Samsung Galaxy S4 phone owners asked to exchange faulty batteries

Customers reported cases of the Samsung phone bursting into flames due to battery overheating; Samsung Israel head: 'There is no danger.'

Cellular phones are displayed in a store 370 (R) (photo credit: Erik de Castro / Reuters)
Cellular phones are displayed in a store 370 (R)
(photo credit: Erik de Castro / Reuters)
Knesset members asked the public to bring in their Samsung Galaxy S4 mobile phones to stores for replacement batteries during a Wednesday panel organized by the MK Adi Kol (Yesh Atid).
Customers have been complaining of their Galaxy S4 phones bursting into flames after the phone's batteries overheated.

Professor Doron Orbach said that whenever a battery overheats, it is dangerous and should be taken off the market immediately.

Another professor at the panel, Ein Eli, said that although they did not conduct lab investigations, the batteries, and any battery that overheats, are dangerous. He reminded the panel about the previous model Galaxy S3's battery recall.

In response, Samsung Israel's head Jong Bam Li said that even though the problem isn't common and "there is no danger to the public," the company will allow customers to exchange their batteries. He said the company will also inform customers and send them messages.

Lee Sung Hoy, head manager of Samsung Israel businesses, said that problems were isolated. "In certain situations and with certain makers, we have had problems." He said that the overheating was a result of external damage or use of counterfeit batteries, according to their lab investigations by engineers and claims that they investigated all of their factories.  "In any case, there is no connection between the overheating batteries and phones bursting into flames."

Translated by Michelle Malka Grossman