Apple recalls European iPhone chargers in 37 countries due to overheating and safety risk

By Jason Hahn June 15, 2014

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Apple’s iPhones are hot commodities, but it appears that the phone’s chargers are as well – literally. On Friday, the company announced that its 5W European USB power adapters that came with the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S models shipped from October 2009 to September 2012 in 37 countries “may overheat and pose a safety risk.” In response, Apple is running an “exchange program” (better known as a recall).

“Customer safety is always Apple’s top priority, and we have voluntarily decided to exchange every affected power adapter for a new, redesigned adapter, free of charge,” the company noted on a support page.

Affected customers are instructed to look at the label between the prongs of their adapters. The old adapters that are part of the recall will have “CE” in solid, filled-in gray lettering and “Model A1300” inscribed in the top right. The redesigned adapter will have the letters “CE” outlined in gray but not filled in and “Model A1400” inscribed in the top right.

Apple iPhone charger recall — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Customers who are eligible to get a new charger as part of the recall are told to bring their affected adapters to an Apple retail store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. A refund may be given to customers who paid for a replacement because of the overheating issue.

This isn’t the first time Apple has issued a recall for its chargers. Back in 2008, the company announced another “exchange program” for USB power adapters sold with the iPhone 3G in several countries.

In 2013, Apple cracked down on low-quality chargers by running a program that offered new, official Apple USB chargers for $10 in exchange for handing in a third-party charger.

Visit Apple’s support page dedicated to its latest charger issue for more details about this recall and to see which 37 countries are affected.

[Image courtesy of pio3/Shutterstock]

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Jason Hahn is a part-time freelance writer based in New Jersey. He earned his master's degree in journalism at Northwestern…

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