Winter Newsletter 2007

XBox Fire Hazard: Research Your Purchases Beforehand

In February 2005, Microsoft issued a voluntary recall on the power cords on 14.1 million Xbox gaming consoles worldwide because of possible fire hazards, affecting some 70 percent of its gaming systems. According to a company news release, seven customers reported sustaining a minor burn to the hand, and customers reported smoke damage in 23 other cases.

Richard contacted an attorney, who then contacted Microsoft to settle for damages in February of this year. Though Microsoft had already settled other damage claims associated with Xbox fires, they refused to resolve Richard's claim. It was then that Richard's attorney filed suit for damages, stating that Microsoft knew or should have known that the Xbox device had a tendency to overheat and cause a fire hazard. His suit also stated that Microsoft should have warned consumers about possible dangers. The case is currently pending in Florida.