Sony Recalling Over 500,000 Vaio Laptops

Sony today issued a recall of 535,000 VAIO laptops after receiving reports that the systems were overheating to the point of causing hardware damage and possibly burning skin. The problem resides within the VPCF11 and VPCCW2 family of notebook PCs. Consumers who already purchased one of the problematic devices will need to download a firmware update for the BIOS that supposedly fixes the issue.

"Sony takes pride in the quality of its products," said Mike Lucas, Sony Electronics Senior Vice President, VAIO. "Recently, we became aware of a potential issue affecting certain units within the VPCF11 and VPCCW2 series of notebook PCs. In rare instances, these notebook computers may overheat due to a potential malfunction of the internal temperature management system, resulting in deformation of the product's keyboard or external casing, and a potential burn hazard to consumers."

The list of affected models (which can be found here) is an impressive one that encompasses over one hundred models from the VPCF11 and VPCCW2 series combined. Although the VAIO BIOS was actually created by a third party and then customized by an additional third party, Sony supposedly tested the BIOS on the VAIO platform before releasing to retail.

"If you have any questions or need additional assistance with the firmware update installation, call Sony technical support at (866) 496-7669 for assistance," Lucas said. "The satisfaction of our customers is our number one priority, and we will work diligently to ensure that your VAIO notebook is in top working order. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your support in this matter."

Anyone smell a potential lawsuit?

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Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.