2009 MBP battery capacity and applecare coverage

[PDE]

Hi

I have a 2009 13" MBP under applecare. The battery has 339 cycles but the capacity is at 57%, meaning that is becoming close to useless for me. I get the 'service battery' message but have had that for a long time. I'm just curious if this would be covered under applecare? I remember reading somewhere that the battery is supposed to retain 80% capacity after 300 cycles, but what is normal after 300 cycles? It seems like capacity is diminishing very rapidly at this point and I have tried resetting PRAM and SMC to no effect.

Thanks for any insight or advice about how I might be able to get apple to cover this under applecare before it runs out in the summer.

 

[GGJstudios]

Hi

I have a 2009 13" MBP under applecare. The battery has 339 cycles but the capacity is at 57%, meaning that is becoming close to useless for me. I get the 'service battery' message but have had that for a long time. I'm just curious if this would be covered under applecare? I remember reading somewhere that the battery is supposed to retain 80% capacity after 300 cycles, but what is normal after 300 cycles? It seems like capacity is diminishing very rapidly at this point and I have tried resetting PRAM and SMC to no effect.

Thanks for any insight or advice about how I might be able to get apple to cover this under applecare before it runs out in the summer.

This should answer most, if not all, of your battery questions:

Apple Notebook Battery FAQ​

 

[shootist]

Apple only covers the battery for the first year and only if it has some type of manufacturing defect.

 

[GGJstudios]

Apple only covers the battery for the first year

False. Read the Battery FAQ.

 

[PDE]

Thanks for the link - and apologies for not looking around first. It seems that up until 300 cycles there is an expectation that the battery should retain 80% of its capacity. It seems unclear if not doing that is automatically considered defective and what Apple's stance with regard to what happens after 300 cycles.

Anyway - thanks for the link!

 

[GGJstudios]

It seems unclear if not doing that is automatically considered defective and what Apple's stance with regard to what happens after 300 cycles.

Falling below 80% capacity before 300 cycles isn't a guarantee that the battery is defective, but Apple usually gives the user the benefit of the doubt and replaces it free. After 300 cycles, Apple usually won't replace the battery free, regardless of the capacity. Exceptions to Apple's policies are frequently made, depending on which Apple rep you talk to.