Batteries in refurbished BlackBerrys recalled due to fire hazard

The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission is recalling 470,000 BlackBerry batteries that were installed in refurbished devices because they are counterfeits and could catch fire.

The batteries -- CPSC doesn't know where they were manufactured -- were distributed from March 2004 through October 2009 by Asurion of Smyrna, Tenn. as part of its BlackBerry handset protection program and were put in almost all models of refurbished BlackBerrys. The company says it received two reports of the batteries overheating -- one causing minor burns to a consumer's finger and another incident that caused minor damage to a sofa and car seat. No other BlackBerry or Asurion product is included in the recall.

If you have one of the counterfeit BlackBerry batteries, CPSC says to stop using it immediately and contact Asurion for a replacement. Consumers can check Asurion's web site to see if their BlackBerry batteries are effected or call the company at 866-384-9175 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central, Monday through Friday. Asurion is exchanging the counterfeit batteries and consumers can request the new batteries on its web site.

BlackBerry is the latest tech gadget to have parts that could overheat, causing potential dangerous situations. Sony Electronics recalled its Vaio laptops in June after consumer complaints of overheating. Last fall, Walmart recalled millions of its low-cost Durabrand DVD players because the units could overheat and start fires. Hewlett Packard in May recalled 54,000 laptop batteries over reports of overheating. A class-action lawsuit also has been filed against Apple Inc., claiming that its iPad overheats and shuts down under normal operating conditions.