Agreed. I skimped on AppleCare once and got burned (fried logic board in an iBook G4 - they wanted me to pay $1000 for the repair!). Never again.
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That's it, I'm done with Apple
- Thread starter smiddlehurst
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Agreed. I skimped on AppleCare once and got burned (fried logic board in an iBook G4 - they wanted me to pay $1000 for the repair!). Never again.
OP just tell Apple that you will seek legal action if the battery catches fire or explodes, and that you will demand compensation for any damages caused by the battery.
I agree that this is obviously a manufacturing defect and that Apple should replace for your safety. But AppleCare would probably make the replacement a whole lot simpler. I learned the hard way that in the end AppleCare is a small fee for the peace of mind of 3 years of protection.
But in Apple's defense what if someone's current battery swells 20 years from now. Should Apple replace that? Out of warranty is out of warranty whether it's by 1 year or 20 years.
But like I said they should replace it.
I agree that this is obviously a manufacturing defect and that Apple should replace for your safety. But AppleCare would probably make the replacement a whole lot simpler. I learned the hard way that in the end AppleCare is a small fee for the peace of mind of 3 years of protection.
But in Apple's defense what if someone's current battery swells 20 years from now. Should Apple replace that? Out of warranty is out of warranty whether it's by 1 year or 20 years.
But like I said they should replace it.
I dont think its Apple's fault. Just because your battery wasnt listed on the defective list doesnt mean that there wont be a chance that your battery will die or have problems.
Every product has a certain % of defective issues and it just so happened that your battery unfortunately was defective.
As for the serial numbers with the defective battery had a higher % of failures.
Every product has a certain % of defective issues and it just so happened that your battery unfortunately was defective.
As for the serial numbers with the defective battery had a higher % of failures.
If I understood correctly, you live in Denmark. Denmark is part of the EU. As part of EU law, warranty on computers is 3 years, regardless of what any manufacturer or store tries to tell you or states in their documentation. If your computer fails within that period of time, you are by law entitled to warranty repair.
Maybe that can help you when they try to blow you off again.
Maybe that can help you when they try to blow you off again.
You'll come back to Apple when you realize that customer support for other computer electronic manufacturers is even worse. The sad fact is that Apple has the best customer support. They aren't perfect (remember the nVidia graphic card issue?) but they are still good. It's definitely a turn off when you are the one on the short end of the stick though.
I know you think your battery should be replaced but Apple has no reasonable obligation to replace your battery. Yes there have been issues with batteries swelling up, but they find the batch that was manufactured improperly and they recall those.
That does NOT mean that manufacturing defects won't occur with a small number of batteries. In this instance, I think it's simply a case of being unlucky. I know you want to link it to past manufacturing defects, and it's not totally unreasonable but manufacturing errors will occur still. You get a year of warranty and then you're on your own.
*edit*
I didn't realize you are from Europe. My comments about bad customer service are from an American perspective. Apple's customer support may be worse in Denmark, I really don't know.
I know you think your battery should be replaced but Apple has no reasonable obligation to replace your battery. Yes there have been issues with batteries swelling up, but they find the batch that was manufactured improperly and they recall those.
That does NOT mean that manufacturing defects won't occur with a small number of batteries. In this instance, I think it's simply a case of being unlucky. I know you want to link it to past manufacturing defects, and it's not totally unreasonable but manufacturing errors will occur still. You get a year of warranty and then you're on your own.
*edit*
I didn't realize you are from Europe. My comments about bad customer service are from an American perspective. Apple's customer support may be worse in Denmark, I really don't know.
The few times I've had issues with an Apple product, I've found the service to be very good. I'm sure everyone's mileage on that varies.
It SEEMS to me that a visit to the Genius Bar gets better results...I don't know if it's the face to face or what. If you've already been there so many times that they all know you (and the manager avoids you), that (to me anyway) says something about your level of expectation for Apple products. If you're expecting absolute perfection first time, every time, and for all time....well, prepare to be disappointed. Apple or any other company will have problems from time to time. It's all in how you deal with the company reps about the problems that counts.
Good luck. FWIW, I think Apple should offer to repair the laptop damage for free, as long as you buy a new battery. After all, the battery itself IS out of warranty.
:/
It SEEMS to me that a visit to the Genius Bar gets better results...I don't know if it's the face to face or what. If you've already been there so many times that they all know you (and the manager avoids you), that (to me anyway) says something about your level of expectation for Apple products. If you're expecting absolute perfection first time, every time, and for all time....well, prepare to be disappointed. Apple or any other company will have problems from time to time. It's all in how you deal with the company reps about the problems that counts.
Good luck. FWIW, I think Apple should offer to repair the laptop damage for free, as long as you buy a new battery. After all, the battery itself IS out of warranty.
:/
How about "I could tell my battery was swollen and in need or replacement but because the manufacturer of my computer wouldn't replace it for free outside of warranty I continued to use it and it exploded."
