MacBook Pro 15" battery dead
Discussion
It depends on the model as some have a soldered SSD to the logic board, but judging by the invoice that's not the case with this one as you'd see storage specification as well as CPU and RAM.
But trust Apple on this, and pretty much everything else regarding their hardware and software.
But trust Apple on this, and pretty much everything else regarding their hardware and software.
The Apple Adventure continues.
Sunday I had a phone all from ‘Josh’ the Genius in Apple Birmingham store, he tells me he has fixed it, the screen has been replaced free, the logic board is actually okay. The battery is actually okay. The problem lies in the ‘battery controller’, so he has replaced that and it is all fully tested and ready to collect.
Today I get the train to Birmingham, go to the store, they pull out the MacBook......
I fire it up.......it shows 0% battery and shuts down......
The techie guy tells me it just needs charging and I owe them £199 for a new battery.
I get a little cross, but explain politely, through gritted teeth; two months, £250, two trips to Stormfront Telford, two trips to Apple Birmingham and we are right back to where we started: it shuts down when the power cord is removed!!!!
We decided to let it charge a while and see what happened.
It showed 15% battery after about ten minutes, and worked okay, so I paid the man and got out of there before something else happened.
He cannot explain why it is once again suddenly the battery that was the problem, not the logic board, not the battery controller.
Despite laying on the guilt trip and frustration he wouldn’t he begin to discuss Apple contributing towards the price, but hey, the MacBook is all new apart from the hard drive and logic board now...... what’s not to like.
Sunday I had a phone all from ‘Josh’ the Genius in Apple Birmingham store, he tells me he has fixed it, the screen has been replaced free, the logic board is actually okay. The battery is actually okay. The problem lies in the ‘battery controller’, so he has replaced that and it is all fully tested and ready to collect.
Today I get the train to Birmingham, go to the store, they pull out the MacBook......
I fire it up.......it shows 0% battery and shuts down......
The techie guy tells me it just needs charging and I owe them £199 for a new battery.
I get a little cross, but explain politely, through gritted teeth; two months, £250, two trips to Stormfront Telford, two trips to Apple Birmingham and we are right back to where we started: it shuts down when the power cord is removed!!!!
We decided to let it charge a while and see what happened.
It showed 15% battery after about ten minutes, and worked okay, so I paid the man and got out of there before something else happened.
He cannot explain why it is once again suddenly the battery that was the problem, not the logic board, not the battery controller.
Despite laying on the guilt trip and frustration he wouldn’t he begin to discuss Apple contributing towards the price, but hey, the MacBook is all new apart from the hard drive and logic board now...... what’s not to like.
I probably wouldn't have paid/taken it away, rather saying that I want them to run tests to confirm that the battery is holding an acceptable amount of charge/has not been damaged, and that it all works correctly.
I wouldn't have been happy that upon arrival it had no battery, as to me that would state that something is wrong. I don't believe they wouldn't have at least partially tested it and left it to charge fully, and at that point it should have then held its charge for a very long time, even just sleeping.
Also the majority of people in the store are Genius', it's just a job title within the store like Subways 'Sandwich Artists' to make them sound more important than they really are within the hierarchy.
I wouldn't have been happy that upon arrival it had no battery, as to me that would state that something is wrong. I don't believe they wouldn't have at least partially tested it and left it to charge fully, and at that point it should have then held its charge for a very long time, even just sleeping.
Also the majority of people in the store are Genius', it's just a job title within the store like Subways 'Sandwich Artists' to make them sound more important than they really are within the hierarchy.
I made sure it has a warranty, 90 days, and I paid on my credit card, so the first sign all is not as it should be and it goes back and I will definitly not be as ‘accommodating’ as I have been so far.
Something that I remembered after I had left, that the first tech told me last week; if the battery has failed within two years Apple will change it for free, even out of warranty.
Something that I remembered after I had left, that the first tech told me last week; if the battery has failed within two years Apple will change it for free, even out of warranty.
Yeah the battery has a different warranty, as they can track how it's been used, so I believe if it fails/has less than 80% capacity and under 300 cycles (equivalent to one full charge) then it's eligible to be replaced within 2 years.
I've always found attitude to be the thing that's most likely going to change the level of service you receive. Someone who's calm and understanding is far more likely to have the rules bent etc than someone who's confrontational. Exactly the same as with Police etc.
I've always found attitude to be the thing that's most likely going to change the level of service you receive. Someone who's calm and understanding is far more likely to have the rules bent etc than someone who's confrontational. Exactly the same as with Police etc.
Digitalize said:
Yeah the battery has a different warranty, as they can track how it's been used, so I believe if it fails/has less than 80% capacity and under 300 cycles (equivalent to one full charge) then it's eligible to be replaced within 2 years.
I've always found attitude to be the thing that's most likely going to change the level of service you receive. Someone who's calm and understanding is far more likely to have the rules bent etc than someone who's confrontational. Exactly the same as with Police etc.
So much this, in this situation take a deep breath, ask them to pop it on charge and double check its ok and say you're gonna go buy some lunch and will be back in half an hour and walk away to calm down. Grab some lunch or a coffee go back in 45 minutes and ask if its ready for you to check and take away.I've always found attitude to be the thing that's most likely going to change the level of service you receive. Someone who's calm and understanding is far more likely to have the rules bent etc than someone who's confrontational. Exactly the same as with Police etc.
Bikerjon said:
So the £735 repair estimate became £199 in the end? I don't know about "battery controller", but it does rather sound like they just replaced the battery as per the fixed price battery service! Is the top case/keyboard new as well?
