A fifth Pixel 6a just caught fire, and it seems like Google’s update isn’t enough

We’ve reported on several Google Pixel 6a battery fires earlier this year. This prompted Google to release a mandatory update for some units earlier this month to combat the issue. This update is supposed to dramatically cut battery life and reduce charging speeds in a bid to reduce battery heating issues. Unfortunately, someone has reported a Pixel 6a battery fire after installing the update.

Redditor footymanageraddict reports that their Pixel 6a caught fire while they were sleeping on Saturday (July 26):

I got woken up with a horrible smell and a loud noise. Fire had already started and i managed to throw the phone on the tile floor pulling it by the cord. The phone was sitting less than 40 cms away from my head on my nightstand. Sheets caught on fire. My ac (a floor unit) had damages (sic) on its surface from the fire. My throat hurt the whole day from the fumes i inhaled (My room door was closed because of the ac being on so i basically breathed the smoke for a longer time than i would want trying to stop a fire from spreading).

The Redditor said they had been charging the phone with the Steam Deck’s 45W charger. They also posted several photos showing the aftermath of the fire, seen below. The images show an extensively burned Pixel 6a, including a melted screen, a partially melted case, and charred internals.

What’s particularly concerning is that the user said they had installed Google’s “Battery Performance Program” update, which was supposed to reduce the risk of battery overheating in the first place. Google also recommends a free battery replacement for affected devices (via mail or walk-in), but the user said walk-in replacements weren’t available in their country.

This might be the fifth Pixel 6a to catch fire in the last 12 months. However, the previous four incidents occurred before Google’s “Battery Performance Program” update.

This latest incident suggests that the update doesn’t go far enough and that Google needs to perform a mandatory battery replacement or device recall. It’s also theoretically possible that the device battery was already past the point of no return. However, the user didn’t notice any battery swelling or other telltale signs.

This also comes after Australia’s consumer watchdog issued a warning about the Pixel 6a on July 25. The Australian Consumer and Competition Commission warned that the phone’s battery may overheat, but added that users didn’t have to return their devices. The warning nevertheless came a day before the latest battery fire incident.

We’ve asked Google for comment regarding this latest issue and whether it will take additional actions (e.g., a mandatory recall/replacement). We’ll update the article when the Pixel maker gives us an answer. Either way, it’s getting harder to recommend mid-range Pixel phones due to this issue.