Is this a swollen battery?

[Codeline]

There is a recall on some MacBook batteries, I have had mine changed by Apple.

15-inch MacBook Pro Battery Recall Program - Apple Support

15-inch MacBook Pro Battery Recall Program

support.apple.com

 

[coldwaves]

There is a recall on some MacBook batteries, I have had mine changed by Apple.

15-inch MacBook Pro Battery Recall Program - Apple Support

15-inch MacBook Pro Battery Recall Program

support.apple.com

Thanks for the info. I was aware of this program. But upon checking the serial number, my laptop is not part of this program. Nevertheless, Apple replaced the battery for free after I contacted Apple Support. I guess I was lucky.

 

[mctrials23]

My 2018 15" macbook pro battery is swelling. Its coming up to 2 years old and has been used with 2 LG ultrafines almost exclusively. There is no way to use those without passively charging the MBP. They can't sell these all in one solutions and then claim that its not good for the computer to be charged all the time.

I am currently talking to apple support to see if I can get it repaired for free. Its madness if they won't. Its a £2700 laptop. It says its got 175 charges on the battery which again is BS. Its probably been disconnected from the displays less than 100 times.

 

[mctrials23]

Just spent a hour on support chat and they won't do anything about it. Apparently 20 months is a reasonable amount of time for a £2500 laptop to last and although the battery shouldn't do that, they don't care. Its really hard not to dislike Apple at times like this.

 

[macagain]

OP:

My opinion is that keeping the MBP plugged into a charging source continuously is what caused your problems. Even Apple now seems to be recommending that laptops NOT be left on continuous charge.

My suggestion:
at least 2 or 3 times a week, take it OFF charging, and "run the battery down" to about 30% power. Then... reconnect it.

One more thing (and I know it's considered controversial):
At night, POWER OFF the MBP, and DISCONNECT the charger from power.

That's my advice and I'm stickin' to it.

I wonder if 10.15.5 battery management addresses this...

 

[Metrosey]

Just spent a hour on support chat and they won't do anything about it. Apparently 20 months is a reasonable amount of time for a £2500 laptop to last and although the battery shouldn't do that, they don't care. Its really hard not to dislike Apple at times like this.

You are from the UK it seems, use your consumer rights under the Consumer Rights Act to get them to either repair or replace. This should be an easy case.

The product you received is not of quality, as the battery has swelled with only a small amount of cycles. Use the letter below and send it to Apple. Furthermore, you expect the product to last more than two years due to the price, and as written by law, is expected too.

Letter to ask for a faulty item to be repaired or replaced - Which?

Don’t be fobbed off if you want a retailer to repair or replace a faulty product. Use our letter to ensure the retailer takes action.

www.which.co.uk

 

[yukari]

FWIW in case you're curious:

I had a swollen battery and flashing touchbar replaced in my 2018 MBP15 last week, still covered under AppleCare+

Apple received it in Houston before 7am Thursday, performed the repairs and shipped it back out the same day. Received it Friday at lunchtime.

View attachment 909487
MacBook Pro 2018 (July) 15" i9 -- yesterday, I will bring it to an authorized repair center tomorrow. BTW 36 cycles, condition good ...

My 2018 15" macbook pro battery is swelling. Its coming up to 2 years old and has been used with 2 LG ultrafines almost exclusively. There is no way to use those without passively charging the MBP. They can't sell these all in one solutions and then claim that its not good for the computer to be charged all the time.

I am currently talking to apple support to see if I can get it repaired for free. Its madness if they won't. Its a £2700 laptop. It says its got 175 charges on the battery which again is BS. Its probably been disconnected from the displays less than 100 times.

Well I guess I am not the only one with swollen battery problem on my 2018 MBP (although the original OP's is 2015 model). Just noticed the lid was not closing tight. Both corners were slightly raised when closing my MBP.

I used mine as a portable computer 80% of the time and due to COVID-19, I hooked it up to eGPU and used it with 4K AOC curved monitor.

