| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 23, 2004 Release # 04-068 |
Kyocera Wireless Corp.: (800) 349-4478 Kyocera Media Contact: (858) 882-3543 |
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announces the following recall in voluntary cooperation with the firm below. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of product: Batteries in Kyocera Cell Phones (Model 7135 Smartphones)
Units: 140,000
Manufacturer: Coslight International Group, of Hong Kong, manufactured the batteries for Kyocera Wireless Corp., of San Diego, Calif.
Hazard: The recalled batteries can short-circuit and erupt with force or emit excessive heat, posing a burn hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Kyocera Wireless Corp. has received four reports of battery failures, including one minor burn injury.
Description: The recalled batteries are included in Kyocera model 7135 Smartphone cell phones. The black and silver flip-up phones say "Kyocera" at the top of the screen. The recalled batteries have the red and white Kyocera name printed on the front and a product code ending with -05 printed on the underside.
Sold at: Verizon Wireless, US Cellular and ALLTEL Corporation stores, in addition to Web site and telemarketing retailers nationwide, sold the cell phones with the -05 battery from September 2003 through December 2003 for about $500. The batteries also were sold separately during this time for about $21.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers with the recalled units should immediately stop using the battery in the cell phone. Kyocera Wireless will contact consumers to arrange for delivery of a free replacement battery. If consumers are not contacted by Kyocera by Feb. 6, they are asked to contact the firm to receive the free replacement battery. The batteries should be stored in an environment with non-flammable materials.
Consumer Contact: Call Kyocera Wireless Corp. at (800) 349-4478 between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit their Web site at www.kyocera-wireless.com
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to help ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household chemicals -– contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 40 years.
Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC's Hotline at 800-638-2772 or teletypewriter at 301-595-7054 for the hearing impaired. Consumers can obtain news release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov, on Twitter @USCPSC or by subscribing to CPSC's free e-mail newsletters.
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