Essentially that is what it has come down to. Our local computer tinkerer told me it was the battery, and various experts in two Apple stores have run me around with nefarious story’s about other failings, but in the end they changed the battery.We did get a complete new screen, the whole hinged section is brand new, under Apple recall.
The new keyboard and top case come with the battery service, as the battery is glued to them so they have to be changed, apparently.
I should have a word with them about this 2 year battery warranty, but I’m just about done with Apple and their excellent after service......
One thing, I will never buy a Mac again, ridiculous price for a bloody small lap top.
Digitalize said:
Yeah the battery has a different warranty, as they can track how it's been used, so I believe if it fails/has less than 80% capacity and under 300 cycles (equivalent to one full charge) then it's eligible to be replaced within 2 years.
I've always found attitude to be the thing that's most likely going to change the level of service you receive. Someone who's calm and understanding is far more likely to have the rules bent etc than someone who's confrontational. Exactly the same as with Police etc.
You can check how many cycles with the software in the MacBook, assuming the battery is working enough to do such a check. Hold down Options and hit the Apple key (Apparently) though I have no idea where the Apple key is.I've always found attitude to be the thing that's most likely going to change the level of service you receive. Someone who's calm and understanding is far more likely to have the rules bent etc than someone who's confrontational. Exactly the same as with Police etc.
I’m toying with the notion of contacting them again and asking why I had to pay for the battery after ‘Tom’ the Genius Guy told me they would cover it when I spoke to him last week.
I was very polite and friendly to all the Apple folk I dealt with, whilst also trying to gently but firmly impress upon them that I was not at all impressed with the longevity of their equipment.
Edited by King Herald on Tuesday 21st November 19:00
NDA said:
Fixed for £199? I'd be pleased with that result.
If you read a little more you would realise that it is £250, plus two trips to Telford, plus two trips to Birmingham, plus lots of conflicting stories from Apple experts, plus the battery was not the cause, then suddenly it was, but that is okay because Apple will replace it for free, then suddenly they won’t.......18 months life out of a £1200 lap top is all sorts of f
ked up, but the runaround from the mighty “Apple” corporation has been a farce. Won’t be making that mistake again, one Apple customer gone for good.
I sometimes wish Apple would treat me badly so I'd have enough reasons to switch away, would certainly be cheaper! Just don't think I could switch OS for work now especially as I use Apple software so I'd need to learn a new UI for Adobe's offering.
Still, I guess I shouldn't be wishing for unreliability!
Like I said your experience doesn't match mine, but then I've only had problems within warranty. Saying that I think my current rMBP has just gone out of the extended warranty period, so fingers crossed it keeps going!
Still, I guess I shouldn't be wishing for unreliability!
Like I said your experience doesn't match mine, but then I've only had problems within warranty. Saying that I think my current rMBP has just gone out of the extended warranty period, so fingers crossed it keeps going!
King Herald said:
It was bought in the Philippines, just over two years ago, don't have a receipt for it either.
My experience of Apple and their warranties has been pretty good. You were definitely given the runaround by the 'service centre' - but for a machine out of warranty and bought out of region? NDA said:
My experience of Apple and their warranties has been pretty good. You were definitely given the runaround by the 'service centre' - but for a machine out of warranty and bought out of region?
I was checking my warranty and I think it's actually our consumer law that says something bought in another country can't be denied service. Apple link you to your countries consumer laws and where it supersedes what AppleCare offers.But typically Apple have always serviced something no matter where it was purchased, and without a receipt because at the end of the day they made it, doesn't really matter who bought it or where from. This is the upside of dealing directly with the manufacturer and that Apple are a global company not one with different companies running each region or even franchises who will say it's not their issue etc.
Digitalize said:
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But typically Apple have always serviced something no matter where it was purchased, and without a receipt because at the end of the day they made it, doesn't really matter who bought it or where from. This is the upside of dealing directly with the manufacturer and that Apple are a global company not one with different companies running each region or even franchises who will say it's not their issue etc.
I was hoping they would do the deed with this, but so many people have been involved I don’t really think any of them have the either the power, or the interest, to give a free repair. But typically Apple have always serviced something no matter where it was purchased, and without a receipt because at the end of the day they made it, doesn't really matter who bought it or where from. This is the upside of dealing directly with the manufacturer and that Apple are a global company not one with different companies running each region or even franchises who will say it's not their issue etc.
I tried calling back to the engineer who told me on Sunday that it wasn’t the battery at fault, but my call went to the Apple answering machine and I simply could not bring myself to duck and weave past the answering machine until I could relate the whole sorry tale to a human, yet again.
King Herald said:
I was hoping they would do the deed with this, but so many people have been involved I don’t really think any of them have the either the power, or the interest, to give a free repair.
I tried calling back to the engineer who told me on Sunday that it wasn’t the battery at fault, but my call went to the Apple answering machine and I simply could not bring myself to duck and weave past the answering machine until I could relate the whole sorry tale to a human, yet again.
Yeah as is the case with anything trying to deal with as few people as possible is always better. I used to deal pretty much exclusively with one guy at my local store before I moved away. I guess I don't consider the hassle of going to an Apple Store when luckily the only times I've had to its been a 10 minute walk from my house.I tried calling back to the engineer who told me on Sunday that it wasn’t the battery at fault, but my call went to the Apple answering machine and I simply could not bring myself to duck and weave past the answering machine until I could relate the whole sorry tale to a human, yet again.
Digitalize said:
Yeah as is the case with anything trying to deal with as few people as possible is always better. I used to deal pretty much exclusively with one guy at my local store before I moved away. I guess I don't consider the hassle of going to an Apple Store when luckily the only times I've had to its been a 10 minute walk from my house.
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