Macbook Pro 2018 Swelling

[jjudson]

I found one earlier thread about this, but I wanted to get some more current feedback.

I've had my 2018 Macbook Pro plugged in at my desk for several months, plugged into a monitor using it lightly for web browsing and some light Office work as a sort of desktop. Today I went to disconnect it and use it as a laptop and noticed the lid wasn't sitting correctly. Further examination shows that the laptop body is severely swelled top and bottom. The keyboard now has an ergonomic curve to it and the laptop will not sit flat on the table. The entire body looks very disturbingly hazardous. I'm very worried about the battery inside swelling.

I reached out to Apple Service and they are having me send it in. I do not have Apple Care on this device. Based on any of your experiences, what can I expect for repair fees? It seems that this is something I had no control over and could very well represent a more serious fire hazard, and thus, shouldn't incur any cost. What say you?

 

[ahostmadsen]

The battery replacement fee usually is $200.

 

[Fishrrman]

Apple generally charges 199 for a battery replacement, which includes parts, labor, and a short warranty.

That's literally A BARGAIN in my book.

I see you're one of those "I leave it plugged in all the time" folks.

My advice is, change your ways.

My recommendations:
At least 3 times a week, take it "off charge" while using it, and let the battery run down to about 45%. Then, plug it back in.

AT NIGHT:
This applies to either shutting it down or just letting it sleep:
UNPLUG the charger from the wall.
Plug the charger back in, in the morning.

Some will tell you that this makes no difference.
My response is... what happened to the battery from leaving it plugged in all the time?

 

[lympero]

Apple replaces the battery for 2018 mbp for free within 3 years of purchase in case of swelling so you should be eligible since they released them 8/2018

 

[jjudson]

Apple generally charges 199 for a battery replacement, which includes parts, labor, and a short warranty.

That's literally A BARGAIN in my book.

I see you're one of those "I leave it plugged in all the time" folks.

My advice is, change your ways.

My recommendations:
At least 3 times a week, take it "off charge" while using it, and let the battery run down to about 45%. Then, plug it back in.

AT NIGHT:
This applies to either shutting it down or just letting it sleep:
UNPLUG the charger from the wall.
Plug the charger back in, in the morning.

Some will tell you that this makes no difference.
My response is... what happened to the battery from leaving it plugged in all the time?

I blame COVID. I used to travel a lot so the laptop was regularly unplugged and plugged. I need to get the hell out of the house again.

 

[chrfr]

Apple replaces the battery for 2018 mbp for free within 3 years of purchase in case of swelling so you should be eligible since they released them 8/2018

Do you have a source for this? It's certainly not a publicly published policy from Apple.

 

[chestud13]

Do you have a source for this? It's certainly not a publicly published policy from Apple.

I'm running into the same issue with my 2016 MBP (Late 2016 model). Apparently service bulletin went out regarding this issue. Click here for the Apple letter. I went into a Genius Bar and they said I'd have to pay $199 to change the battery. I called Apple directly and was able to bypass the fee but I would have to mail my machine directly to them. More to come...

 

[chrfr]

I'm running into the same issue with my 2016 MBP (Late 2016 model). Apparently service bulletin went out regarding this issue. Click here for the Apple letter. I went into a Genius Bar and they said I'd have to pay $199 to change the battery. I called Apple directly and was able to bypass the fee but I would have to mail my machine directly to them. More to come...

Oh, the non-Touch Bar models are 2016 and 2017 only. All of the 2018 MacBook Pro models have the Touch Bar so this would not apply to the 2018s.

 

[jjudson]

The battery replacement fee usually is $200.

This unfortunately is a bigger issue than just the battery. The entire base case is swollen and malformed. Apple is having me send it in. They sent me an email stating: "Based on the information you have provided, we believe that your repair will be covered by the warranty, an AppleCare product, or an Apple repair program."

Hopefully that will hold after they take a look at it.

 

[chrfr]

This unfortunately is a bigger issue than just the battery. The entire base case is swollen and malformed. Apple is having me send it in. They sent me an email stating: "Based on the information you have provided, we believe that your repair will be covered by the warranty, an AppleCare product, or an Apple repair program."

Hopefully that will hold after they take a look at it.

Often, Apple will consider damage from the swollen battery as part of the battery repair– the battery is glued into the top case, so when you get a battery replacement from them, you get a new keyboard/trackpad/case assembly, even if the battery isn't swollen.

 

[ahostmadsen]

This unfortunately is a bigger issue than just the battery. The entire base case is swollen and malformed. Apple is having me send it in. They sent me an email stating: "Based on the information you have provided, we believe that your repair will be covered by the warranty, an AppleCare product, or an Apple repair program."

Hopefully that will hold after they take a look at it.

They also did the repair for free in my case, not sure why. In the end, after three attempts over a month they were unable to make the computer start up (perhaps the swelling had caused other malfunction?), and they gave me a new computer instead.

