Xiaomi Recalls 150,000 Power Banks Over Fire Risk

Shortly after anchor, Xiaomi is now calling for almost 150,000 power banks worldwide, which were also sold in Germany. The reason is a potential risk of fire for certain battery cells. Affected customers receive a complete refund.

Security concerns for power banks are increasing

Last year Ikea called back his power bank Varmfront. Anchor followed two months ago. In both cases there was an increased risk of fire in the lithium-ion batteries. For the same reason, Xiaomi now follows with a global recall. The company is calling for almost 150,000 units of its 33W Power Bank 20,000mAh with integrated cable, which were also displaced in Germany, as security risks were identified for certain battery cells.

The PB2030MI model is affected, which was manufactured between August and September 2024. According to the company, a small batch of these power banks contains the problematic battery cell 126280 version 2.0, which can overheat under certain terms of use and represent a fire risk.

Xiaomi reacts to security risks

Although the number of known incidents is low, Xiaomi chose a voluntary recall campaign to avoid potential risks before the problems are piling up. The recall campaign was initially announced in China and then extended to global markets. Customers can check whether their power bank is affected by the serial number on the back of the device with a Xiaomi online tool compare. The serial numbers concerned typically begin with certain prefixes that mark the manufacturing date and the production line.

Complete refund for affected customers

Xiaomi offers a complete refund for all affected power banks. Customers have two options for returning:

• Visit to a Xiaomi Home Store, where the staff helps with the review and reimbursement
• Online procedures via the official website with proof of the proper disposal of the Powerbank

Since there is only one Xiaomi store in Essen in Germany, most customers in this country will probably have to fall back on the online process. Incidentally, devices with illegible or missing serial number are not entitled to reimbursement.

Backgrounds to battery technology

The problematic battery cell 126280 version 2.0 belongs to the family of lithium-ion batteries, which are widespread due to its high energy density and compact construction in mobile devices. These cells can tend to go through thermal faith in the case of production errors or improper handling. It is a process in which the cell heats up uncontrollably and, in the worst case, can catch fire.

Xiaomi emphasizes that all other power banks of the company use other battery cells and can therefore be used safely. The company also reports that in recent years you have tightened your own quality controls and have been working closely with battery manufacturers in order to continue to minimize such problems in the future.