What you need to know
- Wyze is recalling 321,360 Solar Cam Pan cameras in the U.S. after reports of overheating, fires, explosions, and minor burn injuries.
- The problem isn’t the hardware itself but confusing installation instructions that could lead users to puncture the camera’s lithium-ion battery with the wrong screw.
- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission logged 13 overheating incidents, including six fires or explosions and six reports of minor burns.
Wyze’s newest security camera is facing a major setback just months after hitting the market.
The smart home company announced that it is recalling about 321,360 Solar Cam Pan security cameras in the U.S. following reports that some units overheated, caught fire, and caused minor burn injuries. The recall follows an investigation that found the problem is in the installation instructions for the camera, not the core hardware design, which could cause the user to inadvertently damage the device’s lithium-ion battery.
The issue is how the Solar Cam Pan is mounted. Some customers may have used a long flat-head screw to secure the solar panel to the camera instead of the shorter pan-head screw that was meant to be used in that step, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) notes. If installed improperly, the longer screw may pierce the metal casing of the battery and may cause rapid overheating, fire, burns, or even an explosion.
Massive fire risk
The CPSC said it received 13 reports of the cameras overheating, including six reports of the units exploding or catching fire. Six consumers also sustained minor burn injuries.
The recall involves the Wyze Solar Cam Pan wire-free, model number WYZESCPWH. The white outdoor camera, released in late 2025, was Wyze’s first battery-powered pan-and-tilt camera with an integrated solar panel, providing 2K video recording, AI-powered person tracking, and maintenance-free solar charging.
The company had previously sounded alarms on the product earlier this year. In April, Wyze told customers not to build or install the Solar Cam Pan while it worked with the CPSC on a safety review. The company also disabled setup support for the camera within the Wyze app while it investigated the issue and developed revised instructions.
The impacted cameras were sold between October 2025 and April 2026 through Wyze’s website and major retailers. The product cost about $80.
How to participate in the recall
If your device matches the description, stop using it now. Start your claim on the official portal. To process the return, you’ll need your device’s MAC address from the Wyze app. Interestingly, instead of having you send back a burned or volatile battery, Wyze will send a special firmware update to your camera that will fully drain and kill the battery over 48 hours. If disabled, you will need to fill out a verification form and attest to disposing of the bricked device safely at a local municipal household hazardous waste collection center.
Eligible customers can select a free replacement camera and solar panel accessory, a full refund, or a store gift card equal to the original purchase price. The company also requires customers to confirm proper disposal of the recalled device before a remedy is provided.
Android Central’s Take
I have to give Wyze credit for providing a free upgrade to the objectively better Battery Cam Pro and handling the disposal through a clever remote-kill firmware update. But it’s absolutely wild to me that a company whose entire brand is built around protecting your house was able to ship a product that tries to burn it all down because someone didn’t proofread the screw lengths in a manual. It’s a nice apology, but maybe next time Wyze should read the instruction booklet before sending out DIY explosive devices.