It does seem like when it is constantly plugged in, the battery seems to swell.

Fortunately, I purchased AppleCare+ (I do with laptops, but not for MacMini), so it is covered. Worth the cost of AppleCare+ for sure. I just got the FedEx box today from Apple and I've sent it in already. Hopefully, they will replace the battery tomorrow and ship it right back out. Fortunately I have MacMini at home also.

I guess I have to remember not to keep it plugged in all the time.

 

[mctrials23]

Well I guess I am not the only one with swollen battery problem on my 2018 MBP (although the original OP's is 2015 model). Just noticed the lid was not closing tight. Both corners were slightly raised when closing my MBP.

I used mine as a portable computer 80% of the time and due to COVID-19, I hooked it up to eGPU and used it with 4K AOC curved monitor.

It does seem like when it is constantly plugged in, the battery seems to swell.

Fortunately, I purchased AppleCare+ (I do with laptops, but not for MacMini), so it is covered. Worth the cost of AppleCare+ for sure. I just got the FedEx box today from Apple and I've sent it in already. Hopefully, they will replace the battery tomorrow and ship it right back out. Fortunately I have MacMini at home also.

I guess I have to remember not to keep it plugged in all the time.

They sold the LG ultrafines as a monitor to accompany the macbook lineup and you simply can't (as far as I know), hook up the monitors without them charging your laptop. If that causes issue with the battery then thats on Apple to repair it. Thats a fundamental design flaw with their ecosystem. I mean, how many serious professionals work on their laptop as a disconnected laptop for any serious amount of time.

The honest truth is that they have now been building laptops with sub par cooling for years and that is one of the best ways to kill electronics when they are tightly packed. A 1 year warranty on a very expensive piece of tech that has some design flaws is a joke.

Luckily I have been able to get mine repaired for free under consumer protection law in the UK but I had to go through a third party authorised dealer during lockdown to get it done. Its all left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth honestly.

 

[hollandog]

I have swollen battery on my 2016 15in and Apple wants $800 for mail in fix. I use it with the LG5K mostly as well. I guess I'll try to speak to Apple again.

first time I spoke to them by online chat and they said they can't issue mail in repair via chat that I have to call. next day I called and the guy quoted flat rate $695 plus tax and some fee which adds up to about $800.

 

[mctrials23]

I have swollen battery on my 2016 15in and Apple wants $800 for mail in fix. I use it with the LG5K mostly as well. I guess I'll try to speak to Apple again.

first time I spoke to them by online chat and they said they can't issue mail in repair via chat that I have to call. next day I called and the guy quoted flat rate $695 plus tax and some fee which adds up to about $800.

I thought the '16 had a battery repair program on it. When I spoke to apple they checked my model and said that because there was no repair program there is clearly no issue and the 2016 MBPs and 2018 MBP share no similarities apparently. Its all BS and there will be a repair program on the 2018 at some point as well. Making laptops that can barely function thermally when on a single display is just ridiculous.

Have you checked via this?

15-inch MacBook Pro Battery Recall Program - Apple Support

15-inch MacBook Pro Battery Recall Program

support.apple.com

 

[chrfr]

I thought the '16 had a battery repair program on it. When I spoke to apple they checked my model and said that because there was no repair program there is clearly no issue and the 2016 MBPs and 2018 MBP share no similarities apparently. Its all BS and there will be a repair program on the 2018 at some point as well. Making laptops that can barely function thermally when on a single display is just ridiculous.

Have you checked via this?

15-inch MacBook Pro Battery Recall Program - Apple Support

15-inch MacBook Pro Battery Recall Program

support.apple.com

That repair program is for the 2015 model.

 

[badatusernames]

I noticed this as well with my computer. The trackpad wasn't clicking properly and felt stiff when using it. I noticed my battery health is down to 85% with 140 cycles. I got this machine last year in July so my warranty is up.

