Have a Sony Vaio Laptop purchased between January 2010 and April 2010? If you are not already aware of it, the Sony and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a product recall in the summer of 2010 for a certain percentage of Sony Vaio laptops which have the potential to overheat and create a burn hazard. This recall is the third for Sony Vaio laptops.

The Sony Vaio laptops affected have model numbers commencing in VPCF11 and VPCWW2 and were typically sold for $800 to $1500. Sony subsequently issued a firmware update that allegedly resolves the problem and has advised all Sony Vaio users with laptops of this description to discontinue using it until it has been updated.

This recall affected more than 500,000 Sony notebooks internationally and 260,000 laptops in the United States alone. A complete list of the specific model numbers within each Sony and no book series is available on the Sony website for those wishing to determine whether their laptop is affected. Alternatively, concerned consumers can call Sony to find out more, and if your laptop has been a fact it’s it is advisable to also contact the United States consumer product safety commission to fill out an incident report, which is available online at the Commission’s web site.

To determine the model number of your laptop, examine the notebook screen frame or the area near the hinged between the screen and the keyboard for a small label the same color as the laptop with contrasting letter colors. Additionally, the white product label that is normally adhered to the bottom of any laptop will have the number, although the Sony Corporation warns consumers that this white product label may be placed at any location on the bottom of the device.

If you can’t find your label then go to Sony’s eSupport web site using Internet Explorer and allow Sony to auto-detect your model number. On the right side of the eSupport page you will see a “Detect My Model” button which allows you to download a program to determine the laptop’s model number. Finally, if you are concerned about using your laptop in any capacity then call the Sony technical assistance number and let a technician help you. If you have been injured or otherwise harmed by your Sony Vaio laptop, then contact a product liability lawyer to discuss your case.