Batteries under normal use do not swell like that.. In no way, shape or form should a battery do that.. What if a child's toy exploded because batteries swell like this.. IT'S AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN...
What if your car battery swelled like this when it was past it's service life.. God forbid it could blow part of you car apart..
What if this user was on his Mac and the battery decided to explode instead.. What if he got burns on his legs or something, do you think that is normal? If the battery stopped working and wouldn't hold a charge then yes apple shouldn't cover it, but when it swells and breaks a seam, then that is a defect in workmanship or quality of parts...
James
If my car battery swells after the warranty has expired then nobody is going to do squat except me, and that's buy a new one.
You do realize that a swelling battery is not a normal thing to do, right? You do realize that a swelling battery, and the defect that causes the swelling, can, and has been known to explode, right?
Swelling batteries are defective. Plain and simple. In warranty, or not in warranty. This is a known issue and Apple, Sony, Dell and others are doing the bare minimum to fix it. They did a recall of quite a few batteries, but clearly more are affected than they will admit to.
I had a similar problem regarding serial numbers and recalls.
I've got an iMac G5 (with iSight) which was suffering from symptoms typical of the 'capacitor-bulge' blight that was common a few years ago. The serial number fell very slightly outside the range of the official recall/replacement warranty extension.
The lovely Genius at the Apple Store in Bluewater, Kent put it through as a free repair for me when technically she really wasn't required to. I think it helped that the machine's previous owner had had it repaired a couple of times for other things within the AppleCare term, so it was starting to take on that 'lemon'-y scent. Either way, the guys at Bluewater really did me a favour sorting that machine out. A couple of days after the repair it started acting up again and they took it straight back for yet another fix. It's been fine ever since (and I think about the only original component is the case!).
So keep plugging away. The fact that your battery's died so spectacularly with the exact same failure mode as those covered under the replacement programme is definitely one in your favour, especially if the serial number is close to the officially-recognised affected batch.
I've got an iMac G5 (with iSight) which was suffering from symptoms typical of the 'capacitor-bulge' blight that was common a few years ago. The serial number fell very slightly outside the range of the official recall/replacement warranty extension.
The lovely Genius at the Apple Store in Bluewater, Kent put it through as a free repair for me when technically she really wasn't required to. I think it helped that the machine's previous owner had had it repaired a couple of times for other things within the AppleCare term, so it was starting to take on that 'lemon'-y scent. Either way, the guys at Bluewater really did me a favour sorting that machine out. A couple of days after the repair it started acting up again and they took it straight back for yet another fix. It's been fine ever since (and I think about the only original component is the case!).
So keep plugging away. The fact that your battery's died so spectacularly with the exact same failure mode as those covered under the replacement programme is definitely one in your favour, especially if the serial number is close to the officially-recognised affected batch.
Very well said. If batteries did this and it is normal how come when you get a duracell D battery swell like this they will replace it NO QUESTIONS ASKED. They know that swollen batteries can explode and cause acid to fly everywhere. If it's in or out of warranty this is not normal. Like I said before if it won't hold a charge or anything else out of warranty then I could see them not having to replace it but being it split apart they should replace it
James
You are completely missing the point I've been trying to make. Yes I realize it's not normal... but...
1) Unless a lot of folks have more time on their hands than I do, I can't see waging a crusade over $100.
2) I don't think most vendors would take care of the battery in question unless their hand was forced, and some hands have been.
3) If you want to keep using such a battery when it looks like it's going to explode, thinking you will then go shake down the manufacturer... then they should laugh at you. It's like having a tire splitting right down the middle and your reaction is to go drive 100mph to see if you can have a wreck. At some point common sense needs to kick in.
If my battery goes funky like that I'll take a run at getting Apple to take care of it. But if I'm not successful, I need a working laptop, and I am not going to invest hours and hours over $100. That's all I'm saying.
What makes you think the OP kept using it once it started to swell? And if the OP, or anyone else suffering this issue wants to shake down the manufacturer, who cares.
If my battery started to stop holding a charge out of warranty, I would suck it up and buy a new one. But if it started to swell, you're damn right I would want a replacement.
There were several suggestions along the lines of "tell Apple it's going to explode and you're going after them". I think that is a dumb way to approach it, thus my comment. Are we all here only to post things that you agree with?
Many people have pointed out that other vendors took care of these issues out of the kindness of their hearts. No, many were forced to take care of the issue.
I think Apple should take care of it and if the OP wants to hire a lawyer, start a class action suit, wage a hunger strike outside the Apple store, etc... more power to him. But if a similar thing happens to me I simply don't have the cycles to waste over $100.
To me $100 for a battery that shouldn't have swelled like that, I'm sorry I'm not paying for a defective piece of equipment.. Besides with all the bills and stuff I have going on right now if I needed to get a battery and needed my laptop, I couldn't even afford to do that just yet....
