The US Consumer Product Safety Commission is looking at other makes of laptop which use Sony batteries to see if they too pose a fire risk. Dell said yesterday it is recalling 4.1m lithium-ion batteries, some of which have spontaneously combusted.

The direct seller has received six reports of batteries overheating and causing damage. Latitude, Inspiron, Dell Precision and XPS machines use the batteries.

Sony also supplies batteries to other manufacturers including Apple, HP and Lenovo, according to Reuters. The commission said it was looking at other laptops which use Sony batteries.

Dell says it expects no financial damage from the recall - presumably because Sony will have to pick up the tab. But damage to its reputation might cost more.

Consumers will get a free replacement battery.

Dell had to recall 35,000 laptop batteries in December 2005.

More from the commission available here, and more from Dell here. ®