August 14, 2007 : Espoo,
Finland - Nokia today issued a product advisory for the Nokia-branded BL-5C battery
manufactured by Matsushita Battery Industrial Co., Ltd. of Japan between December 2005 and
November 2006. This product advisory does not apply to any other Nokia-branded battery.
Nokia has identified that in very rare cases the Nokia-branded BL-5C batteries subject to
the product advisory could potentially experience overheating initiated by a short circuit
while charging, causing the battery to dislodge. Nokia is working closely with Matsushita
and will be cooperating with relevant authorities to investigate this situation.
Nokia has several suppliers for BL-5C batteries who have
collectively produced more than 300 million BL-5C batteries. This advisory applies only to
the 46 million batteries manufactured by Matsushita between December 2005 and November
2006, from which there have been approximately 100 incidents of overheating reported
globally. No serious injuries or property damage have been reported.
Consumers with a BL-5C battery subject to this advisory should note
that all of the approximately 100 incidents have occurred while charging the battery.
According to Nokia's knowledge this issue does not affect any other use of the mobile
device.
While the occurrences in the BL-5C batteries produced by Matsushita
in the time-period specified are very rare, concerned consumers can request a replacement
for any BL-5C battery subject to this product advisory.
It is important to note that the BL-5C battery is not used in all
Nokia products and that only a portion of the Nokia BL-5C batteries in use are subject to
this advisory.
How to identify a BL-5C
battery manufactured by Matsushita during the relevant period
In order to determine if a battery is subject to this advisory, it
is necessary to remove the battery from the device. A Nokia battery will have
"Nokia" and "BL-5C" printed on the front of the battery. On the
reverse, the Nokia mark appears at the top and the battery identification number
(consisting of 26 characters) is found at the bottom. Consumers should refer to this
identification number to determine if their battery is among the batteries manufactured by
Matsushita between December 2005 and November 2006. A comparison of that number with those
subject to this advisory will determine a consumer's ability to obtain a replacement free
of charge.
Consumers should visit the website www.nokia.com/batteryreplacement/en
or contact their local Nokia call center.
About the BL-5C battery
The BL-5C is one of 14 different battery models used in Nokia
products. As with many of its components, Nokia has a multi-supplier strategy for
batteries, including the BL-5C. Matsushita is one of several suppliers Nokia has for the
BL-5C battery.
A list of Nokia products that include the BL-5C battery is available
at www.nokia.com/batteryreplacement/en
