Lenovo recalls selected ThinkPad Carbon X1 laptops over fire risk

Chinese PC giant Lenovo has announced a recall of selected ThinkPad Carbon X1 laptops following the discovery of a manufacturing flaw that could lead to overheating and, potentially, fire.

Affecting fifth-generation Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon machines manufactured between December 2016 and October 2017, the recall relates to a screw which was improperly tightened during assembly. As part of normal use, this loose screw can damage the laptop's battery and cause overheating with the risk of fire - though, thankfully, the company says it has not received any reports of fire as yet, just three reports of overheating causing permanent damage to the laptops themselves.

Owners of fifth-generation ThinkPad X1 Carbons can check their machines using the product label on the underside: The machine type will be printed as 20HQ, 20HR, 20K3, or 20K4, while the year and month of manufacture printed after the serial number will be between 16/12 and 17/10. Any machines with different type codes or manufacturing dates outside this period are not affected, the company has confirmed.

Those who believe their machines may be affected can validate their serial number on the recall page, and if the flaw is confirmed should immediately stop using the machine and contact Lenovo's customer services to arrange for an inspection and, if required, repair.

'The recall is due to a manufacturing process lapse which Lenovo's engineers have subsequently fixed,' the company explains in its recall announcement, published late yesterday following the company's discovery of the flaw several weeks ago. 'Having taken the time to fully understand and correct this manufacturing issue, Lenovo is fully confident that its current ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptops meet Lenovo’s high quality and safety standards. Removal of any unfastened screw will eliminate any exposure of the battery to an unfastened screw. This process will eliminate the risk identified in this recall.'