MBP 2018 overheating and consuming battery when shut down

[serra]

Hi all,

one month ago i brought my MBP to an Apple store because of some weird issue with the battery. It is a 2018 model, still on warranty.

Sometimes the device was consuming a lot of battery and overheating when completely shut down (I mean, completely) or in sleep mode.
Several times I turned off my MBP during the afternoon and found it really hot (more than during normal usage) and with 0 battery in the morning.
It just happened random and when I turn my computer off I’m not able to predict whether it will occur again.

I was especially worried because it did not seem safe. A couple of times brought my turned off MBP with me on a plane and found only on landing that during the flight it was still somehow running and became hot.

When I brought my MBP to the Apple Store, it was experiencing the issue, so the Genius bar attendant who saw it was able to certify that something wrong was going on. He told me that it was not normal and he filled in a request for replacing the motherboard.
However, when I went back to the Apple store to pick up my computer a few days later I have been told that they have not replaced anything since they were not able to reproduce the problem (!)
They installed Data capture and asked me to send them the archive when the issue happened again.
During a few weeks I’ve send the data they asked for and I’ve been bringing the device to the store a couple of times.

Yesterday, when I picked up my MBP and Apple support closed the issue and gave me the following feedback:

• They were not able to reproduce the error and nothing strange emerged from data capture
• It is a normal MBP 2018 behavior!

They told me that new MBP have been designed so they never really shut down so some process might still run although I turn off the laptop.

I replied that this was absurd:

• A computer must be able to shut down completely and that it cannot be a normal behavior for a computer to consume all its battery in a few hours and overheating when it is turned off.
• I told them that this was dangerous and that in Europe I might be denied to fly if I’m bringing a overheating device with me in a plane.
• The first Genius bar guy saw the computer when it was experiencing the issue and certified that there was a problem. I don’t care if they were not able to reproduce it again later. How many times do you have to reproduce an issue?

They told me that they were sorry but they cannot do anything to help me: this was how 2018 MBP have been designed.

So I’ve filled in a complaint form and left the Apple store with my 3000$ dangerous MBP without any solution from Apple.

I’m really angry and frustrated and I cannot believe the excuse they told me.

So I want to ask you:

• Did it happen to any of you?
• It this really a normal MBP behavior?
• What can I do to have my computer fixed or replaced?

Thanks in advance for your help.
[doublepost=1558598428][/doublepost]Sorry, wrong forum. I've posted it again in the right one. You can delete this discussion

 

[Lenones]

I have such a problem.
I visited the service center, the engineers were replaced under warranty : Logic Board, Top case with Battery, Magic Keyboard with numeric Keypad, Touch ID Border. But the problem was not solved. I think it needs to be solved through the console, to look for process which does not allow MBP to fall asleep and be switched off.

 

[currahee2100]

Have you tried mailing it in? You are not the only person I’ve seen who’s complained about this. My 2018 runs fine, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a problem with all 2018s..

 

[Lenones]

Have you tried mailing it in? You are not the only person I’ve seen who’s complained about this. My 2018 runs fine, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a problem with all 2018s..

I tried to contact them by mail. Uselessly. They are sent to an authorized service center. Service center does not know what to do with it. They only change iron. Not great..

 

[LogicalApex]

The 2018 and later MBP models are very hard to "shutdown" and they rarely are in a truly shutdown state. This isn't a safety issue as your battery will turn itself off if it detects that it is actually overheated. Warm to you may not be the same as an overheated battery.

The 2018 and later MBPs turn on when you plug them in, open the lid, press any buttons on the device, click the trackpad, reach them via BT, and probably a few more scenarios I can't think of right now.

Since you're noting that the laptop is warm when this occurs you're likely dealing with a process still running that's sucking the battery life and preventing a proper sleep. I would use the energy tab in Activity Monitor to figure this out since it historically tracks data for 12 hours or until the Mac is rebooted (whichever happens first).

 

[Apple2GS]

My work 2018 MacBook Pro will not sleep. When traveling, it either shuts down because it over heats in my backpack or it shuts down because the battery dies. I have tried killing all processes and even a clean OS install, no luck. My home 2018 MacBook Pro does not have this issue.

 

[Howard2k]

Not to ask a stupid question, but to ask a stupid question, have you tried checking your sleep settings from terminal?

And do you check the power and app nap happenings in Activity Monitor?

 

[Ruggy]

It's the kind of behaviour often associated with malware, have you checked the software side of things?
For example, you can have something that is constantly contacting a distant server and using your hard disk for some sort of activity like crypo-currency mining.
This would use all the resources of the computer, cause exactly those symptoms and even get it to turn on or wake up.
Or, your DNS settings may have been reset on your network- which wouldn't be replicated somewhere else and therefore the service centre wouldn't see it.
It may not be that of course, I have no way of knowing, but I would definitely have a good look for malware both on the computer and on your router as well.

As to shutting down, do you mean it doesn't shut down completely from the Apple icon>shut down, or by holding the button down for 10 seconds? I am surprised.

 

[Lenones]

The 2018 and later MBP models are very hard to "shutdown" and they rarely are in a truly shutdown state. This isn't a safety issue as your battery will turn itself off if it detects that it is actually overheated. Warm to you may not be the same as an overheated battery.

The 2018 and later MBPs turn on when you plug them in, open the lid, press any buttons on the device, click the trackpad, reach them via BT, and probably a few more scenarios I can't think of right now.

Since you're noting that the laptop is warm when this occurs you're likely dealing with a process still running that's sucking the battery life and preventing a proper sleep. I would use the energy tab in Activity Monitor to figure this out since it historically tracks data for 12 hours or until the Mac is rebooted (whichever happens first).

Thank you for your advice. The activity monitor showed all pending processes. Finished the process, it got better.