Toshiba Pushes Harder To Recall Sony Batteries

TOKYO —Toshiba announced it would be implementing additional measures designed to encourage greater customer participation in the global program to replace certain Sony battery packs installed in some Toshiba portable computers.

On Sept. 28, 2006, Sony announced a global replacement program for a number of battery packs supplied to computer makers, Toshiba included. Toshiba is participating in the program and offering its customers free replacement of the battery packs identified by Sony.

Nearly eight months later, on May 24, 2007, a Toshiba portable computer with a Sony battery pack caught fire. Despite Toshiba's efforts to promote participation in the replacement program, and although Sony recommended replacement, the PC still had the original battery pack, said Toshiba. This incident followed another that occurred this April in Japan, also involving an un-replaced battery pack.

Toshiba said in a release that it is "embarking on a new round of efforts to encourage customers to check their PCs and to get the battery replaced if it is on the list."

Owners of Toshiba notebook PCs with any of the PC models on the list are "urgently requested" to go online to their local Toshiba Web site or contact a local customer support center and determine whether their PC has one of the subject Sony battery packs. The Toshiba Web site provides a battery-check utility and visual identification manual.

The affected Sony battery packs will be replaced free of charge. This offer covers only battery pack replacement and does not include replacement of any Toshiba computer.

Affected computers include Dynabook, Portege, Qosmio, Satellite and Tecra models. To see a complete list of the affected models and their model number(s), visit www.TWICE.com.