Toshiba Battery Recall 2017: Expanded List Of Laptops Affected And How To Get A Replacement

Japanese conglomerate Toshiba expanded a previous recall of its laptop batteries due to overheating Wednesday. The company issued a recall for an additional 83,000 products, according to a statement posted on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website.

Toshiba’s major recall began in January 2016, when the company announced that its lithium-ion battery packs were overheating and causing burns and fire hazards. The original recall, which pulled around 91,000 battery packs, noted four such incidents. Only one incident of overheating has been noted since then.

Batteries subject to the recall have product numbers that begin with G711C, and a complete list of all batteries affected is available on Toshiba’s website. The company said that while the battery packs are specific to certain types of laptops, customers should also be aware they could have a faulty battery if they had it replaced by the company or if they purchased extra batteries.

A manual exists on Toshiba’s website for customers to check if they need a replacement battery. The company recommended that any customers who have a faulty battery pack turn off their laptop and remove the battery. The laptop can continue to be used until a replacement arrives by plugging it into an AC power adapter.

The expanded recall is the latest bout of bad news for Toshiba, which is still reeling from a 2015 financial scandal in which the company overstated its profits by $1.3 billion. On Wednesday, Toshiba’s shares fell 5 percent after reports surfaced of additional misreporting of profits by some $339 million.

“Toshiba Corporation expresses sincere apologies to our shareholders, customers, business partners and all other stakeholders for any concern or inconvenience caused by issues relating to the appropriateness of its accounting treatments,” the company said in a statement on its website. “With the new management team and governance structure, Toshiba as a whole will unite to make every effort to regain the trust of shareholders, investors, all other stakeholders and members of the public, and asks for your understanding and ongoing support.”