NEWS from CPSC - U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Clarion Recalls Vehicle Navigation and Entertainment System Batteries Due to Burn and Fire Hazards

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Batteries in Clarion N.I.C.E. P200 Navigation and Entertainment Systems

Units: About 2,500

Distributor: Clarion Corporation of America, of Cypress, Calif.

Manufacturer: Kiryung Electronics of Seoul, South Korea

Hazard: The lithium-ion batteries in these units can melt or overheat posing burn and fire hazards to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Clarion has received four reports of the unit melting or overheating. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The N.I.C.E. P200 is a black portable navigation and entertainment device that can be attached to a vehicle’s windshield. The device has a 4-inch touch screen LCD monitor and contains one lithium battery. “Clarion” and “N.I.C.E. P200” are printed on the device. “Clarion NAVBATTERY,” “Rechargeable Li-Polymer Battery,” and “Made in Korea” are printed on the battery. Only N.I.C.E. P200 units with serial numbers ending in “UE” or “UF” are affected by this recall. The serial number is located on a white label on the back of the device.

Sold at: Car audio and mobile electronics stores from May 2006 through December 2006 for about $900.

Manufactured in: South Korea

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled batteries immediately and contact Clarion Corp. to receive a free replacement battery and a postage-paid envelope to return the recalled battery.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Clarion Corp. at (800) 347-8667 Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT, or visit the firm's Web site at www.clarion.com