Sony says it is recalling 440,000 units of Vaio laptop computers worldwide due to faulty parts that could trigger overheating.

Sony Corp. said Thursday that the recalls involve 19 models of Vaio TZ laptop series manufactured between May 2007 and July 2008, including three export models.

The Tokyo-based consumer electronics company says a faulty wiring connecting the main body of the laptop and its display could cause overheating near a power plug or the rim of the screen, sometimes distorting the shape of the computer.