LG to Conduct Safety Checks on Laptops
By Kim Yoo-chul
Staff Reporter
In a partial move to calm mounting criticism over laptop glitches, LG Electronics has decided to conduct free safety checks on its `Z’ series laptops.
But the company still may issue a recall upon the results of ongoing investigations.
``We will begin safety checks in March,’’ an LG spokesperson said Tuesday, adding that the company will exchange batteries without a charge upon request.
``People should register on the Internet (www.lgservice.co.kr) or go to any of our service centers,’’ the official added.
LG said the checks will be conducted on 29,000 `Z’ series laptops, which were sold from January to December 2007.
Asked about the possibility of a recall of `Z’ models, the spokesperson said, ``It is too early to tell whether the laptops might have `significant’ technical flaws but we are ready to launch more follow-up measures''.
``Some six to seven months are needed to find out the exact cause for the recent battery problems,’’ according to the official.
The company has sold 4,000 `Z1-A700K’ and 5,000 `Z1-A2007’ models since their respective introduction last year.
The unprecedented announcement comes amid speculation that LG’s laptops might have some technical problems in the wake of recent battery-related troubles.
Last Friday, the country’s second-largest consumer electronics manufacturer said it will halt sales of the `Z1-A2007’ model after a report of a battery meltdown.
Also, in January this year, another battery produced by LG Chemical and used in an LG Electronics `Z1-A700K’ laptop exploded. LG and LG Chemical later promised that they will seek ways to improve the safety of their products after an investigation into that explosion failed to find any significant technical flaws.
LG said the laptops are no longer produced and have been sold only in South Korea.
Concerns have risen high among laptop users over the safety after even Samsung Electronics recently said a laptop battery equipped in one of the company’s notebook models _ P10 _ melted, causing a fire.