recall
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AmazonBasics power banks recalled over fire hazard concerns
AmazonBasics is great choice for everything from HDMI cables to coathangers and a whole lot more. Apparently "whole lot more" also extends to unintentional fire sources. The shopping juggernaut has recalled a half-dozen power banks sold between December 2014 and July 2017, according to The Verge, over worry that the units would overheat, melt and set themselves ablaze.
Timothy J. Seppala03.13.2018
Lenovo recalls some Thinkpad X1 laptops due to overheating risks
Lenovo has just issued a recall for some of its 5th-generation X1 Carbon laptops. The company says that a limited number of the machines may have a loose screw that can damage the battery, leading to overheating and a possible fire hazard. Lenovo urges owners of these devices made between December 2016 and October 2017 check their serial number on the support page to see if their own X1 is affected. X1 Carbon laptops made after November 2017 are not affected, according to the company.
Rob LeFebvre02.08.2018
HP recalls laptop batteries due to overheating issues
If you've got an HP notebook or mobile workstation computer, you'll want to check out the latest battery recall from the company. Lithium-ion batteries for affected HP laptops were shipped between December 2015 and December 2017. There have been eight reports of the battery packs overheating, melting or charring, three of which include reports of $4,500 in property damage and one report of a first degree burn to a hand.
Rob LeFebvre01.04.2018
Netgear recalls Arlo outdoor camera power adapters over fire risks
If you bought one of Netgear's Arlo outdoor cameras and then snapped up an extra power adapter just in case, you may want to sit up and take notice. Netgear and the Consumer Product Safety Commission are recalling Arlo's aftermarket power adapter after receiving seven reports of the cord overheating and melting, in one case leading to a fire. Only 7,700 affected adapters were sold in North America between June and October, but that still presents a sizeable risk.
Jon Fingas12.05.2017
Honda will use targeted Facebook videos to encourage recall repairs
As the Takata airbag recall -- the largest ever US auto recall -- continues, Honda has been looking for new ways to reach customers who haven't yet brought in their vehicles for repair. And the company's next move, as Reuters reports, is to target Honda owners through Facebook. Using the tool that allows advertisers to target particular subsets of Facebook accounts, Honda will match email addresses of those with recalled vehicles to Facebook users. According to the Associated Press, at least some of the messages geared towards those Facebook accounts will be videos from Honda owners who were injured from the faulty Takata airbag systems. You can see one of the public service announcements below.
Mallory Locklear11.20.2017
Tesla recalls 11,000 Model X SUVs for seat issues
Tesla is no stranger to voluntary recalls. The company issued notices to 90,000 Model S sedan owners for possible seatbelt defects back in 2015, another for 2,700 Model X SUVs in 2016 for a third-row seat problem, and one for 53,000 S and Model X SUV earlier this year over potential parking brake issues. It's the price of doing business -- and better that the company jumps ahead with a voluntary recall than a legally-mandated one after tragedy. Today, the automaker issued another for about 11,000 Model X's released last year, this time for the second-row seats.
David Lumb10.13.2017
Honda sets aside $605 million to settle Takata airbag claims
The Takata airbag scandal affected several companies, but Honda felt its impact the most. Now, the Japanese automaker has agreed to a $605 million settlement to pay for buyers' claims related to the deadly airbags in the US. The money Honda set aside will go towards paying for all the out-of-pocket costs and lost wages customers might have incurred from having to get their Takata airbag-equipped cars repaired. According to Financial Times, part of that amount will also be used to create an outreach program designed to speed up the pace of the recall as well as the replacement of recalled parts.
Mariella Moon09.03.2017
Samsung is giving Note 7 owners a hefty discount on the Note 8
If you were one of the millions of people who had to give up the recalled Galaxy Note 7, fret not, because Samsung has your back. Today, as part of its Unpacked 2017 event in NYC, the company revealed that those of you who owned the previous model will get a hefty discount on the new Note 8. The only thing you have to do is trade in your current device and, depending on the brand and condition of it, you can get up to $425 off the latest Note smartphone. If you're interested in the juicy mea culpa offer from Samsung, you'll be able to take advantage of it on Aug. 24th, the day pre-orders go live on its website.
Edgar Alvarez08.23.2017
US regulators recall refurbished Galaxy Note 4 batteries
The Galaxy Note line is having problems again. Don't worry, this is not a Note 7-level emergency. And the issues aren't Samsung's fault or even associated with the original phone model. However, batteries installed in refurbished Note 4 phones by FedEx Supply Chain and distributed through AT&T's insurance program could overheat and are now being recalled.
Mallory Locklear08.16.2017
Glittery iPhone cases recalled after reports of chemical burns
Smartphone cases are normally as harmless as can be, but that sadly isn't always true. MixBin has recalled 263,000 iPhone cases after 24 reports of skin irritation and chemical burns when the cases broke, leaking glitter and liquid everywhere. And these aren't obscure cases, either. They've been sold at retailers like Amazon, Nordstrom Rack, Tory Burch and Victoria's Secret as recently as June, so there's a real chance you picked one up.
