15" i9 MacBook Pro 2018 Faulty Battery Replacement Question

[loby]

Here is the story...

Just on my two year mark with my 15" i9 MacBook Pro on battery the power would cut off. When I boot on battery, I would get the startup screen and then enter my password and then while it was loading the screen would cut off (computer was still on), screen goes to black, the fans would go on (medium) and then the computer would power off to suspend. I would plug the power adapter in, restart and everything was good.

I check the battery condition using macOS Big Sur and it stated the battery needed servicing. I took it into a service dealer after an appointment on-line with Apple today and they ran a check on the battery and it did not pass the tests.

The service representative said, "Do you know how much the cost is to replace the battery?" I said, I have apple care and he said, "Oh...good". and they will service it under apple care (Thank God). I know the cost is about $700-800 or so as I have heard...SOOOOOO glad I had apple care...that cost to fix would have made me go through the roof after spending $4,000 on the laptop two years ago (almost to date) and having to pay another $700 to fix a two year old battery...???

I asked him if they I could replace the keyboard since it was feeling like it would start to have issues and guessed probably in a year or so since I know there is a keyboard program to service it for four years after purchased (one more year after apple care), and said can we just do this since it is a pain to do it later and might as well do it now to save on the hassle or ungluing the battery etc. He said that they replace the keyboard and track pad anyway since the battery, keyboard and trackpad are one unit in replacement (thus the high cost of replacing). Kind of a bad design if you ask me...

I am happy, for I want to keep this laptop and it is running fabulous with macOS Big Sur and this should extend the life for awhile...

My question to whomever has had their battery replaced (along with the keyboard) is that do they upgrade the keyboard to at least the 2019 version with the extra padding? I would think that they would not make any more of the 2018 keyboards this late in the game and the trackpad and battery etc. are basically the same as in the 2019 version.

Anyone got this done and notice a difference in the keyboard and feel? I like the butterfly keyboard once getting use to it...but it gets tiring to type on it if you do it for a long time as it is a little hard on the fingers. The 2020 models have a much better keyboard.

Thanks for anyone's comment in advance!

 

[hallux]

Not trying to disparage you, but with the all the info out there on this issue I'm really somewhat surprised that people still don't know that battery or keyboard replacement on these means that a whole new topcase assembly is provided with a replacement keyboard and trackpad as well as the battery.

Will it have a refreshed design? Likely not. If the internal design of the topcase changed (mounting points for the logic board or other components) and a new part number issued for the later model laptops then the part can't just be substituted. There may also have been changes in the topcase to accommodate the updated keyboard, which couldn't be incorporated into the repair parts. Bottom line - there's a topcase part number for your system, that's the part number you'll get and it will likely retain the keyboard design it originally had.

 

[loby]

Not trying to disparage you

That is ok, it is part of posting on this forum..

I was just curious if apple would continue to make replacement parts that are known to be defective, for yes I have read they may use refurbish etc., but eventually they would run out and was just curious if they would actually now continue to manufacture a part that they had recognized as defective with an option instead to put in a fix that fits.

Anyway, you are probably correct, but will wait and see in a week how the keyboard feels and will know. Thanks for answering.