 

[wilberforce]

I replaced my wife's 2015 Macbook swollen battery with one of the (many) Chinese knock-off batteries available on Amazon, for about $50. Wasn't too hard, if you watch some youtube videos on how to do it and are careful not to break something. Been working fine for about 2 years now. Just another option if you want to try DIY and cheap. (Secret tool: dental floss.)
btw, do not ignore a swollen battery. It can damage the trackpad and keyboard, and then it is toast.
I think it swelled because she left it on charger 99% of the time. Yes, the symptom of a swollen battery is deformed case top and bottom. The case is pretty thin aluminum and deforms quite easily. One the battery was replaced it fortunately returned to original flatness.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

Post a followup when you get it back. Would like to hear how you made out.

 

[jjudson]

OP:

Post a followup when you get it back. Would like to hear how you made out.

I will. Just got an update today that they are repairing it. Fingers crossed it’ll be covered…

 

[mike-601]

My early 2015 MBP 13 has been outgassing for some time and the battery is so swollen that the feet no longer touch the desk and the lid can’t close. The cause was almost certainly leaving it plugged in continuously for a couple of years, perhaps exacerbated by being on a desk with lots of strong sunlight to help bake it further. Oops. Once I realized the problem I started babying it so I can keep it going until the MBP 14 comes out. I shut it down and leave it unplugged out of the hot sun when I’m not using it which makes a difference, the battery swelling subsides when it’s allowed to cool down. This laptop was excellent but it’s ready for the recycling bin. The battery has just a one-hour charge and will drop to zero in 24 hours if not plugged in which is why I started leaving it plugged in in the first place - I should have just replaced the battery two years ago. The antireflective coating also came off the screen last year, perhaps exacerbated by the battery heating up and the laptop sitting in the sun. It just needs to last a few more months…

 

[jjudson]

I keep hearing from folks that you shouldn’t leave the laptop plugged in for extended periods. It is strange to me that this would be a problem. I would assume that Apple has technology built in that would monitor battery charge and make the necessary adjustments to ensure battery health and safety. If they don’t, it seems problematic.

 

[Fishrrman]

mike 601 --

If you are in the USA and if you have a brick n mortar Apple Store nearby, why not take it to them and pay the $199 to have the battery replaced?

Even if you have your mind on getting a new one later this year, the 2015 might still have years left as "a backup", or perhaps you can pass it along to someone or sell it. It should certainly bring a little more than 200...

 

[mike-601]

Canada, and my only apple store is inside a mall and malls are still closed here due to the pandemic. Also I believe a battery replacement here is $350 and I don't want to pour more money into a 6-year old laptop which may need it's bottom case and keyboard/trackpad replaced. It's time for a new machine. I'd like a larger screen but use my laptop on my lap most of the time so the rumoured 14" would be perfect for me. I use my SD slot regularly and I'm happy that it's coming back. My use cases need more RAM and the 14 is rumoured to support more. I also hate the Touch Bar. If I'd known earlier this year that the rumours of the 14 at WWDC wouldn't come true I'd have bought the M1 Air to tide me over and then replaced it again when the 14" came out, but I will try to nurse this machine until October or November now.

 

[wilberforce]

I keep hearing from folks that you shouldn’t leave the laptop plugged in for extended periods. It is strange to me that this would be a problem. I would assume that Apple has technology built in that would monitor battery charge and make the necessary adjustments to ensure battery health and safety. If they don’t, it seems problematic.

Apple introduced "battery health management" in MacOS 10.15.5, but this only works for newer MacBooks (with Thunderbolt 3)

Apple is tweaking how MacBooks charge to extend battery lifespan

Battery health management is coming in Catalina 10.15.5

www.theverge.com

Hopefully this will reduce the problem in the future

 

[wilberforce]

mike 601 --

If you are in the USA and if you have a brick n mortar Apple Store nearby, why not take it to them and pay the $199 to have the battery replaced?

Even if you have your mind on getting a new one later this year, the 2015 might still have years left as "a backup", or perhaps you can pass it along to someone or sell it. It should certainly bring a little more than 200...

