Dell battery pack, with part number

Dell laptop owners got some unwelcome news this week when the PC maker, in conjunction with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, issued a massive recall of batteries used in several lines: Latitude, Inspiron, Precision and XPS. (For more details on the models, click here.) The Dell-branded lithium ion batteries, made with cells manufactured by Sony, can overheat and pose a risk of fire.

Pictured here is one of the affected battery packs. Laptop owners can tell if they have the item by looking at the part numbers printed on the back--in this case, it's the designation F5132, highlighted in the inset.

August 15, 2006 6:29 AM PDT

Photo by: Consumer Product Safety Commission