Sony (SNE) this morning said it is recalling about 535,000 Vaio laptops around the world because of a temperature-control defect that could cause excessive heat and distort the shape of the laptop.



Overheated laptops could also cause burns to the skin, Sony said, though none have been reported so far.



The recall applies to some F- and C-series Vaio laptops sold since January, Sony said. It includes 259,000 laptops in the U.S., 103,000 in Europe, 120,000 in Asia and 52,000 in Japan.



"In rare instances, these notebook computers may overheat due to a potential malfunction of the internal temperature management system, resulting in deformation of the product's keyboard or external casing, and a potential burn hazard to consumers," Sony said.



Customers can fix the problem by downloading a program from Vaio's update system or from Sony's Web site, the company said. Or customers can have Sony pick up the affected laptops to do the repair work.



Shares of Sony were up 24 cents, or 0.8%, to $27.06.

Customers can fix the problem by downloading a program from Vaio's update system or from Sony's Web site, the company said. Or customers can have Sony pick up the affected laptops to do the repair work.