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Don’t play with fire! Return these Lenovo laptop power cords ASAP

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It’s not very pleasant, and it’s certainly not flattering, but recalls of various PC components and even laptops as a whole occasionally happen. The best of the best in the industry have confronted situations where machines worth hundreds of dollars turned into serious fire hazards, and market leader Lenovo is the latest hit by such an unpleasant circumstance.

Fortunately, Lenovo seems to have caught the glitch in its inception, and chances are it’ll be nipped in the bud.

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If you all play your part, that is, and return the AC power cords for Lenovo IdeaPads purchased in the US and Canada between February 2011 and June 2012. The list of affected systems includes around 70 models sold back in the day for as little as $350, and as much as $1,500.

Lenovo estimates roughly 500,000 computers in circulation stateside, and an additional 44,000 in Canada, could go out in flames in the flick of a switch if LS-15 AC charging cables continue to juice them up. No injuries caused by the faulty cords have been reported, but 15 minor incidents “involving overheating, sparking, melting and burning” have come to Lenovo’s attention from outside of the United States.

While waiting for the fix it’s apparently completely safe to go about your business on battery power or with a compatible, unaffected cord. All in all, Lenovo appears to be handling the predicament professionally, and its good to know no one has yet been hurt. Don’t be the first! Check out Lenovo’s recall page to see if your power cord needs returned.

Image credit: Lassedesignen/Shutterstock

Adrian Diaconescu
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