Toshiba Corp. on Thursday announced a voluntary recall of 41 thousand notebooks worldwide due to overheating hazard. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

The notebook computers can overheat at the notebook's plug-in to the AC adapter, posing a burn hazard to consumers. So far Toshiba has received 129 reports of the notebook computers overheating and deforming the plastic casing area around the AC adapter plug, including two reports of minor burn injuries that did not require medical attention and two reports of minor property damage.

This recall involves certain "consumer ultra-thin" Toshiba Satellite T135, Satellite T135D and Satellite Pro T130 notebook computer models. The systems were sold via various electronics stores and other retailers nationwide and online, including at Toshibadirect.com and other websites, from August 2009 through August 2010 for between $600 and $800.

Consumers should immediately download the latest version of Toshiba's BIOS computer program to their notebook computer at a special web-site. This new computer program will detect whether the notebook computer is overheating, and if so, disable the notebook computer's external power and display a message directing the consumer to contact Toshiba for a free repair. Consumers who do not have Internet access should contact Toshiba to arrange for installation of the updated BIOS.

Tags: Toshiba, Satellite, Failures