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Lenovo Recalls Certain ThinkPad X1 Carbon Laptops Over Fire Risk

The affected laptops contain an unfastened screw, which can damage the lithium-ion battery inside, Lenovo said. The recall applies to over 80,000 laptop units sold in US, Canada.

 & Michael Kan Principal Reporter

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Lenovo is recalling over 80,000 ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptops because they potentially pose a fire hazard.

The laptops actually contain an unfastened screw inside that can damage the lithium-ion battery, and trigger overheating or a fire, Lenovo said on Monday.

The problem applies to fifth-generation ThinkPad X1 laptops sold between Dec. 2016 and Nov. 2017, according to the US Product Safety Commission. About 78,000 of these models were sold to the US, while another 5,500 were sold to Canada.

Lenovo has released a support document that can help customers identify whether they own an affected laptop. The company is offering the inspections and repairs free-of-charge.

So far, Lenovo hasn't received any reports of the faulty X1 Carbons hurting anyone. However, the vendor is still suggesting that affected laptop owners immediately stop using the product. Lithium-ion batteries are known to easily catch fire or even explode whenever punctured. The damage can cause the battery cells inside to short circuit and spark a buildup of heat that can quickly become dangerous.

Lenovo said it learned about the issue several weeks ago. Three customers had reported their laptops overheating, resulting in damage to the products. The PC maker conducted an investigation, and found the culprit: a small unfastened screw that had been left in laptops during their manufacture. Lenovo has since fixed the problem on the supply side.

The company has a website that can help customers locate a warranty provider to perform the repair service. U.S. and Canada residents can also contact Lenovo Services at 1 800-426-7378 for help.

About Our Expert

Michael Kan

Michael Kan

Principal Reporter

My Experience

I've been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I'm currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country's technology sector.

Since 2020, I've covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I've combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink's cellular service.

I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. In 2024 and 2025, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.

I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I'm now following how the AI-driven memory shortage is impacting the entire consumer electronics market. I'm always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.

The Best Tech I've Had:

  • My first video game console: a Nintendo Famicom
  • I loved my Sega Saturn despite PlayStation's popularity.
  • The iPod Video I received as a gift in college
  • Xbox 360 FTW
  • The Galaxy Nexus was the first smartphone I was proud to own.
  • The PC desktop I built in 2013, which still works to this day.

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