Last month, HP's Chromebook 11, which made its debut back in September, was pulled from Google's and HP's online stores as well as Best Buy and Amazon. Presumably, there was something wrong with the Chrome OS laptop, and HP eventually followed up with a statement indicating that some chargers included with the device were damaged due to overheating during use.
"In the meantime, customers who have purchased an HP Chromebook 11 should not use the original charger provided with the product," the HP rep told Techradar. "In the interim they may continue using their HP Chromebook 11 with any other Underwriters Laboratories-listed microUSB charger, for example one provided with a tablet or smartphone. We apologize for the inconvenience."
Google confirmed the halt in sales, saying that it was working with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to identify the appropriate corrective action. Now over a month later, both parties are announcing a formal recall of the original charger that came with the Chromebook 11.
"Customers should visit http://chromebook.com/hp11chargerform to request a free replacement charger. We apologize again for the inconvenience this has caused," reads Google's updated blog on Monday. "Your safety is our top priority. With our partner HP, we are resuming sales of the HP Chromebook 11. All new packages will include the replacement charger."
According to the CPSC, Google reportedly received nine reports of overheating and melting. One report claimed property damage thanks to the overheating charger burning a pillow. Another report outlined the charger inflicting a small burn on a consumer.
Customers who purchased the Chromebook 11 before December 1 can order a replacement charger by submitting the online form as linked above. Customers can also call Google at (866) 628-1371 between 5 a.m. and 7 p.m. PST. The recall reportedly affects around 145,000 chargers.
