US Government issues formal Samsung Galaxy Note 7 recall
NEW YORK (WABC) -- The Consumer Product Safety Commission says Samsung is recalling Galaxy Note 7 Smartphones due to serious fire and burn hazards.
Consumers should immediately stop using and power down the recalled phones, the government said.
The lithium-ion battery in the Galaxy Note 7 smartphones can overheat and catch fire, posing a serious burn hazard to consumers, officials said.
Samsung has received 92 reports of the batteries overheating in the U.S., including 26 reports of burns and 55 reports of property damage, including fires in cars and a garage.
The recall involves about 1 million Galaxy Note 7 phones sold before September 15, 2016. It's an unprecedented recall that delivers a severe blow to Samsung, which had hoped to simply issue a software update to fix the problem.
The recalled devices have a 5.7 inch screen and were sold in the following colors: black onyx, blue coral, gold platinum and silver titanium with a matching stylus. Samsung is printed on the top front of the phone and Galaxy Note7 is printed on the back of the phone.
To determine if your phone has been recalled, locate the IMEI number on the back of the phone or the packaging, and enter the IMEI number into the online registration site at www.samsung.com or call Samsung toll-free at 844-365-6197.
If you own a Galaxy Note 7, contact your wireless carrier or place of purchase, call Samsung toll-free at 844-365-6197 anytime, or go online at www.samsung.com.
The formal recall makes it illegal to sell the devices or use them on airplanes.
In answering some questions about why it took so long for an official recall, CPSC Chairman Elliot Kaye said the commission needed to wait for documentation they needed to be able to tell consumers that the recourse being offered by Samsung was legitimate.
"It's not a recipe for a successful recall for a company to go out on their own," Kaye said.
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.
