The problems with defective laptop batteries continue. This time the affected manufacturer is Sony, whose laptop batteries were involved in a massive recall in 2007. In the new case, the Consumer Product Safety Commission received close to 20 reports of the Sony-manufactured batteries overheating, including 17 instances of them catching fire.

Laptops with the affected batteries were sold by Dell from November 2004 to November 2005; Toshiba from April 2005 to October 2005; and HP from December 2004 through June 2006. The batteries were also sold separately.

Here's a list of models that might contain the recalled batteries:

• HP Pavilion: dv1000, dv8000 and zd8000
• Compaq Presario: v2000 and v2400
• HP Compaq: nc6110, nc6120, nc6140, nc6220, nc6230, nx4800, nx4820, nx6110, nx6120, nx9600
• Toshiba Satellite: A70/A75, P30/P5, M30X/M35X, M50/M55
• Toshiba Tecra: A3, A5, S2
• Dell Latitude: 110L
• Dell Inspiron: 1100, 1150, 5100, 5150, 5160

If you own any of the above laptops, remove the battery and check the manufacturer's Web site or call the provided toll-free number to see if your system is affected. You'll also find instructions there on how to return the battery for a free one.

You can also check the CPSC's official announcement, http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09035.html, for more information—including images of the laptops and batteries affected by this recall.

Here's the contact info:

• HP: http://www.hp.com/support/BatteryReplacement
  800-889-2031 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday.
• Toshiba: http://www.bxinfo.toshiba.com
  800-457-7777.
• Dell: http://www.dellbatteryprogram.com
  866-342-0011 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday.

—Donna Tapellini