Sony issues Vaio recall

Author: Gareth Halfacree
Published: 5th September 2008

Several models of Sony Vaio laptop sold over the last year may be in danger of short-circuit thanks to a design flaw.

If you're the lucky owner of a Sony Vaio laptop, you might have a hot system on your hands – literally.

BetaNews reported yesterday that Sony has issued a recall notice for several of its Viao TZ series laptops. According to Sony, a “wiring problem” may cause the affected units to overheat – although, thankfully, there's no reports of laptop immolation as yet.

The models affected by the recall were sold worldwide between July 2007 and August 2008 and include the VGN-TZ100, VGN-TZ200, VGN-TZ300, and the VGN-TZ2000 series of notebooks. Owners of affected models are encouraged to contact Sony for “a free inspection and, if necessary, a repair to ensure these units meet [Sony's] high quality standards.”

Although Sony claims that customers are in no immediate danger from the glitch – described as “irregularly placed wires near the hinge, or a dislodged screw inside the hinge, [which] may cause a short circuit” – anyone who thinks their system is affected should “immediately power off the unit, unplug the AC adapter and remove the battery” before contacting the company to arrange a fix.

Any Vaio owners here noticed their pride and joy spitting sparks recently, or is Sony just being cautious about a rare possibility? Share your thoughts over in the forums.