Or $50 for DIY replacement. I used this for the exact same MBP:

Puredick A1582 A1502 Battery, Replacement Battery A1502 for MacBook Pro 13 inch Retina [ Early 2015, Mid 2014, Late 2013 ] A1493 - High-Performance and Longevity [11.36V 74.9Wh 18Months Warranty]

www.amazon.com

If you let it go too long it breaks the trackpad, and then the MBP really is headed for the recycler

 

[jjudson]

All, here is my latest response from Apple. The only concern I have is that they may have access to any personal data or web browsing history and bookmarks I might have visible (nothing worrisome other than privacy). I do use the DuckDuckGo add on to Firefox and use Safari sparingly. I use Bitwarden, but that should be protected by password. I did do a Time Machine backup and removed personal files prior to sending. Here’s their communication:

Thanks for choosing Apple Support for your repair. I have some important information about your Mac repair. Rather than continue with this repair, Apple would like to offer you a brand new replacement computer. We would keep your Mac for further evaluation. This will help us better understand the issue you experienced and improve our products and services. The replacement model would be: MVVJ2LL/A 2.6GHz 6‑core 9th‑generation Intel Core i7 processor, Turbo Boost up to 4.5GHz 16GB 2666MHz DDR4 memory AMD Radeon Pro 5300M with 4GB of GDDR6 memory 512GB SSD storage 16-inch Retina display with True Tone This offer is good until 2:00 p.m. CT on 06/29/2021. If we don’t hear from you by then, we will proceed with repairs and the replacement product will no longer be an option. If you accept the replacement offer, the conditions below will apply. - There’s no cost to you other than the repair cost originally quoted (if applicable). - Your data and software will not be transferred to the replacement. - The replacement will have a 1-year limited warranty. - The replacement can not be facilitated by an Apple Store. - If you choose to accept the replacement offer, Apple will collect and use data from the original product to understand the issue and improve Apple’s products and services. Apple will take reasonable steps to ensure it uses and stores personally identifiable information for only as long as is necessary to investigate the issue you experienced. After investigating your issue, Apple will attempt to remove identifying information from data it collects and stores. All data collected will be used and stored in accordance with the Apple Privacy Policy, and Apple will take reasonable steps to secure data it collects. For more information, see https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww. Would you like to continue with the repair or accept our replacement offer and the conditions above?

 

[mike-601]

>Or $50 for DIY replacement. I used this for the exact same MBP:

Thanks, but that brand and none of the 15-20 similar no-name batteries aren't currently available for sale and may not be shippable to Canada. I checked Amazon.ca for no name brands and found a couple at $85 but of course I'd need to buy some adhesive dissolver, too. In any case I'm not handy and would likely botch it, I'm shocked that I did a half decent job removing the anti-glare coating when it delaminated last year. I don't mind babying it and if it completes busts then I'll just buy an M1 Air to tide me over.

 

[ahostmadsen]

All, here is my latest response from Apple. The only concern I have is that they may have access to any personal data or web browsing history and bookmarks I might have visible (nothing worrisome other than privacy). I do use the DuckDuckGo add on to Firefox and use Safari sparingly. I use Bitwarden, but that should be protected by password. I did do a Time Machine backup and removed personal files prior to sending. Here’s their communication:

​ Thanks for choosing Apple Support for your repair. I have some important information about your Mac repair. Rather than continue with this repair, Apple would like to offer you a brand new replacement computer. We would keep your Mac for further evaluation. This will help us better understand the issue you experienced and improve our products and services. The replacement model would be: MVVJ2LL/A 2.6GHz 6‑core 9th‑generation Intel Core i7 processor, Turbo Boost up to 4.5GHz 16GB 2666MHz DDR4 memory AMD Radeon Pro 5300M with 4GB of GDDR6 memory 512GB SSD storage 16-inch Retina display with True Tone This offer is good until 2:00 p.m. CT on 06/29/2021. If we don’t hear from you by then, we will proceed with repairs and the replacement product will no longer be an option. If you accept the replacement offer, the conditions below will apply. - There’s no cost to you other than the repair cost originally quoted (if applicable). - Your data and software will not be transferred to the replacement. - The replacement will have a 1-year limited warranty. - The replacement can not be facilitated by an Apple Store. - If you choose to accept the replacement offer, Apple will collect and use data from the original product to understand the issue and improve Apple’s products and services. Apple will take reasonable steps to ensure it uses and stores personally identifiable information for only as long as is necessary to investigate the issue you experienced. After investigating your issue, Apple will attempt to remove identifying information from data it collects and stores. All data collected will be used and stored in accordance with the Apple Privacy Policy, and Apple will take reasonable steps to secure data it collects. For more information, see https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww. Would you like to continue with the repair or accept our replacement offer and the conditions above?

Exactly same in my case: they replaced the computer. However, they did not ask to use my computer for evaluation purposes. Well, they did not exactly say what they would do with my old computer.

 

[Christopher Kim]

While it’s a bummer that your 2018 15” MBP had battery swelling, I think it’s a pretty solid outcome to get a brand new 2019 16” MBP in return. Not sure if they’re even charging you the $199 battery replacement fee or not, but either way, I think a very good Apple-like customer service outcome.

Good job removing all your personal docs before sending in. I personally wouldn’t worry about the personal web browsing data, though others may feel differently.

 

[jjudson]

So an update: Just received a FedEx tracking number for my new MacBook Pro! Apparently, there’s to charge for the swap. Apple is really being a standup “dude” here. I’ll keep everyone posted.