Jon Fingas08.02.2017
Honeywell recalls fire alarm gateway that can't detect fires
Tech-savvy fire alarm systems aren't without their share of problems, it seems. Honeywell is recalling its SWIFT wireless gateway after learning that the smoke detectors connected to the gateway (usually found in apartments, hotels and offices) won't always kick in -- in other words, they can't accomplish their one and only mission. The company hasn't received reports of real-world incidents and is offering a firmware update as a fix, but it clearly doesn't want to take any chances.
Jon Fingas05.14.2017
Fiat Chrysler software error leads to a massive truck recall
Fiat Chrysler is currently in the midst of notifying over a million people that they need to turn in the trucks they bought from the company due to a potentially dangerous software error. The automaker has announced a massive recall affecting 1.02 million 2013 to 2016 Ram 1500 and 2500, as well as 2014 to 2016 Ram 3500 pickups in the US. Chrysler's problem goes beyond the US: it's also recalling 216,007 vehicles in Canada, 21,668 in Mexico and 21,530 outside North America altogether. In the notification published on its website, the company admitted that it's "aware of one fatality, two injuries and two accidents that may be related" to its software troubles.
Mariella Moon05.13.2017
Tesla recalls 53,000 vehicles for potential parking brake issue
Tesla is recalling 53,000 of its Model X and Model S vehicles built between February and October 2016. Some of these might have a manufacturing flaw that prevents the electronic parking brake from being switched off. While it hasn't been linked to safety issues or accidents yet, the cautious automaker is voluntarily recalling a large number of vehicles just to be safe.
David Lumb04.20.2017
Energizer's Xbox One battery charger recalled for burn hazard
Faulty parts in tech devices have always threatened a particularly explosive calamity, but the last year has seen recalls for a bizarre range of devices that set themselves on fire. Top of the list: HP laptop batteries, Samsung's washing machines and 2016's biggest fail punchline, the Note 7. The latest device to get a recall notice is Energizer's double controller battery rechargers for the Xbox One, which is reportedly overheating so badly that it's melted the plastic casing on a few dozen units.
David Lumb03.15.2017
Daimler recalls one million Mercedes after dozens catch fire
German automaker Daimler AG announced a major worldwide auto recall today, encompassing one million recent models of Mercedes-Benz vehicles that are at risk of catching fire due to a potentially faulty fuse. So far, 51 vehicle fires have be reported, but there have been no reported injuries or deaths.
Andrew Dalton03.03.2017
Takata pleads guilty to fraud in faulty airbag cover-up
Japanese auto parts maker Takata has formally pled guilty in federal court today to a criminal fraud charge stemming from its cover-up of millions of faulty airbags. As part of the guilty plea, Takata admitted it intentionally hid the fact that its airbag inflators could explode and throw hot metal shrapnel into drivers' faces.
Andrew Dalton02.27.2017
SodaStream recalls 51,000 bottles because they might explode
Your greatest SodaStream fears have been realized: tens of thousands of SodaStream's plastic bottles may not be able to withstand quite as much pressure as the company thought, causing the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission to issue a recall because they pose an injury risk to carbonation-happy consumers. Some 51,000 bottles sold in the US and another 7,600 bottles sold in Canada are included in the recall because they could potentially explode under pressure -- either while pumping them full of CO2 or simply by shaking a full, carbonated bottle.
Andrew Dalton02.21.2017
Samsung will reportedly sell 'refurbished' Galaxy Note 7s
Even though Samsung has established a cause for those Galaxy Note 7 flare-ups, the device's story is not over. Korean outlet Hankyung reports that the company will sell the "refurbished" phones, but with smaller, less-explodey batteries inside. It doesn't sound like the devices will be returning to US or European markets (it's tough to imagine regulators reversing course on bans after the first recall and reissue), but they could be sold in India or Vietnam instead.
Richard Lawler02.21.2017
HP recalls 101,000 laptop batteries due to fire concerns
HP is asking the owners of some laptop models to send their batteries in for a replacement to make sure their devices don't catch fire. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a notice about the recall, which affects around 101,000 computers. Those who have HP, Compaq, HP ProBook, HP ENVY, Compaq Presario and HP Pavilion laptops purchased between March 2013 and October 2016 may want to check their lithium-ion battery. If its bar code starts with 6BZLU, 6CGFK, 6CGFQ, 6CZMB, 6DEMA, 6DEMH, 6DGAL or 6EBVA, the company says the best course of action is to pull it out and contact HP for a free replacement.
Mariella Moon01.25.2017
With its Note 7 apology, Samsung finally gets something right
After the furor over flaming phones had mostly subsided, Samsung moved to end the Note 7 fiasco once and for all. Last Sunday, Samsung mobile chief DJ Koh -- along with a cadre of technical experts -- laid out exactly what caused the company's incredibly well-received phone to fail so spectacularly. In doing so, he sought to move Samsung past the mess that had consumed it for the past five months.
Chris Velazco01.24.2017