Toshiba recalls 340,000 Satellite, Dynabook batteries

Aight everybody, we've got a fresh one comin' through here. Sony's faulty cells apparently made their way into Toshiba Satellite and Dynabook machines -- apparently about 340,000 units in all -- which are being recalled. (For reference, thus far we've racked up Apple, Dell, and Panasonic.) The upshot is that according to Toshiba, no one's been hurt and no explosions have been caused by their machines (yet). Unfortunately not much other information is readily available at this time, but we'll be sure to hit you back with the exact models, dates, cell identification numbers, and the rest before somebody's Satellite falls out of orbit and we get massive guilt complexes for not doing our duty as servants to the battery-using public.

[Thanks, Dave]

Update: Thanks to everybody for the submitted link on Toshiba's site, but it looks like the company has still yet to get together a page outlining how the recall will work and which batteries it will affect. Stay tuned!

[isocrazy @ Sep 19th 2006 2:42AM]

lovely

[Ryan @ Sep 19th 2006 2:55AM]

This is on Toshiba main page
http://www.toshiba.com/tai-new/

http://www.toshibadirect.com/content/pc/b2c/sonyBattery.html

Says Toshiba notebooks are not affected, is it possible this is a message posted prior to the more reicent news?

[Ryan @ Sep 19th 2006 3:01AM]

sorry to reply to my own post, but there is also nothing ATM about it on their "Press Release" site.

http://www.toshiba.com/tai-new/PressRelease.jsp

Im typing this all on a Toshy Satellite that is within a year old and hope i wake up to said notebook in one piece :(

[globetreter @ Sep 19th 2006 3:16AM]

and why do they publish that no toshiba pc/notebook is affected?

http://www.toshibadirect.com/content/pc/b2c/sonyBattery.html

[MKcom @ Sep 19th 2006 3:58AM]

We're running out of laptop manufacturers that are safe from this whole exploding battery fiasco.

[Roberto @ Sep 19th 2006 5:17AM]

This link list what is affected and why

http://uk.computers.toshiba-europe.com/cgi-bin/ToshibaCSG/generic_content.jsp?service=UK&ID=TOSHIBA_BATTERY_UK

[Bogd @ Sep 19th 2006 5:30AM]

What about this: http://www.fujitsu-siemens.com/support/batteryexchange/index.html . And in Fujitsu-Siemens's case, it's not even Sony batteries - I have such a battery in front of me (after having just pulled it from my laptop :) ), and it says "Battery Cell made by LG / Made by Gallopwire, assembled in China".

[Nikolai @ Sep 19th 2006 5:51AM]

I'm currently using a Sony VAIO and as far as I'm aware these laptops haven't had any problems. How awesome is it that Sony laptops are unaffected by dodgy Sony batteries?

[TZK @ Sep 19th 2006 6:28AM]

I guess this is why the Sony PS3 is costing so much - Sony needs to fund research for better non-explosive batteries!

[m.burke @ Sep 19th 2006 6:37AM]

No time for love Doctor Jones!!!

[Devin Lussier @ Sep 19th 2006 8:47AM]

Not that I really care since I've since upgraded to a MacBook from my old Toshiba, but my battery should be affected according to the UK list so it'd be nice if Toshiba US would get on the ball and do something about it.

[Norbert @ Sep 19th 2006 10:22AM]

Good thing I waited.

[Jayson @ Sep 19th 2006 10:37AM]

Come on Engadget, we are expecting so much more from you guys. Cheap scare tactics like those used by tabloids are rediculous. The statement made would suggest that these batteries are a ticking time bomb:

"The upshot is that according to Toshiba, no one's been hurt and no explosions have been caused by their machines (yet)."

In reality, the problem with the Toshiba batteries is described as:

"battery problem causes the laptops to sometimes run out of power"

There is no overheating or explosions. Ryan Block, your use of "(yet)" gives the impression that it is only a matter of time. This is not the case and the recalled problem has nothing to do with overheating. I can see no option for us other than to consider all your reporting suspect from this point on.

[Favre @ Sep 19th 2006 11:36AM]

I have to agree with Jayson here.

It seems like instead of covering "news" engadget likes to dabble in a little tabloid controversy.

If I didn't know better, which I don't, I'd say this is some sort of smear campaign against Toshiba.

In your article, Ryan, you state that "340,000 units in all" are being recalled. Good sir, where did you get this number? I couldn't find it in either your source nor Toshiba's own site.

