Bogus Cell Phone Battery Danger
Kyocera Wireless Corp. is recalling about 1 million cell phone batteries because some may be counterfeit, which could cause them to short-circuit, overheat and burn users.
The San Diego company has received 10 reports of battery failures — eight resulting in smoke and property damage and two that caused minor burn injuries, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday.
Some of the batteries came with new telephones, said the CPSC.
The recalled batteries, manufactured by Hecmma Group of El Paso, Texas, and made in China, involve three different cell phone models:
The batteries were sold nationwide at ALLTEL, Cricket Communications, MetroPCS, U.S. Cellular and Verizon Wireless stores, as well as by telemarketing retailers, various Web sites and regional phone carriers.
The K400 and 3200 Series were sold from December 2003 to September 2004 for $30 to $100; the Slider Series sold from May to September for $30 to $170. The batteries were also sold separately during those time periods for $30 to $60.
The commission advises consumers to stop using the batteries and store them with nonflammable materials. If users do not hear from Kyocera they should contact the company to receive a free replacement battery.
Kyocera can be reached at 866-559-3882, weekdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. EDT.