14M Xbox Power Cords Recalled

Microsoft Corp. said Thursday that it is recalling 14.1 million power cords for its Xbox game because they can catch fire.

The software company said 30 customers have reported fire damage. Seven Xbox users burned their hands, while 23 reported smoke damage or damage to their carpets or entertainment centers, Microsoft said.

Peter Moore, a corporate vice president, said the company has known about the problem for some time and spent the past several months gearing up for the recall by producing more cords and making other arrangements.

Everywhere except Europe, the recall affects Xboxes manufactured before Oct. 23, 2003. In Europe, it affects those manufactured before Jan. 13, 2004.

Overall, the flaw affects about 70 percent of the approximately 20 million consoles sold, Microsoft said.

Customers can order a free replacement cord by going to www.xbox.com Until a new cord is delivered, Xbox users should turn off their game players when not in use, Microsoft said.

Moore declined to say how much the recall will cost the company.