by Sony and sold to other computer makers, including Apple, Dell, Lenovo, HP and Toshiba.

Dell was among the most affected, recalling more than 4 million batteries at an estimated cost of $246 million to Sony.

Overall, more than 10 million Sony batteries were recalled worldwide at a cost of more than $429 million.