kernel_task using ~570% after possible liquid damage

[mrat93]

I'll try to explain this to the best of my ability while I'm walking with my friends across campus. Sorry if everything isn't completely clear...

1PM: My friend comes into my dorm and asks me to get food with her. I'm still sleeping. She asks to make tea with my Keurig... Fine.

1:30: Other friends are in the room. "Did you splash water on your corkboard? [located right above my desk/MacBook Pro]" We feel it. It's dry. I lift up the charging MacBook (with Invisiblesheild on the bottom.) the only part that's wet are the four rubber bumpers at the bottom.

I open the MacBook. It works! Fan starts running really loud. Huh? Checks activity monitor. kernel_task is running at ~570%. I restarted the computer, still running at 570%.

I know AppleCare won't help me here (assuming it is liquid damage) but say my friend pays the full cost of repair from Apple, would my AppleCare warranty still be valid? Sorry if I didn't explain everything clearly. Please ask questions if you can help! Thanks!

 

[mrat93]

Update: Wifi and Bluetooth aren't cooperating either. I can't back up, but at least my last backup was last night. How much does Apple charge for liquid damage? Thanks.

 

[sweetbrat]

If there's liquid damage and the liquid sensors have been set off, your Applecare warranty will be void. Because anything that goes wrong with the computer after that point can be blamed on the liquid damage.

There's no way to say what Apple will charge to fix it; it depends on how much water got in and what needs to be replaced. You can try taking the battery out, etc. and putting it in a bag of rice for a few days to see if it will dry out, but since you started it up right away when it was wet, chances are that damage has already been done.

 

[mrat93]

If there's liquid damage and the liquid sensors have been set off, your Applecare warranty will be void. Because anything that goes wrong with the computer after that point can be blamed on the liquid damage.

There's no way to say what Apple will charge to fix it; it depends on how much water got in and what needs to be replaced. You can try taking the battery out, etc. and putting it in a bag of rice for a few days to see if it will dry out, but since you started it up right away when it was wet, chances are that damage has already been done.

It was closed, but on standby. I didn't really have the option to keep it off.

And in regards to the warranty, will it still be void if we pay the full repair cost to fix the damaged part(s)?

 

[mrat93]

Not that anybody has shown much interest, but...

Brought it to the Apple store, told the Genius the whole story.

The logic board, WiFi antenna, bluetooth antenna, and optical drive were damaged.

They said they're going to give me a one-time-only replacement for free. It'll take two weeks to get it in because it's a custom configuration (high resolution, anti-glare screen.)

In regards to AppleCare, the Genius said to call AppleCare, and they'll give me a prorated refund for the remainder of the warranty, and then I can buy a new AppleCare warranty for the new machine.

Just another Genius Bar success story.

 

[Acidsplat]

Good for you!

I got a late 2011 MacBook Pro last month, so had to get a prorated refund on my late 2008 MacBook's warranty. I was shocked that I got $120 from something expiring in 4 months.

 

[sweetbrat]

Wow, you got a very, very nice Genius!

Glad you got it taken care of