Apple Recalls 1.8 Million Batteries

[MacSawdust]

New list of battery numbers

Explains some of the validation problems.

 

[hclip]

new turn of events...

So I qualified for the battery exchange and placed my order, I had another battery thats been in storage but i couldnt find it when I registered online. I talked to a rep yesterday that said to register the one battery and to just call the second one in when I find it. So I find the battery after digging through some crates this morning and low and behold it qualifies, so I try and register online and it says the battery qualifies but my computer serial number has already been used to place an order. So I call apple and they say to take it to an apple store and they'll take care of it, that theres nothing that they can do for me over the phone. Which I find strange because as far as Ive been hearing, apple has been saying dont take it to a store. So is anyone else getting confusing stories from apple reps? I guess im gonna call my local apple store and see what they have to say about bringing the battery in.

 

[hclip]

So I qualified for the battery exchange and placed my order, I had another battery thats been in storage but i couldnt find it when I registered online. I talked to a rep yesterday that said to register the one battery and to just call the second one in when I find it. So I find the battery after digging through some crates this morning and low and behold it qualifies, so I try and register online and it says the battery qualifies but my computer serial number has already been used to place an order. So I call apple and they say to take it to an apple store and they'll take care of it, that theres nothing that they can do for me over the phone. Which I find strange because as far as Ive been hearing, apple has been saying dont take it to a store. So is anyone else getting confusing stories from apple reps? I guess im gonna call my local apple store and see what they have to say about bringing the battery in.

So I called my local apple store and they said there nothing they can do for me and to call customer care back and ask to speak to a supervisor. So I call and the rep said they cant manually enter the battery through but that I should call back on monday and speak to customer relations and they'll take care of it. So hopefully they'll be able to get this sorted and that will be end of getting the run around. The rep I talked to said they have been getting such an overwhelming amount of phone calls that there just putting anyone and everyone that can answer a phone on one, so if you are calling apple watch out on the answers you get. Its apparent that the one rep told me to call my local store because he didnt want or know how to deal with my question.

 

[someguy]

I caught this thread wayyyy too late, so forgive me for not reading it, but can someone tell me if my Rev. D 15" PB battery needs to be sent in, and if so, where do I go for details on the procedure?

I definitely don't want one of these:

EDIT: Damn! It's an A1078... How do I go about exchanging it?

EDIT Again: Figured it out.

 

[GoCubsGo]

I'm presuming no one else has quoted you yet as they choose to ignore what you have said!

These batterys are not really 'unsafe'. They merely have the potential to become unsafe if they contain contamination and short out. The batterys being recalled originate from 2003 till the present day!

How many Apple laptops have set on fire?

The reason for the recall is a mere precaution following Dells recall and investigations, it takes 4-6 weeks as they are having to exchange millions of batterys so stop moaning and giving them grief.

Your getting a new battery out of it - be happy

Calm down tiger. I am 100% ok with the wait as I just bought a brand new battery for a trip so I'm good to go. I don't need the 2nd battery again until November when I board another plane for a 12 hour flight. Don't worry sweetie, I didn't feel ignored and I'm not unhappy. But thank you for your sincere interest.
4-6 weeks is a bit long though if you're talking about owning something that may be unsafe. If this were your business and you released a product that was potentially unsafe wouldn't you be a little quicker to replace it? During the 4-6 Apple is just as liable as they were prior to the recall. As a business woman I can understand liability and the sense of urgency that comes with a major recall. Of course, I don't expect you to so I am happy to explain it. But in the end, of course I am happy with it. I get a new battery...what part of that doesn't express happiness?

 

[amateurmacfreak]

Okay. We'll be getting a new battery.

 

[godbout]

It would seem to me that not returning the battery would vitiate the purpose of the exchange. Certainly after you accept the exchange any consequential damages you might incur (and most likely damages to others) would be your legal responsibility. (You knowingly used a product which had a known hazard and for which you had recieved an appropriate replacement). Finally isn't just a bit dishonest? Do you really covet the spare that much?

In direct answer Apple could bill you for the replacement and use all means available to collect the dept including imparing your credit rating. Would they go to the trouble? I don't know, but they might.

