Microsoft to retrofit Xbox wheel after malfunction

[entropy05]

From Reuters:

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Thursday it was giving customers free retrofits to a wireless racing wheel with its Xbox 360 video game system after hearing of malfunctions in a wheel component.

The company said it was informed of about 50 incidents worldwide of a malfunction in the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel, in which a component in the wheel chassis may overheat and release smoke when the AC/DC power supply is used.

Yay! More free repairs! Microsoft, you're so good to us! "Hey, I've got melted plastic in my lap!" "Don't worry, this one's on us!"

[hugh]

press release from MS.

REDMOND, Wash. — Aug. 22, 2007 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that it is taking a precautionary measure and voluntarily providing customers with a free retrofit to the Xbox 360™ Wireless Racing Wheel.

The action is being taken after Microsoft was informed of a very small number of incidents of a malfunction in the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel, in which a component in the wheel chassis may overheat and release smoke when the AC/DC power supply is used to energize the wheel. There have been no reported incidences of fire, personal injury or property damage resulting from the component failure in the wheel.

Owners of the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel should stop using the AC/DC power supply until they have obtained their retrofit. They may continue to operate the wheel using battery power.

Owners of the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel should visit http://www.xbox.com/support or call Microsoft at (800) 4MY-XBOX (469-9269) to register for the free retrofit and protect against the potential hazard described above. Instructions, if necessary, will be provided with the retrofit. Microsoft is notifying and will be coordinating its response activities with the relevant regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. This may affect delivery dates.

[uberchuckie]

It's on the US site but not on the Canadian one yet.

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/sy...elretrofit.htm

The form to fill out is here:
http://www.xbox.com/NR/rdonlyres/4C5...ulfillment.pdf

[Eluder]

Well, if you change the US to CA, the link does work.
http://www.xbox.com/en-CA/support/sy...elretrofit.htm

[uberchuckie]

The link doesn't show up on this page.

http://www.xbox.com/en-CA/support

[wuvhandles]

Microsoft products with overheating problems? I think thats just a hoax like the moon landing, world war 2, and having to blow dust out of nes games to get them to work

[Eluder]

At least they overheat cause people use them and not sit there collecting dust like Sony's products.

[nmaf]

may overheat and release smoke

hahaha "release smoke"
oh i love how the media can spin things.

i'm sure anyone here can finish this quote: "where theres smoke...."


"release smoke" ? IT'S CALLED "ON FIRE"