Swollen macbook battery

Is there anywhere I can find out if this is something Apple will replace?

Call Apple support and ask.

take it to an Apple retail store.

Sounds to me like you talked to some folks that really didn't understand your issue. In these situations, you're really better off going into a store and talking to someone face-to-face--it's also easier for them to understand what your problem is since they can see the item(s) in question.

There was a recall in effect, for batteries in computers purchased from Feb. 2006 to April 2007 but the program closed on May 31, 2009:
http://www.apple.com/support/macbook_macbookpro/batteryupdate/

If your computer is still under AppleCare, you have a reasonably good chance of getting the battery replaced.

~Lyssa

Just to clarify... there wasn't actually a recall. They had extended the warranty period for an additional two years. A recall pretty much means you should return your battery... that wasn't really the case.

They are correct in saying that the battery is designed to swell and should not explode. Out of all the reported cases of swelling batteries, I haven't seen any result in a leak or explosion. Of the few leaking or burning battery reports I have seen, they were not attributed to swelling batteries. Now having said that certainly doesn't mean there isn't a problem. That's like having your brakes fail in your car and complaining to the manufacturer about it and them telling you "that's what the air bags are for". Just because it doesn't explode doesn't mean it is working properly. Also, a battery that continues to expand may flex the logic board enough to damage it or cause other functional problems... each of which would be directly related to the faulty battery. Sometimes you really do need to speak with the right person. This particular problem is best dealt with directly at an Apple Store or by calling Apple Customer Relations (which is not the same as the support people you generally talk to). You can reach Apple Customer Relations at:

(800) 767-2775

Give them a call or visit your local Apple Store (if you have one). Let them know how happy you have been with your MacBook except for this one problem which you find worrisome. I would be surprised if they don't get you a new battery.

hello,

how have things turned out for the original poster? i have recently just discovered that my macbook battery is also bulging and swollen. however, it seems extremely unfair that they can just cancel something like this! were you able to obtain a replacement in person at an apple store? were they easy about it, or did you have to be hard on them? would like to know what to expect before i try to do the same.

My battery swelled up a few months ago, hardly visible, but it interfered with the trackpad button. Macbook was 2 years old, and I have Applecare.

Took it to the Apple Store, left a few minutes later with a new battery, courtesy of Applecare.

I am very unhappy with Apple right now. I have a two year old MacBook and had the same thing happen with my battery this summer. It swelled so horribly that my trackpad would not even work. The battery was bulging out so much that the laptop would not sit flat on the desk. I do not have Apple care so I have gotten no help with this problem.

Repeated calls to customer service have accomplished nothing. They just keep telling me that I will have to buy a new battery. The closest Apple store to us is two hours away so I can't really take the battery in. Very frustrating. I am really surprised that Apple is not doing more to make this problem right with their customers.

Apple Genius just replaced the swelling battery in my 13" White MacBook (Last 2006 manufacture, long out of warranty and it never had AppleCare). No questions asked, nothing to sign, and no money exchanged hands.

I made a Genius Bar appointment. The Genius looked at the obvious battery swelling, and then said "Just a moment, and I'll get a replacement". Came back, unwrapped the new battery, dropped the battery in the MacBook, had me boot up to make sure it was working, plugged in a power adaptor to make sure it was charging, and the sent me on my way.

Your mileage may vary.

I've just had my swollen battery (2006 17" MBP) replaced FOC at the Trafford Centre (UK) AppleStore. No questions. Very helpful Genius.

I was already to quote safety issues etc, but no need. Don't take no for an answer!

I had the random shutdown and trackpad issue. This is despite the battery extension programme having finished in August...

Same issue here, battery model A1189, Macbook Pro 17 purchased late 2007 from Applestore online in France. Just noticed the battery swelling problem (I thought I just had an uneven table & something stuck under the trackpad button!).

I'm just about to buy a mac-mini & other stuff from an Apple store in the US (taking advantage of the exchange rates during a trip) so I really hope it won't be too hard to negotiate a free replacement for this...

From reading comments, seems like it's very hit & miss whether Apple agree to replace these batteries or not! I may just have to visit my friends in manchester & try the folks at Trafford centre!

A swollen battery does not automatically necessitate a replacement (when outside of warranty). Most stores and service providers are equipped to verify that the battery is defective prior to replacing a battery. From my experience (on both sides of the Genius Bar), it was to replace the battery when bulging unless I could verify cycle count. If I couldn't... replace. If I could and the number exceeded 300 cycles... replace, but customer billable.

Unfortunately there's no consistency with battery coverage, from my experiences. I've had some batteries covered and some not covered and each time the answers to my questions (which were the same) were inconsistent.

An update on my swollen battery...I was travelling to the US and went into an Applestore in West town mall, Madison, Wisconsin and the people there were amazing...I showed them the battery, and without really asking they just replaced it (it was 2 years old, no Apple care)....Hats off to the apple team for excellent customer service!! I must point out that I was also buying a mac-mini, touch & mac box set at the same time as asking for a free battery but they still did the business....Thanks to the team in the West town mall, Madison, WI

My battery also became swollen, but I was not too concerned because it was working just fine. In fact, I did not realize that it was swollen; I thought that the case had just popped apart. I happened to be in the nearby big city with an Apple authorized repair facility, so I took my computer in. The clerk took one look at it and said, "Oh, you have a pregnant battery." He checked my warranty and said that my Apple Care was in effect. He took my battery back to the technician, again referring to it as a "pregnant" battery, so indicating that this was a problem that they had seen before. The technician said that he could not do anything with the battery to determine if it was defective. I would have to leave my computer there for a few days so that he could hook it up to diagnostic equipment, get it to throw codes, send the codes to Apple, and see if it was covered under warranty.

Well, nope, there was no way that I was going to be separated from a working computer which I use all day long, every day, so that they could have it sit on a shelf until they got around to verifying that the battery was working, but swollen, and needed to be replaced under warranty as defective. I did not leave my computer there, but took it home. I did follow their advice and take the battery out, so that I am running the computer without the battery.

I then went on-line and at Apple Support filled out all of the information to receive service directly from Apple. This morning, I talked to Apple; one person verified all of my information and then transferred me to a special department for battery issues. The second person, verified the condition of my battery (at first saying something to indicate that he had never heard of a swollen battery, but later mumbling something that indicated to me that this was not an uncommon complaint). He said that a new battery would be shipped to me and I should return the old, defective battery in the same box. He did take a credit card account number to hold the funds for the cost of the battery until they received the old battery back. There was no discussion about whether this was covered or not, nor the need to inspect my battery, just the need for me to actually return the defective one.

It might have been different if I could have gone to an Apple Store as opposed to an Authorized Repair Shop, but the closest Apple Store is over 2000 miles away. Dealing directly with Apple over the internet and phone seemed to work fine for me. Once this is all resolved, I am going to go to the store that was not very helpful and tell them what happened with my "pregnant" battery that they would not replace.