Apple cannot bill anyone for the replacement (or do anything of the sort), there was no legal process to it at all. Also, it would not be dishonest because you did not have to agree to send the battery back in the first place. All you have to do is give them your address and your serial numbers and they send you a new battery. They ask that you send the other back, but they do not tell you that you must.

 

[someguy]

Apple cannot bill anyone for the replacement (or do anything of the sort), there was no legal process to it at all. Also, it would not be dishonest because you did not have to agree to send the battery back in the first place. All you have to do is give them your address and your serial numbers and they send you a new battery. They ask that you send the other back, but they do not tell you that you must.

Wait. Do I not have to send mine back?

I'm only getting a replacement because, hey, fresh new battery for free. I'd love to be able to keep (and continue to use) my current battery. To be honest, while I do understand the potential consequence of using the battery I have now, I'm not really worried about it.

Can someone verify for sure whether or not it is REQUIRED that we send our recalled models back to Apple?

 

[gretafour]

The asterisk is the key

I'm not sure if someone else already said this, but I could not get the recall page to accept my battery's serial number until I included the asterisk that preceeds it. On my battery, at least, the serial number has an asterisk just before it. From my experience, I believe it is actually part of the number.

 

[javierbds]

New battery!

I'm not sure if someone else already said this, but I could not get the recall page to accept my battery's serial number until I included the asterisk that preceeds it. On my battery, at least, the serial number has an asterisk just before it. From my experience, I believe it is actually part of the number.

In my case, I had no problem inserting or not inserting the asterisk:
The first time I put the asterisk, the 'web service' removed it and told me mine was affected, I did not confirm. I thought a little about getting some more weeks juice out of my battery, but then I said 'what the h*ll it will be at least a month before I get the new one' and I reentered the data without the asterisk (as I saw it was filtered) and everything worked fine ...

I have tried my best not to exhaust the juice of my batt: after 12-14 months it still has got 3900/4400 mAh (less than 90 recharge cycles) ... Well, new battery.

OTOH, I removed the battery while plugged to the AC converter and the system got very weird : the screen got a shadowed border (like when you try graphic modes) and windows moved to the top of the screen as if the screen had double height ...
Is this normal? Is it not recommended to remove the battery while the iBook is on ?

Added: Hmm ... It seems you are not supposed to use the laptop with the battery removed ! Oh, well ...

 

[MacinDoc]

Let's get realistic here!

I know it's frustrating to wait to speak to a customer services rep when there's a potential problem with your Mac, but before complaining that Apple has a problem with customer service, let's look at things objectively.

Let's say that Apple sells approximately 12,000 computers per day (a realistic estimate, based on their most recent financial statement). If 1 in 10 customers needs to speak with a customer services rep (this estimate is high, I think, but sometimes more than one consulation is required, so I will be generous with this number), and if a rep can deal with 10 problems per day (a very conservative estimate), then Apple could theoretically provide for all of its computer-related customer service needs with a total of 120 computer-oriented customer support staff (I am excluding iPod customer support staff from this discussion). Now, that number sounds really low, so let's multiply it by 10, for a total of 1200 customer support staff (this would mean that each would normally only have to deal with one customer per day). I understand that 1.8 million batteries were recalled, and this would mean that each customer support rep would have to deal with 1500 recalled batteries. Does anyone think that this can be done, along with all the other usual customer service needs, in a day, a week, or even a month? Apple is going to have to divert staff from other areas to deal with this problem. Remember, the number of batteries recalled is greater than the number of computers Apple ships in a quarter!

Furthermore, I doubt that Apple has a stockpile of 1.8 million iBook G4 and PowerBook batteries sitting around in a warehouse somewhere. It has to order them from a manufacturer, just like any other computer maker does. Remember that Dell has already been scouring the world for the 4.3 million replacement batteries it needs. I would be amazed if Apple could sign a sufficient number of contracts to have 1.8 million batteries produced and shipped in 6 weeks (and, for all I know, Apple may even have to get them from Sony, unless it can charge back the recalled batteries to Sony and buy elsewhere).

Remember, the real culprit here is Sony. The one thing Apple might have been able to do better is to have accurate information on the serial numbers of the recalled batteries, as there seems to have been some confusion over this. Hopefully, Apple will learn from this problem and keep an accurate database of suppliers and serial numbers of components that they supply.