 

[GKess]

My 2018 MacBook Pro was not sitting flat and the lid was not closing properly. I was not sure why. It has gotten progressively worse over time. I starting looking into it to find that the battery swelling is likely the cause. I called Apple and they basically told me "to bad for you, since you are out of warranty and there is no open recall on your computer." That is a great response on 24-month old computer that I special ordered from Apple directly. I am sure I have purchased over 100 Apple products for my family and spent tens of thousands of dollars with them. There is really nothing I did to make the battery swell, well except us my laptop. I guess if I kept in the box it would be fine now. Not sure what to do with no Apple store anywhere nearby. I will not let it charge unless I am monitoring it and will try a certified Apple reseller and service center to see if they can repair it. The case is so torqued and bulging that I am not sure it it will return to its original shape.

This is all incredibly disappointing. Not sure if it takes a group of 13 inch MacBook pro owners to file a lawsuit to get their attention or a laptop catching on fire from the faulty battery. I am pretty sure additional MacBooks are in my future at this point.

 

[ght56]

My 2018 MacBook Pro was not sitting flat and the lid was not closing properly. I was not sure why. It has gotten progressively worse over time. I starting looking into it to find that the battery swelling is likely the cause. I called Apple and they basically told me "to bad for you, since you are out of warranty and there is no open recall on your computer." That is a great response on 24-month old computer that I special ordered from Apple directly. I am sure I have purchased over 100 Apple products for my family and spent tens of thousands of dollars with them. There is really nothing I did to make the battery swell, well except us my laptop. I guess if I kept in the box it would be fine now. Not sure what to do with no Apple store anywhere nearby. I will not let it charge unless I am monitoring it and will try a certified Apple reseller and service center to see if they can repair it. The case is so torqued and bulging that I am not sure it it will return to its original shape.

This is all incredibly disappointing. Not sure if it takes a group of 13 inch MacBook pro owners to file a lawsuit to get their attention or a laptop catching on fire from the faulty battery. I am pretty sure additional MacBooks are in my future at this point. View attachment 961302View attachment 961304View attachment 961306

You should discontinue using the system immediately and send that to Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider for repair ASAP. If you send to Apple, it's $199 if you are in the US. They mail a box to your house, you put it in the box, it travels to them overnight, they repair it, and they overnight it back to you in another box. You can often send to them Monday and have the system back Wednesday or Thursday if it is just a battery replacement. If it was up to me, I'd give you a free battery but it's not my call, and in Apple's defense they are abiding by the terms of the warranty. The big issue is that the longer you wait, the more likely it is that there is going to be permanent damage (which will cost a lot more than $199 to fix), and continued usage is a fire hazard.

 

[TheRealAlex]

This is a common

I noticed that my laptop wobbles on the table. First thought that the table is deformed. But the laptop wobbles on other tables too. I took out the bottom. The bottom cover actually sits flat on the same table. This is how the battery looks like. Is this considered a swollen battery?

The model is mid 2015 MBP with Retina display. I bought it in May 2018 so it is out of warranty. Checked series number and Not part of the recall. Battery has 55 cycles and battery life is normal.
View attachment 907278

this Is a common problem if any Apple store was open they would do a complete free replacement even if out of warranty

 

[radus]

nice pictures - try to spill some drinks on it, may be this will help:

Margarita ruined my MacBook Pro (happy ending though!)

So a couple of weeks ago, I spilled a margarita literally all over my 5 month old MacBook Pro (paid about $2500). I never got AppleCare. I sent it in for repair, fully expecting to get a hefty bill because the keyboard was basically ruined and the trackpad was acting weird. Apple just sent...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[no_more]

I have the same problem with my Macbook Pro 2018, 15''. The bottom part is slightly curved, and the battery health says "Service Recommended", with 371 cycles. And I mostly use it with LG Ultrafine 5k too
I just wonder if I potentially could have my bottom part replaced with Keyboard Service Program for free. My spacebar has issues sometimes.
Not sure if they check everything or not.

