PC World Business

IBM is recalling power adapters that shipped with certain models of its ThinkPad notebooks sold between January 1999 and August 2000.

The adapters can overheat and melt, posing a fire and electrical shock hazard to users, according to a statement released Thursday by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The flaw has led to some "minor property damage," but no reports of personal injury, IBM said in a statement on its Web site. The adapters were sold worldwide with IBM's ThinkPad i Series laptops and ThinkPad 390 and 240 computers as well as certain ThinkPad s Series notebooks sold in the Asia-Pacific region outside of Japan, according to the IBM statement.

Approximately 553,000 of the 56 watt AC adapters were sold. The adapters being recalled contain the part number 02K6549 on their labels, IBM said.

Any Australian customers that purchased a ThinkPad during the recall period should log into www.adapterprogram.com for more information, or call the IBM Support Centre on 131 426. If affected, a new adapter will be issued to customers free of charge by IBM Australia.