 

[hclip]

I dont know if this has been mentioned yet but this recal is coming out of Sony's pocket not Apple's. The rep I spoke to today at least made it sound that way.

 

[Foxhound]

did anyone hear of the macbook battery recall?

im not sure but since there was an exchange going on for the macbook pro 15" and 17" is there anything for the macbook?

 

[DrumaChick420]

Speaking of recalls, is there a website that anyone knows of with a list of past Apple recalls? I have an old Ibook G3 that was buggy from when I first got it till now.....

I'm just curious if it ever had any recalls

 

[dgdosen]

Long live my 12" PB

I'm glad to get new batteries for my 12"PB. Both the original battery and a replacement had the little pads fall off after a number of hours. The machine is pristine otherwise. That means new batteries and no more wobble.

 

[CEAbiscuit]

Cecked my battery on my 12 G4. Serial number qualifies. Went to web site. Other than mistaqking County for Country, took no more than 45 seconds. Battery has always run inside limits according to my monitor... but hey.. if there is the slightest possibility of danger, time for a new one.

 

[1dterbeest]

One thing that I would like to know is when they send you the new battery they also send a box with prepaid postage to send back your old battery, do you need to send the old one back? I know that they are a "safty hazard" but it can't be that bad seeing as it was something like 9 in a million that have had a problem. Also, I could probably (like many of you) use a spare battery in a pinch. Any thoughts?

You DO have to send your old battery back
or else get charged for the new one. The
terms of the exchange state that you must
return the old battery if you want the new one.

They also do send you a box with prepaid
postage for the return, so there is no cost
to you, the consumer. With my MBP battery
recall, they used a courier service instead of
mail, but I'm sure they will use the mail for
a recall this extensive.

 

[dcv]

Just checked mine and it qualifies for the exchange. Cool

 

[cogsinister]

You DO have to send your old battery back
or else get charged for the new one. The
terms of the exchange state that you must
return the old battery if you want the new one.

They also do send you a box with prepaid
postage for the return, so there is no cost
to you, the consumer. With my MBP battery
recall, they used a courier service instead of
mail, but I'm sure they will use the mail for
a recall this extensive.

I can't remember seeing any legal small print transfering the ownership of the battery in my 12 inch PB from me.....who owns it now, to Apple ....

 

[flyfish29]

I can't remember seeing any legal small print transfering the ownership of the battery in my 12 inch PB from me.....who owns it now, to Apple ....

I would guess part of the agreement is that since Apple is shipping you a brand new battery you must ship them back the defective one- just as if they were sending you a new computer and you had to return the lemon- right? It is just different where the exchange can't happen at a brick and mortar store like a return of a defective or recalled product.

 

[godbout]

You DO have to send your old battery back
or else get charged for the new one. The
terms of the exchange state that you must
return the old battery if you want the new one.

They also do send you a box with prepaid
postage for the return, so there is no cost
to you, the consumer. With my MBP battery
recall, they used a courier service instead of
mail, but I'm sure they will use the mail for
a recall this extensive.

Oh, I must have missed the fine print. I did not look at the terms of exchange it seems. Does anyone have a copy of this that I could read? Thanks.

 

[mrkgoo]

Ok, so my battery falls within the range. I WISH it was dealt with here like it is in the US, with a mail order.

Our instructiosn were to get into contact with a local Apple Centre. Which I did. They wanted to take my battery, with a deposit of $70, then I wait 4-6weeks for a replacement.

Screw that - I did through the official distributers instead.

It's going to be an annoying wait, though. My 12" PB is now wobbling, because it's missing a corner. I have to shut down everytime I want to move it. It loses times ettings without a battery plugged in when it's off.

Bah.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Hey, I got my new battery today - just now actually!

It came by courier, not regular mail...

Nice thing about it was that the delivery man took the old battery back at the same time... he even took care of all paper work and re-packaging...

Now my good old iBook is working on charging a brand new battery....

 

[dcv]

Hey, I got my new battery today - just now actually!

Wow, that was quick! Did they quote you 4-6 weeks?

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Wow, that was quick! Did they quote you 4-6 weeks?

Yes. Got a confirmation mail August 25th, exactly a week ago, and that said it would take 4-6 weeks, and that delivery times could vary due to availability... but I thought that meant it would take longer...

...so I really wondered what it was when the doorbell rang just now...