 

[radus]

I have the same problem with my Macbook Pro 2018, 15''. The bottom part is slightly curved, and the battery health

They replaced the keyboard / batteries and later the mainboard under "AppleCare", but not the bottom case.

I bought the bottom case on my own ( I didn't want to waste my time by dealing with those people anymore ).

Apple Ersatzteile und Apple Reparatur aus Nürnberg

Apple Service aus Nürnberg, Apple Reparatur, iMac sowie MacBook Reparaturen. iPad / iPhone Reparatur. Apple Ersatzteile, BGA Boardreparatur.

www.cdx.de

 

[Fishrrman]

GKess --

You haven't told us where in the world you are.

If you are in the USA, follow ght56's advice in reply 39 above.

Call Apple support again and explain that your battery is swollen and that you don't have a brick-n-mortar Apple Store nearby to visit.

Request the $199 battery replacement, which includes parts and labor.

They will send you a shipping carton with free return postage.

I don't think these can ship "by air" to the repair facility, because the swollen battery is a fire/explosion hazard. It will go there by ground shipping. It may return "by air", however.

$199 is WORTH THE MONEY to get the job done.
Pay it and be happy when you get it back.

One other thing...
Did you generally keep your MBP plugged into the charger most or all of the time...?

 

[chrono1081]

Yep, my work laptop just started this. Swollen batteries happen unfortunately, as long as you take care of them right away they're usually not a problem.

 

[G5isAlive]

This is a common


this Is a common problem if any Apple store was open they would do a complete free replacement even if out of warranty

nope. maybe some might give you an out of warranty for free repair if you catch them on a good day. But not all. Literally just last week brought my swollen 2014 in to an Apple Store (MA) and they were happy to replace it for me, but only after $199. Which frankly I considered a bargain given they replace more than just the batteries.

 

[Fred Zed]

It's a 2015 model, purchased in 2018. That is 5+ years old batteries. Not to surprising they are starting to fail. Nice of Apple to cover it.

Indeed. Also heat can cause that, plug your MBP in charger and leave in a hot car in Florida for a few hours then report back about bulging battery 😂
Joking aside , it’s nice to hear that Apple does sometimes take good care of its customers.

 

[Fred Zed]

Just spent a hour on support chat and they won't do anything about it. Apparently 20 months is a reasonable amount of time for a £2500 laptop to last and although the battery shouldn't do that, they don't care. Its really hard not to dislike Apple at times like this.

I thought you boys get 24 months warranty out the door in 🇬🇧?

 

[GKess]

Thanks everyone for the helpful replies. I live in Vermont. The closest Apple store is 147 miles away. I will call and ask for the repair box. The laptop has not been left in the car for any length of time and it rarely gets very hot here ("hot" is high 80s or maybe 90). I have used this laptop exactly the same as I have used my prior 4 Apple laptops and none of them had this problem. I use both unplugged and plugged in. The battery cycle count is 62 and battery health condition is normal according to the status check (I would not call it normal at all).

 

[GKess]

I did contact Apple via Chat this evening. I was not sure what to expect after yesterday's disappointing conversation. The rep was helpful and typed "Oh my" when she reviewed the photos I send which are the same as the ones posted above. They are sending me a shipping box and she told me a typical battery replacement would be $199. When I received an email confirmation it included the following:

I am hoping that they will repair this defect for free. I will update the thread once I know. I am planning to wipe my laptop before sending it. I also see I could use FireVault but I have not used that perviously. Does anyone have recommendations on what would be best and easiest. I back-up via Time Machine to an Airport Time Capsule, as well as a stand alone 2 mirrored disk NAS drive and will also add a separate non-networked SSD drive as well (can't be too careful!). I would expect some password and other glitches reinstalling from a TM back-up but not sure. Glad to hear member's thoughts.

Thanks for the assistance.