HP recalls faulty Google Chromebook chargers

HP has issued a recall notice for the power chargers of its Chromebook 11, following reports of overheating and melting.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) advised that owners of the Google OS-based laptops should contact HP and Google for a free replacement charger unit.

"Google has received nine reports of chargers overheating and melting during use," the agency said in its notice. "There is one report of a small burn to a consumer and one report of minor property damage to a pillow from an overheating charger."

Sales of the device were halted last month after reports by some users of overheating problems. Users were warned of the problem in a Google Chrome blog posting.

In an update to the original post, Google said that it would recall all chargers for the device sold so far.

"Customers should visit http://chromebook.com/hp11chargerform to request a free replacement charger. We apologize again for the inconvenience this has caused. 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," the firm said.

The company has also put out an FAQ for customers to answer questions surrounding the faulty chargers. It said that customers who have purchased an HP Chromebook 11 before December 1, 2013, should stop using the original charger. It also warned customers against trying to repair the faulty chargers themselves.

The new replacement charger will be sent within 30 days of the customer's request. In the UK, customers can call 0800 0260613 to request the new chargers. Customers do not need to produce a copy of their receipts to get a new charger.

Caesar Sengupta, vice president of Product Management at Google apologised to customers for the inconvenience.

Rene Millman

Rene Millman is a freelance writer and broadcaster who covers cybersecurity, AI, IoT, and the cloud. He also works as a contributing analyst at GigaOm and has previously worked as an analyst for Gartner covering the infrastructure market. He has made numerous television appearances to give his views and expertise on technology trends and companies that affect and shape our lives. You can follow Rene Millman on Twitter.