Sony feels the burn after global VAIO notebook recall

by Stevie Smith - Sep 5 2008, 13:00

Bad news for both Sony Corp. and its international notebook customers this week after the Japanese consumer electronics company issued a global product recall connected to potentially dangerous wiring problems in its popular VAIO range.

Sony forced to recall 440,000 faulty units of its VAIO notebook line. Image: aloshbennett/Flickr.

More pointedly, Sony is looking to recall approximately 440,000 VAIO units spread across 19 different model variants, including the VGN-TZ100, VGN-TZ200, VGN-TZ300 and VGN-TZ2000, manufactured in both Japan and the United States between May of 2007 and June of 2008.In offering its explanation, Sony said that internal wiring wrongly situated close to a display hinge, and also a separate circuit board issue, may be causing certain hardware units to overheat.AP reports Sony has received more than 200 user complaints referencing overheating problems with the VAIO notebooks in question, and Sony itself has admitted that some users have suffered minor burns as a result.In terms of sales coverage associated with the potentially faulty computers, Sony has said some 67,000 units were sold in its home territory of Japan, while the remaining 373,000 were sold across various international regions. Units sold in the UK are apparently not affected by the overheating issue.Sony has urged any VAIO owner who believes their machine to be suffering with an overheating issue to get in contact in order to arrange a hardware inspection and a possible fix if needed. Sony has not said whether or not it will charge customers for any resulting fixes.Sony is no stranger to product recalls, having suffered through a truly massive recall in 2006 when leading computer vendors including Apple, Dell, Lenovo and Toshiba were forced to withdraw more than nine million Sony-made notebook batteries that were prone to overheating and even bursting into flames.As a result of the latest recall, shares in Sony Corp. fell by more than four percent, dragging value to its lowest point almost three years.

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bettySep 5th, 2008 - 14:01:55

If Sony does not replace the notebook and charges for repairs this will be the last time I purchase any Sony product. I will also make sure that all my friends and aquaintances find out that this is how Sony treats their customers.

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KyleSep 5th, 2008 - 14:08:38

I agree, I suffered a minor burn from one of their laptops! If I do not get repaid for their idiocy I will make sure that my friends and I never buy a Sony product! Being a government worker, I can make news travel around the United States fast so I can make their market share drop and I will if they don't reimburse me!

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SamySep 5th, 2008 - 14:25:31

I have a problem after problem with my vaio VGN-FJ170P started with the operating system just two or three month after I bought it and a problem with a bad battery at the same time. Even though I use my Sony vaio-notebook once or twice a month because I use it only as a back up only while I travel I lost my internet wireless cart and the light cart that show the progress of HD & charging the battery. I called the techenical support many times last week, they only made my life wores and nothing was fixed.
Never agin Sony, never again vaio and will I'll make sure to let every one around me knows it.

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AnonymousSep 5th, 2008 - 14:30:34

You all are such big talkers....if you don't like the products then don't buy them and stop your complaining. Kyle...you should really get off your high horse. Just because you work for the government doesn't mean crap. For all we know you work for janitorial services. And let me tell you....you would hardly make an impact in Sony's market share even if you did tell all your buddies to not buy Sony. You and your friends account for maybe $200,000 a year of Sony product....do you really think they care about that? You should get a degree in business before you talk such rubbish.

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Iftekhar AhmedSep 30th, 2008 - 15:35:23

I am a owner of Sony Vaio - Model TZ VGN-TZ16GN/B. I am not sure if this model is included in the list or recall. But to me it appears that it is getting over heated.

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Sony feels the burn after global VAIO notebook recall

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