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Rattling rMB – loose battery?

S

SBruv

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 25, 2008
647
321
Hi all,

Try this: open your rMB and shake it fairly vigorously left and right, horizontally (like this). Hear a sound like an object knocking against the casing? Quite a large object?

Mine does this, and so do two others that I tested in an Apple Store, so it's clearly quite common, if not ubiquitous. The funny thing is that sometimes it doesn't do it at all – most of the time it does, though.

I'm assuming it's the battery, but anyone got any thoughts? Anyone definitely NOT getting any rattle at all?

S_B
 
Yes, mine does it as well, mostly with the screen open. It does not do it as much with the screen closed. It seems to be coming from the hinge area in the back.
 
Planning on doing anything about it? I've got a great screen, so given that the chances of getting another rattly one are clearly high if not 100%, I think I'm going to stick rather than twist. :)
 
SBruv said:
Planning on doing anything about it? I've got a great screen, so given that the chances of getting another rattly one are clearly high if not 100%, I think I'm going to stick rather than twist. :)
Click to expand...

I also have a very good screen as well as good fit and finish. So you say the display models in the store do the same?

I went to check my son’s 2013 MBP and it does the very same thing — it rattles when shaken horizontally.
 
Yep, the 13" MBP I shook in the Store did the same thing too. Like the rMB, the MBP has a glued-in battery, which is what made me think to try it… :)
 
SBruv said:
Yep, the 13" MBP I shook in the Store did the same thing too. Like the rMB, the MBP has a glued-in battery, which is what made me think to try it… :)
Click to expand...

Is it safe so say that all laptops do this?
Are you sure the MBPs have a glued-in battery?

You are right — sometimes it doesn’t rattle at all. It might be the individual cells within the battery casing moving slightly (I’m guessing).
 
Last edited:
No, the MBA and older MBPs don't seem to. And yep, from the iFixit rMB teardown:

"Ugh! Even the center cell of the battery is glued down, and we had hoped the sticky cellswe found in the new 13" MacBook Pro wouldn't be a trend..."
 
Bottom line, all glued-in batteries must do this. I guess even if you wanted to complain or return you laptop because of this intermittent rattle, your replacement unit would have the very same rattle?
 
If it's the battery, yeah, although it rather implies that they're not glued in very well if so. :-/

But yes, given my experience in the Apple Store, I'm guessing you'd be highly likely to get the same again in a replacement. Quite surprised more people haven't reported the issue on these and other forums, though…
 
I took a look at the Jonny Ive promo video of the new rMB. I appears to me that the battery casings are securely glued to the case, but the individual cells within the battery casings are not glued down. That might be for a specific reason that a little movement is required?
 
Seems a bit odd, but yeah, maybe for a bit of expansion when they heat up, or something. :-/
 
That's OK. At least I know that all rMB models do it along with the newer MBP models. It must be the fact that a little movement has to be allowed due to heat expansion of the individual cells within the glued casing.

You say the other rMB models in the store were the same? MBP models in the store too?
 
Mine seems to stop rattling when it's been in use for a while – presumably cos it's heated up, so whatever it is that's rattling has expanded a bit. When it's turned off, it rattles every time.

Very strange, but I do believe it's widespread, so I'm not going to let it bother me.
 
SBruv said:
Mine seems to stop rattling when it's been in use for a while – presumably cos it's heated up, so whatever it is that's rattling has expanded a bit. When it's turned off, it rattles every time.

Very strange, but I do believe it's widespread, so I'm not going to let it bother me.
Click to expand...
So, do you think calling AppleCare is a waste of time?
 
Hey! Mine does this too. I first noticed it just tilting it side to side when open

Try this:

Open the lid

Hold rMB by base

Tilt left to right

I hear one light "clunk" when I do this, do you?

Mine appears to be originating near the hinge area, and I can feel it in my hands slightly. My guess is looseness in the hinge in the pivot direction.
 
hcole623 said:
Hey! Mine does this too. I first noticed it just tilting it side to side when open

Try this:

Open the lid

Hold rMB by base

Tilt left to right

I hear one light "clunk" when I do this, do you?

Mine appears to be originating near the hinge area, and I can feel it in my hands slightly. My guess is looseness in the hinge in the pivot direction.
Click to expand...
I wonder why Apple doesn't catch these anomalies before they release a product?
 
SBruv said:
I'd imagine they'll replace it... with one that does exactly the same. :)
Click to expand...
What makes you think that this
SBruv said:
Mine seems to stop rattling when it's been in use for a while – presumably cos it's heated up, so whatever it is that's rattling has expanded a bit. When it's turned off, it rattles every time.

Very strange, but I do believe it's widespread, so I'm not going to let it bother me.
Click to expand...
What makes you think it is widespread and not just a few units?
 
Because all four rMBs I've picked up and shaken have done it, plus the one MBP I tried.
 
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