As a matter of fact here is your source's article in its entirety:
"TOKYO, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Toshiba Corp (6502.T: Quote, NEWS, Research) will recall some faulty personal computer batteries, Jiji news agency reported on Tuesday.

Jiji said the problems were related to recharging and the transmission of electricity.

No further details were immediately available."

You seemed to squeeze alot of info out of those 43 words, Ryan.

Its cute to make commentary once in a while and link back to your own articles in an inside-joke fashion, but editorials should be labeled as such and not as "news" articles.

Sometimes I think Engadget takes granted of their reader's trust.

[Jayson @ Sep 19th 2006 12:31PM]

Favre:

Actually the one item Ryan got right was the number, 340,000. He did not mention the breakdown but I can fault him for that. Of the 340,000 batteries 100,000 were sold in the U.S., 45,000 in Japan and the rest in "other parts of the world" according to Toshiba.

[ccirmvca @ Sep 19th 2006 11:47AM]

Toshiba launched their battery recall sites worldwide at 8:00 am PDT. For the United States, the recall info is at http://bxinfo.toshiba.com

This recall is due to batteries that simply stop working. So far, Toshiba's batteries haven't been affected by the more disastrous symptoms in in the news recently regarding other PC manufacturers. So I think their statement to that effect is still accurate.

[Shmee150 @ Sep 19th 2006 12:05PM]

Ok, there's one thing that's confusing me.

We have all of these companies recalling these batteries, some that have blown, some that haven't. The common link is that the batteries are made by Sony, so why aren't Sony recalling their own batteries? Or was this just some sneaky ploy to damage everyone else when their own batteries are flawless!

ShMeE

[Jayson @ Sep 19th 2006 12:27PM]

Shmee150:

This is not some evil plot by Sony. The reason Sony does not recall the batteries is that they are not Sony product. Sony Energy Devices Corp (division of Sony Corporation) makes the cells. Everyone keeps getting confused on who should recall these. The laptop battery is not made by Sony Energy Devices Corp but rather they make the cells.

If I made a car seat and had a third party making the seatbelt components which failed, I would have to do the recall. I could take action against the component company but they would not perform the recall. When I buy a component and add it to my product I take on certain responsibilities and ultimately I am responsible for assuring the fitness of a component in my product.

Far too many people seem to just be Sony hating in all of this rather than trying to understand the problem. Yes, the latest articles sensationalize the problem and make it harder to understand the real problem but let�s keep brand dislike out of this problem.

Jason

[MikeTheCat @ Sep 19th 2006 3:59PM]

I wonder if this means I can send in my Toshiba Sattelite and get a new battery and get the charger port fixed. It kind of burned out, and then i sort of melted it, but hey, I could sasy the battery did that.

Then all I need is a new processor...

[FoianZ @ Sep 20th 2006 4:58AM]

nope Engadget got it right!
http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/su/su_sc_dtlView.jsp?soid=1482876&BV_SessionID=@@@@1615509172.1158721055@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccciaddilflkmglcgfkceghdgngdgnn.0

[PC @ Sep 29th 2006 12:58AM]

According to Toshiba's Canadian site (I haven't checked the others), this recall is not related to the Sony battery issues. http://209.167.114.38/support//productnotices/batteryexchange/
The recall is an internal problem with the batteries (i.e. only the battery will be exchanged) and affects batteries manufactured between March and May 2006.

[Justin Buck @ Sep 29th 2006 11:58PM]

My TOSHY laptop is affected. It sometimes just dies for no reason or when not plugged up drains the battery very quickly... Thank you for pointing me to the site to fill out the replacement form.

[Nell Jensen @ Feb 27th 2007 5:32PM]

Has anyone had problems with their Satellite A105 Toshiba notebook crashing. I have had my computer crash twice in the last week, having to rebuild everything and since then the computer has been extremely slow. The computer is only two months old. Last time I talked to someone at Toshiba they suggested I might want to consider purchasing the extended warranty.

[Blake Hall @ Jun 19th 2007 6:40PM]

Yes I have had the same problem and my Satellite is less than 6 months old. I have yet to be able to re-install the operating system without some kind of problem.

[battery @ Nov 8th 2007 9:30PM]

If you need a new laptop battery, I suggest you could purchase one from http://www.batteryfast.com , which would shipping to you fast and the quality is satisfy satisfied.:)
from http://www.batteryfast.com/toshiba/