Dell recalls 4.1 million notebook batteries

I've been expecting this news for some time - following a lengthy investigation, Dell are voluntarily recalling a whopping 4.1 million batteries sold with the following notebooks:

• Latitude
• Inspiron
• XPS
• Precision Mobile Workstation

These batteries were sold to customers between April 2004 and July 21, 2006 and account for 14% of the 24.9 million batteries sold during that period, making it the largest recall in Dell's 22-year history.  I presume that Dell have now identified the component that's susceptible to fire and replaced it with a less combustible part.  It's about time that Dell issued a public statement regarding the issues surrounding these batteries because if one were to catch fire on someone's lap or on a train or plane, it would be a PR nightmare for Dell.

The notebook models that are possibly affected by this recall are:

Latitude:

D410
D500
D505
D510
D520
D600
D610
D620
D800
D810

Inspiron:

500M
510M
600M
700M
710M
6000
6400
8500
8600
9100
9200
9300
9400
E1505
E1705

Precision:

M20
M60
M70
M90

XPS:

XPS
XPS Gen2
XPS M170
XPS M1710  

To complicate things further, affected batteries might have been given to Dell customers as replacements for existing batteries, so it;s vital that you check your battery if it's been replaced.

So, how do you spot an affected battery?  Well, first determine the date you got the battery and the markings on it:

• The batteries were shipped to customers between April 1, 2004 and July 18, 2006
• The words "DELL" and "Made in Japan" or "Made in China" or "Battery cell made in Japan, Assembled in China" are printed on the back of the batteries

If the answer is "Yes" to both of the questions above, your battery could be affected and you need to move to step 1 detailed below, otherwise your battery is not involved in this safety recall.

Step 1:

The following is a list of the battery models affected:

These part numbers are printed on the back of the battery pack:

Step 2:

Go to the Dell Battery Return Program website and enter the identification number for your battery into the online form to check to see if it's affected.  If it's not part of the recall then you can carry on using it.  However, if it is affected by the recall it is strongly recommended that you remove the battery from the notebook immediately.  You can carry on using the notebook using the AC power cord.