HP Recalling Six Million Power Leads Due To Fire Hazard

It is not all that often that we come across product recalls in the computer world, so even the smallest recall will catch our attention. Yesterday, HP recalled an unexpected product: the power leads that shipped with its laptops throughout September 2010 and June 2012.

This power cord (model number LS-15) is being recalled because of fire and burn hazards due to the cable overheating. HP has received 29 complaints about overheating LS-15 cables, 13 of which included claims of minor property damage. That’s apparently enough to have the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and HP recall over six million cables. Most of these are in the U.S. and Canada. Some Compaq-branded laptops also came with this cable.

The U.S. CPSC advises customers to stop using these cables immediately and contact HP for a replacement. In the meantime, the agency's proposed solution is for folks to use the laptops off battery power -- which is pretty much a non-solution solution. (Next we're going to be advised to drive our daily duties with the leftovers in our gas tanks because all of the nozzles at fuel pumps are being recalled.)

We reckon that this is all a bit overly dramatic, but we would still like to advise you to be careful. If you’re going to be stubborn enough to continue using the cable in the meantime (which we can’t blame you for) at least try to keep it away from carpets, wooden furniture, yourself, and other potential dangers.

Follow Niels Broekhuijsen @NBroekhuijsen. Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.