Do not mail a recalled battery with an ordinary return label. Confirm the remedy, request the authorized shipping kit or written instructions, and follow the named carrier method exactly. The U.S. Department of Transportation lithium-battery page warns that damaged, defective, or recalled lithium batteries have a greater fire risk and may not be transported by air. If a kit component is missing, the battery is swollen, leaking, hot, or physically damaged, stop packing and contact the recall administrator for a new instruction.
Last reviewed August 26, 2026. Carrier acceptance rules, recall instructions, and the condition of a battery can change the permitted route; verify the live remedy before every shipment.
The package begins with the recall notice
A box that arrived from a manufacturer is not enough evidence that every recalled unit should be shipped. Read the notice for the affected model and serial range, the remedy offered, and whether the company wants a return, local hazardous-waste handling, or proof of disposal. Some recalls specifically tell consumers not to ship the device. Keep the item disconnected from chargers and other equipment if the notice says to stop use.
Record the claim or authorization number before opening the kit. Compare the addressee and product quantity with your case. One kit may be certified for one battery or a defined weight; adding another unit, charger, cable, or loose cell can change the package and invalidate the instructions. Do not substitute a household box, loose absorbent material, or a label downloaded from an unrelated recall.
A damaged battery is a stop point, not a packing challenge
Look at the battery without pressing, puncturing, charging, or trying to remove a sealed pack. Heat, odor, smoke, hissing, leaking electrolyte, swelling, corrosion, impact damage, or an exposed cell changes the situation. The EPA consumer guidance says lithium-ion batteries should not go into household trash or municipal recycling bins and directs consumers with damaged batteries to seek specific handling information. Move people away from an actively smoking or burning device and call emergency services; do not keep working through a return checklist.
A carrier counter is not the place to discover that the package is ineligible. Tell the recall contact exactly what you observe and ask whether the supplied kit is approved for that condition. Keep the reply. A statement that a unit is recalled does not prove it can be put on an aircraft, and a prepaid label does not cancel hazardous-material rules.
Inventory the kit before the battery goes inside
| Kit element | Check before use | Pause when |
|---|---|---|
| Outer box or overpack | Correct size, undamaged, and linked to this claim | Crushed, wet, previously used, or wrong quantity |
| Inner container and cushioning | All pieces named in the instructions are present | A liner, absorbent, closure, or separator is missing |
| Hazard and handling labels | Match the supplied placement diagram | Labels are torn, covered, or intended for another battery type |
| Return document | Claim number, destination, and product count agree | Address or case information conflicts with the recall record |
The current PHMSA Lithium Battery Guide for Shippers is scenario-based. That matters because battery chemistry, watt-hour rating, installed versus loose configuration, damage status, and transport mode can lead to different requirements. A consumer should not attempt to select a hazmat exception or recreate certified packaging from a diagram; the recall administrator or qualified shipper should supply the applicable method.
Pack and hand off with an evidence trail
- Photograph the model, serial number, battery condition, unopened kit, and every component listed in its instructions.
- Read the entire instruction sheet once before assembly. Use only the included parts and the stated orientation.
- Protect terminals and prevent device activation only in the manner the kit describes; never puncture or dismantle a sealed product.
- Close the inner and outer packaging in the stated sequence. Place each supplied label exactly where shown and do not cover required markings.
- Use the carrier and service level printed in the instructions. Do not switch to an air, express, locker, or drop-box service for convenience.
- Obtain an acceptance receipt or first carrier scan. Save the tracking number, kit instructions, case number, and pre-handoff photos.
Interpret tracking as custody evidence, not remedy completion
A label-created status shows only that a number exists. A first scan shows that the carrier took custody. Delivery shows arrival at a destination, but it does not mean the recall administrator validated the item or issued the refund or replacement. Keep watching the case until the company records the return and completes the promised remedy.
If tracking never receives a first scan, contact the handoff location and the recall administrator with your receipt. If movement stops after acceptance, use the carrier trace process specified by the company. Do not ship a second battery or duplicate package until the administrator separates the cases; duplicate shipments can disconnect the physical unit from its serial record.
When the kit or label cannot be used
Photograph the problem and request a replacement kit when the box is damaged, a component is absent, the label has expired, the destination is wrong, or the battery condition has changed. Ask for written disposition instructions if the company switches from return to local disposal. Your local facility may not accept recalled lithium batteries, so call before transporting the device and describe it accurately.
A successful packing check does not prove the item is safe to store or transport by another method. It proves only that you followed the instructions supplied for this case as the item appeared at that time.
Shipping-kit questions at the point of action
Can I reuse the box for a second recalled battery?
Only if the written program instructions expressly allow the quantity and configuration. Packaging designed or authorized for one unit should not be assumed to cover two.
What if the carrier refuses the package?
Do not conceal the contents or try another service. Keep the refusal details, take the package back to a safe location consistent with the recall guidance, and ask the administrator to correct the label or handoff plan.
Should I put a swollen battery in the supplied kit?
Not without case-specific confirmation. Swelling is physical damage. Tell the administrator what you see and follow emergency guidance if the battery is hot, venting, smoking, or burning.
For battery identity and affected-range matching, use the battery and power bank recall check. For the regulator notice and company contact route, open the CPSC product recall check.