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Apple Launches Battery Replacement Program for Non-Touch Bar 13-Inch MacBook Pro Models

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Apple today announced a new worldwide battery replacement program for some 13-inch MacBook Pro models that do not have a Touch Bar. Affected machines were manufactured between October 2016 and October 2017.

Apple says that a limited number of these units feature a component that can fail and cause the built-in battery to expand. It is not a safety issue, according to the company, and Apple will replace all eligible batteries.

macbookpronotouchbar.jpg

Customers who want to see if their machines are eligible for a fresh battery should use the serial number checker on the MacBook Pro Battery Replacement page. You can find your serial number by clicking on the Apple logo in the menu bar and selecting "About This Mac." The serial number is located at the bottom of the information window.

Affected customers who are eligible for a new battery will need to visit an Apple Authorized Service Provider, make an appointment at an Apple retail store, or mail their device into an Apple Repair Center after initiating a repair with Apple Support.

Apple suggests customers who are getting a battery replacement back up their machines ahead of time. Apple also says that if the MacBook Pro in question has damage that will impair the replacement of the battery, it must be addressed prior to the battery replacement process.

Any customer who has already paid for a replacement battery can contact Apple Support about a refund.

The battery replacement program covers affected MacBook Pro models for five years after the first retail sale of the unit.

Article Link: Apple Launches Battery Replacement Program for Non-Touch Bar 13-Inch MacBook Pro Models
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/04/20/apple-macbook-pro-replacement-program/
Last edited:
MacRumors said:



Apple today announced a new worldwide battery replacement program for some 13-inch MacBook Pro models that do not have a Touch Bar. Affected machines were manufactured between October 2016 and October 2017.

Apple says that a limited number of these units feature a component that can fail and cause the built-in battery to expand. It is not a safety issue, according to the company, and Apple will replace all eligible batteries.

macbookpronotouchbar.jpg

Customers who want to see if their machines are eligible for a fresh battery should use the serial number checker on the MacBook Pro Battery Replacement page. You can find your serial number by clicking on the Apple logo in the menu bar and selecting "About This Mac." The serial number is located at the bottom of the information window.

Affected customers who are eligible for a new battery will need to visit an Apple Authorized Service Provider, make an appointment at an Apple retail store, or mail their device into an Apple Repair Center after initiating a repair with Apple Support.

Apple suggests customers who are getting a battery replacement back up their machines ahead of time. Apple also says that if the MacBook Pro in question has damage that will impair the replacement of the battery, it must be addressed prior to the battery replacement process.

Any customer who has already paid for a replacement battery can contact Apple Support about a refund.

The battery replacement program covers affected MacBook Pro models for five years after the first retail sale of the unit.

Article Link: Apple Launches Battery Replacement Program for Non-Touch Bar 13-Inch MacBook Pro Models
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They should come out with a Macbook Pro replacement program where they give you one that can actually be serviced/upgraded, support 32gb ram, and not have a meh keyboard.
 
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How do they repair these machines? Are they giving people refurbished machines or do you get back your own one? I’ve had mine since 11/2016 and have never asked. So far I haven’t experienced any sort of problems.
 
FocusAndEarnIt said:
How about the keyboards?
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I’ve never been sure just how many keyboards on the 2016/2017 MBP had a real issue. The keyboard was redesigned at some point, and many actual users report no issue.

Then there are a few who complain about the keyboards being rendered useless with a “speck of dust.” Always that same wording, over and over... a speck of dust.

I don’t doubt for a second there are some number of keyboards out there that have/had a real issue. But given how this complaint has been harped on and amplified by those who hate the latest model due to ports/thinness/cost/touch bar/etc., I do wonder about the true frequency of actual problems.

It can’t be every unit, since there are plenty of reports that a new keyboard solved the problem, and there are millions who have never had the issue.

What I am sure of is that Apple hasn’t had to replace keyboards multiple times on 10+ million MBP. If that had been the case, we’d be hearing about it from a lot more than the fraction of a percent who complain about it on the internets. And there would already be multiple class action lawsuits filed, I’m sure.
 
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PickUrPoison said:
I’ve never been sure just how many keyboards on the 2016/2017 MBP had a real issue. The keyboard was redesigned at some point, and many actual users report no issue.

Then there are a few who complain about the keyboards being rendered useless with a “speck of dust.” Always that same wording, over and over... a speck of dust.

I don’t doubt for a second there are some number of keyboards out there that have/had a real issue. But given how this complaint has been harped on and amplified by those who hate the latest model due to ports/thinness/cost/touch bar/etc., I do wonder about the true frequency of actual problems.

It can’t be every unit, since there are plenty of reports that a new keyboard solved the problem, and there are millions who have never had the issue.

