OUCH! Chromebook 11 Micro USB Charger Recalled Due To Overheating
Google and HP’s Chromebook 11 was the first laptop to include a micro USB charger. In early November, multiple cases of overheating and melting prompted both companies to pull the device from retail stores. Google and Hewlett Packard recalled 145,000 micro-USB chargers for their Chromebook 11 due to burn and fire hazards.
Google received one report of a user being slightly burned, and minor property damage to a pillow from an overheated charger. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has asked consumers to immediately stop using the Chromebook 11 Micro USB Charger! They stated that the micro-USB chargers are unsafe to use.
While Google and HP have stopped sales of the defective USB chargers, the companies will continue to sell Chromebook 11 with non-defective chargers. Google and HP plan to restock shelves with the replacement charger as soon as possible. The laptop is listed as no longer available at Best Buy and coming soon on the Google website.
Consumers can charge their Chromebook 11 with any micro-USB charger while waiting for the replacement, including micro-USB chargers included with Android smartphones and tablets.
“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,” Google explained in a recent blog post.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that Chromebook 11 owners call Google at 1-866-628-1371 or visit the company’s charger replacement form page at https://chromesafetycheck.appspot.com/#/ to request a replacement free of charge.
To find out if your Chromebook 11 charger is defective, look for the unit model number: MU15-N1052-A00S.