August 19, 2004
Name
of product:
Rechargeable batteries used in 15-inch PowerBook G4 computers
Units: About 28,000
Computer Manufacturer: Apple Computer Inc., of Cupertino, Calif.
Battery Manufacturer: LG Chem Ltd., of South Korea
Problem: An internal short can cause the battery cells to overheat,
posing a fire hazard to consumers.
Description: The recalled batteries are used with the 15-inch PowerBook
G4 (Aluminum) laptop computer. The batteries, which contain cells manufactured
during the last week of December 2003 only, have the model number A1045 and
serial numbers that begin with HQ404, HQ405, HQ406, HQ407, or HQ408. The model
and serial numbers can be found on a label on the bottom of the battery. The
battery is approximately 4 ¾ inches long, 3 ¼ inches wide, and ¾ inches tall.
No other PowerBook or iBook batteries are involved in this recall.
Sold at: National and regional resellers, catalogers, and Apple’s online
and retail stores sold the computers with the batteries from January 2004
through August 2004 for between $2000 and $2600. The batteries also were sold
separately for about $130.
Assembled in: Taiwan
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled batteries immediately
and contact Apple to arrange for a replacement battery, free of charge.
Consumer Contact: Contact Apple at (800) 275-2273 between 8 a.m. and 8
p.m. CT Monday through Sunday or log on to Apple’s Web site at www.apple.com/support/powerbook/batteryexchange