What I am sure of is that Apple hasn’t had to replace keyboards multiple times on 10+ million MBP. If that had been the case, we’d be hearing about it from a lot more than the fraction of a percent who complain about it on the internets. And there would already be multiple class action lawsuits filed, I’m sure.
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I'm on my third keyboard on the 2016 touchbar 15" MBP. The geniuses at the Apple Store near Philadelphia said they see it all the time. It's a real issue, and not fabricated by online Apple fanboys as one might think. There's a real issue: the new key mechanism has proven unable to withstand normal wear and tear of people who use their Macs in demanding workflows and production environments (ie use for about 8-10 hours on a normal work day). It's fine for the first couple or even 6 months, then they start rapidly failing.
 
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FocusAndEarnIt said:
I'm on my third keyboard on the 2016 touchbar 15" MBP. The geniuses at the Apple Store in Philadelphia said they see it all the time. It's a real issue, and not fabricated by online Apple fanboys as one might think. There's a real issue: the new key mechanism has proven unable to withstand normal wear and tear of people who use their Macs in real life and production environments (eg use for about 8-10 hours on a normal work day). It's fine for the first couple or even 6 months, then they start rapidly failing.
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Like I said, I’m sure there are real issues. But hearing that all it takes is a “speck of dust” has never made sense to me. I always read that as “big chunk of donut.”

The earliest units are 6 months out of warranty. I assume Apple already does or will have an extended repair program, formal or informal, to address defective units. Or alternatively, dozens of lawsuits. Maybe they’ve already been filed?
 
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BeatCrazy said:
Sure about that? My (work issued) 2016 is impacted, per serial number lookup. Can’t say I’ve noticed poor battery performance however.
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yes, I needed the keyboard changed on my 2016 and they had to change the battery and top case also because they said its one part
[doublepost=1524272061][/doublepost]
PickUrPoison said:
Like I said, I’m sure there are real issues. But hearing that all it takes is a “speck of dust” has never made sense to me. I always read that as “big chunk of donut.”

The earliest units are 6 months out of warranty. I assume Apple already does or will have an extended repair program, formal or informal, to address defective units. Or alternatively, dozens of lawsuits. Maybe they’ve already been filed?
Click to expand...

yes I also had the keyboard changed on my 2016 for issues (and no it wasn't because crap got under there I don't eat over my computer). I then ended up getting the display changed later because of issues, and then the logic board failed shortly after that. At that point I demanded a new computer and got a 2017 version, which has been ok but even though its only 3 months old from time to time I notice a bit of jamming of the keys sometimes so I am sure its a matter of time before it fails. Between that and USB-C only I am really to sell it and go to a Dell XPS instead
 
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newdeal said:
yes, I needed the keyboard changed on my 2016 and they had to change the battery and top case also because they said its one part
[doublepost=1524272061][/doublepost]

yes I also had the keyboard changed on my 2016 for issues (and no it wasn't because crap got under there I don't eat over my computer). I then ended up getting the display changed later because of issues, and then the logic board failed shortly after that. At that point I demanded a new computer and got a 2017 version, which has been ok but even though its only 3 months old from time to time I notice a bit of jamming of the keys sometimes so I am sure its a matter of time before it fails. Between that and USB-C only I am really to sell it and go to a Dell XPS instead
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Sounds like a bad one alright. I don’t think anyone would blame you for throwing in the towel and buying something else.
 
Any expanding battery is a major safety issue as it has a high potential to cause a fire, these are lithium ion batteries and are extremely dangerous when not charged correctly and this expanding issue is caused due to a faulty component that causes incorrect charging and will result it exploding into flames if not addressed, anyone got a defective device needs to quickly backup the data and power down and get it to Apple quickly
 
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lec0rsaire said:
How do they repair these machines? Are they giving people refurbished machines or do you get back your own one? I’ve had mine since 11/2016 and have never asked. So far I haven’t experienced any sort of problems.
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Mac repairs are nearly always parts replacements, not whole-unit swaps. The economics (and serviceability) are different for Macs vs. iPhones. In your words, you'll get back your own one.

Also, now that Apple Stores and Apple's authorized service providers are equipped for display and battery replacements, it's far less likely you'll be offered a swap if you bring an iPhone in for service.
 
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is this just for the 2016 models or also 2017? I bought a 2017 last July, so it was definitely manufactured in the affected date range, but the Apple site says my machine is not eligible because the serial number is not in the range.
 
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DevNull0 said:
is this just for the 2016 models or also 2017? I bought a 2017 last July, so it was definitely manufactured in the affected date range, but the Apple site says my machine is not eligible because the serial number is not in the range.
Click to expand...
Within the date range, some are affected, some aren’t.

From November 2017 forward, none are affected.
 
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