Bose S1 Pro Battery Recall: Check the Pack, Keep the Speaker

If you own a Bose S1 Pro or S1 Pro+, the speaker itself is not the problem. The recall announced on 5 November 2026 covers the removable lithium-ion battery pack that slides into the bottom. Pull the pack out, read the 17-digit serial number on its label, and if it starts with one of seven six-digit codes, stop using that pack and ask Bose for a free replacement. Until the new one arrives, the speaker still works plugged into the wall.

The Bose S1 Pro recall is about the battery pack, not the speaker: check the pack's own serial, not the speaker's.

That detail matters because some headlines this week said "speaker systems recalled", and Bose warns that the speaker and the battery pack carry separate serial numbers. Checking the wrong one is the easiest mistake to make, especially if you bought the speaker secondhand.

What exactly is being recalled?

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recall notice, number 27-065:

• What: S1 Pro System Battery Packs and S1 Pro+ System Battery Packs, the rechargeable packs used in Bose's portable Bluetooth PA speakers.
• Why: the packs can overheat and catch fire. Bose has received seven reports of packs melting, smoking or catching fire, six of them with property damage. No injuries had been reported when the notice was published.
• How many: about 634,759 in the U.S., plus about 35,400 sold in Canada.
• When and where sold: from December 2017 through July 2026, with the speaker systems (about $700) and on their own as accessories or replacement parts (between $100 and $160), at Bose, Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart and other stores and websites.
• The fix: a free replacement battery pack. The CPSC notice lists the remedy as "Replace", not a refund.

Nearly nine years of sales is the part most coverage skips. A pack sold in 2018 may have changed hands two or three times since, which is why the used-market checks below matter.

How do I check if my S1 Pro battery is recalled?

Bose's recall page walks through it in a few minutes. In plain steps:

1. Turn the speaker off and unplug it.
2. Open the bottom. Loosen the two screws on the bottom plate and lift it off.
3. Pull the battery pack out using its pull tabs.
4. Find the 17-digit serial number printed under the bar code on the pack's label. This is the pack's number, not the speaker's.
5. Compare the first six digits with this list:

If your pack's serial starts with any of those, it is included. If it does not, Bose says the pack is not part of this recall and can keep being used.

One more thing Bose points out: some S1 Pro systems were sold without a battery pack. If yours came that way and you added a Bose pack later, check that added pack the same way.

What should I do if my pack is on the list?

Follow the order Bose and the CPSC give:

1. Stop using the pack immediately and leave it out of the speaker.
2. Write down the pack's 17-digit serial number. You need it to claim the replacement.
3. Request the free replacement on Bose's recall page (bose.com/support/s1-battery-recall), or by phone at 800-278-1083. The CPSC lists those phone hours as 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday. Bose notes the online request is not available in every region; if it is not, contact Bose directly.
4. Keep using the speaker on wall power. Both Bose and the CPSC say the S1 Pro and S1 Pro+ can be used safely when connected to AC power with the pack removed.
5. Dispose of the old pack the right way (next section).

If you want to know more about how recall remedies work in general, including when you can ask for money instead, our guide on getting a refund for a recalled product covers it.

Where do I throw away a recalled lithium-ion battery in DC, Maryland or Virginia?

Not in the trash, and not in a recycling bin. The CPSC is unusually specific here: do not put this pack in household trash, in street or curbside recycling, or in the battery drop boxes you see at retail and home-improvement stores. Recalled lithium-ion batteries carry a higher fire risk than ordinary used batteries, so they go through a different route.

What the CPSC recommends instead:

• Call your local household hazardous waste (HHW) collection site first. Whether you live in the District, Maryland or Virginia, look up your own city or county's HHW drop-off, then follow the CPSC's advice: phone ahead and ask whether it takes recalled lithium-ion batteries, because not every site does.
• If they say no, ask your city or county what they want you to do with it.
• Store it safely while you wait. Keep it out of the speaker, away from anything that burns, and somewhere it will not be knocked about.

Our earlier article on why old lithium-ion batteries never go in the trash explains the fire risk at waste sites in more detail.

Is it safe to buy a used Bose S1 Pro now?

Yes, if you check the pack before you pay. With packs sold from late 2017 to mid-2026, a used S1 Pro could hold an original pack, a later replacement, or no pack at all. Three checks cover it:

1. Ask the seller to show you the battery pack's serial number, not the speaker's. A photo of the label under the bar code is enough. Compare the first six digits with the list above.
2. If the pack is recalled, it is not automatically a bad deal. The speaker itself is not recalled. But price it as a speaker without a battery, because that is what you can safely use until a replacement arrives, and ask the seller whether they have already requested one from Bose.
3. Look at the pack itself. Swelling, a bulge, scorch marks, a melted spot or a burning smell means do not buy, whatever the serial number says.

Sellers have a duty here too. The CPSC states that federal law prohibits anyone from selling a product that is under a recall, including a voluntary one done with the agency. If you are selling an S1 Pro with a recalled pack, remove the pack, claim the replacement first, and sell the speaker with the new one.

The same "check the battery, not the box" rule applies to anything rechargeable you buy secondhand this season. Our guide to whether power banks are safe walks through the same idea for smaller gadgets, and you can browse electronics in our shop's categories.

Bottom line

• The Bose S1 Pro battery recall covers the battery pack only. The speaker keeps working on wall power.
• Check the pack's 17-digit serial, not the speaker's. Seven starting codes are affected.
• The remedy is a free replacement pack from Bose, not a refund.
• Recalled lithium-ion packs never go in the trash, curbside recycling or store drop boxes. Call your local HHW program first.
• Buying used? Ask for a photo of the pack's label before you pay.

If you know someone who plays music at events, parties or church with one of these speakers, send them this. It takes five minutes to check, and they will want to know.