I know everybody has a different opinion on this so I don't anybody thinking that I am arguing with them. LOL But anyway what if you were talking on your iphone and the battery blew apart like that right next to your face.. Would you want a replacement? I'm sure you would... But it doesn't just have to be next to your face.. What if it was just sitting on your dresser or charging overnight, you wake up and find your phone split apart.?? No say that you don't have applecare, would want to pay $500 for a new phone.. I bet you wouldn't, you would want apple to replace the phone correct.??? Well this is what they should do with his battery too.. He's just lucky that it didn't mess up the computer also or they would be replacing that too...
James
I know everybody has a different opinion on this so I don't anybody thinking that I am arguing with them. LOL But anyway what if you were talking on your iphone and the battery blew apart like that right next to your face.. Would you want a replacement? I'm sure you would... But it doesn't just have to be next to your face.. What if it was just sitting on your dresser or charging overnight, you wake up and find your phone split apart.?? No say that you don't have applecare, would want to pay $500 for a new phone.. I bet you wouldn't, you would want apple to replace the phone correct.??? Well this is what they should do with his battery too.. He's just lucky that it didn't mess up the computer also or they would be replacing that too...
James
And that is my point James. Swelling is a sign of a defective battery. Even worse are the possible consequences of the defect (exploding, damage to the laptop, or to personal property).
It's not bitching or moaning or complaining when these owners want their swollen batteries replaced. It's common sense! I guess some of them can just throw them away and buy a new one. The battery recall was more or less mandated to the manufacturers, and like I said in another post, the company's responsible tried to keep it hush.
According to this leaflet from the EU website, EU directive 1999/44/EC states all consumer goods sold in the EU must have a two year guarantee:
http://ec.europa.eu/publications/booklets/move/64/en.pdf
Sometimes I hate the EU, but sometimes I LOVE it
Unfortunately this is not all that helpful in practice. There is a difference between warranty and guarantee in the EU. This two year guarantee ensured by the directive protects against manufacturing defects - however, if the problem emerges more than six months after purchase, it is up to the customer to prove that the problem really is the result of a manufacturing defect, and not due to misuse. In most cases the required expert will cost more than the product, so in effect the EU directive only helps within the first six months. That is why a manufacturer's warranty or something like AppleCare is more important when it comes to expensive items.
Why in the H$(( do you all think Apple is under some kind of obligation to replace it? What part of a "warranty period" do you not understand? It doesn't matter if you're 1 week or 10 years after warranty has expired, it's EXPIRED.
the entire purpose of a warranty period is for a company to be able to know what level of support costs they have and then factor that into the price of the product. Sure all you EU weenies can demand 2 or 3 years, but you know what, that will just drive prices up on everyone who doesn't have a problem. Do you think such support comes free just because socialist governments want it to? If that's the law over there, then you should easily be able to walk into any apple store and get it fixed and quit the griping here.
Personally I would love to nominate you for a Darwin award if you are injured after you keep using a battery you know to be faulty after the warranty period has expired. Let it blow up, we will all sneer at your stupidty for refusing to fix a problem you knew existed.
It's quite simple: after warranty period you are responsible for fixing any problems that occur. If you don't like that then buy an extended warranty, but don't expect the rest of the world to subsidize you. I buy applecare because it's worth the piece of mind, especially with laptops.
Now personally I think apple would benefit from a PR standpoint swooping in and replacing the battery gratis as a gesture of support, but if they don't just buy a new one and move on or sell it, buy a lenovo or HP laptop and hope that nothing bad happens with it.
I know this is a bit gruff, but man I'm getting tired of the "government will protect me" nonsense that is filling our world today.
the entire purpose of a warranty period is for a company to be able to know what level of support costs they have and then factor that into the price of the product. Sure all you EU weenies can demand 2 or 3 years, but you know what, that will just drive prices up on everyone who doesn't have a problem. Do you think such support comes free just because socialist governments want it to? If that's the law over there, then you should easily be able to walk into any apple store and get it fixed and quit the griping here.
Personally I would love to nominate you for a Darwin award if you are injured after you keep using a battery you know to be faulty after the warranty period has expired. Let it blow up, we will all sneer at your stupidty for refusing to fix a problem you knew existed.
It's quite simple: after warranty period you are responsible for fixing any problems that occur. If you don't like that then buy an extended warranty, but don't expect the rest of the world to subsidize you. I buy applecare because it's worth the piece of mind, especially with laptops.
Now personally I think apple would benefit from a PR standpoint swooping in and replacing the battery gratis as a gesture of support, but if they don't just buy a new one and move on or sell it, buy a lenovo or HP laptop and hope that nothing bad happens with it.
I know this is a bit gruff, but man I'm getting tired of the "government will protect me" nonsense that is filling our world today.
Awesome post, I've been thinking the same thing for about half the threads on this forum.