Swollen Battery on 2007 Macbook Pro

I read in the last few days when searching support for other info about batteries that some swelling of batteries is considered normal. I guess the issue is when does the swelling constitute excessive and warrant battery replacement. Only Apple can answer this - possibly.

I would also suggest that you check the stats for the battery in terms of charge cycle count and remaining capacity using System profiler, iStat Pro, or similar programs. If you are approaching 300 cycles with about 80% of new capacity still available you are unlikely to get a replacement under the basic battery quality programs Apple supports.

Hope this is of some help to you.

Neville

I've just had mine replaced under warranty on my 2 year old MacBook Pro (it arrived today and the machine has an extended warranty).

The battery got hot one night and became swollen fairly significantly to the point where the trackpad didn't work and it was really difficult to remove from the machine. My understanding is that batteries aren't normally covered under warranty as they're considered a consumable however if they can't be removed normally the swelling is considered excessive.

Apple send out a new battery and you have to send the old one back for them to inspect. If they consider you have a faulty battery they will not charge you for the replacement. Otherwise they just charge your credit card.

I spoke to AppleCare and they were extremely helpful. Give them a call and explain the situation.

Swelling is a safety issue, and ANY Apple Store rep will recognize it as such, and act appropriately.

If you are not close to an Apple Store, call AppleCare immediately and open a case.

Clint Bradford

... I read in the last few days when searching support for other info about batteries that some swelling of batteries is considered normal ...

Do not trust another word from whomever told you that. That is sheer nonsense. Neither during use nor during charging (with approved charger) should ANY consumer-grade Li-Ion / Li-Polymer / NiMH pack noticeably physically "swell."

SOURCE: Personal experience in the computer, amateur radio, and commercial radio industries; "Batteries in a Portable World" by the Cadex Corporation.

Clint Bradford

I have a 17" MacBook Pro from 2007 with the original battery and it has just begun to swell as well. I have just called customer support here in Denmark and they completely refused to replace the battery on the grounds that the computer was outside warrenty. I don't give a rip if my computer is outside warrenty, the battery is not manufactured correctly and should be replaced!!!

Right now I'm soooooo friggin' angry!

APPLE! Please recognize that there is a problem with these batteries and replace them! As other posters has pointed out BATTERIES ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO SWELL!!!

Welcome to Apple Discussions.

If you have a Consumer complaints (government) department in Denmark you could enquire about your 'rights' on this issue.

Regardless of this issue it has often been suggested in these forums that when discussion with Apple Support fails you should approach Apple's consumer complaints section. They are able to override normal service policy constraints if they consider that your case is worthy. After all Apple do want any reasonable issues sorted out to the consumer's satisfaction for their reputation's sake. It seems to me that some service centres, especially outside the USA, are not as knowledgeable about battery issues as they ought to be.

The other issue you should consider is the stats for your battery as regards cycle count and residual charge capacity. If it is near the end of its life in this respect your case will be less persuasive.

Neville

Brothers and sisters of the church of the SWOLLEN BATTERY ... You are not alone... My battery has swollen up BIG ! So big the laptop slid off its rack. Its a fact , Jack. Apple Help .. " We have never heard of any swelling" ... quote ... "That's a new one on me."

I want a battery that works correctly .... I want Apple to return my laptop and track pad to its normal size and shape. Thats it.

I just got the "We normally replace these swollen batteries if the laptop is still under warranty." ******** at my local Apple Store in Northridge, CA. They also told me that they have no record of my battery already being replaced once do to the same issue, which it has. So, here I am on my second swollen battery. Apple does not care about this issue any more. Apparently the battery doesn't have it's own warranty, but is connected to the laptop's warranty, which is stupid.

... Apparently the battery doesn't have it's own warranty, but is connected to the laptop's warranty, which is stupid ...

That is totally incorrect information, and I am sorry that you were subjected to that. Call AppleCare immediately. Have your dates and chronology all lined up. And get this resolved.

Clint Bradford

I took my MacBook Pro in today, showed them the swollen battery and it was replaced without charge - without my even having to ask. I thanked the Genius Bar rep and actually received an apology for the defective part.

I took my slightly swollen battery into an Apple store back in May/June. It had 160 cycles. The Apple genius gave me the story that Li-ion batteries swell. It's a normal part of their life. I told him that mine is barely half way through it's life and it's swelling. He said regardless, it is normal. Then last week I pulled out the same battery and it had doubled or even tripled in size. I sent an email to apple and got a call from Apple Executive Relations saying essentially that this problem has been documented, it's been looked into by their engineers, it's normal, and they aren't going to do anything about it, buy a new one. The phone call had a different tone to it than any other I've had with Apple. Sort of like, look, we aren't going to replace it, we don't see it as defective, buy a new one and leave us alone. I don't like it one bit. I use my Mac for video editing as a business. It's enough that I've started looking into switching from FCS to Avid. I don't like the direction Apple has taken in the past few years. Maybe it's time to switch.

... Li-ion batteries swell. It's a normal part of their life ...

I am so sorry that you were told that. That is total bulls**t. At most, a barely-perceptible amount of expansion MAY occur with approved charging and use. But to expand to the point of actually noticing it and having is affect the keyboard is NOT "normal" in any manner.

I walked a "swollen" pack into my local Apple store a few months ago. It had over 300 cycles. But my Apple rep didn't even ask me about the number of cycles. "This is a safety issue," he immediately stated - as he went to the back of the store and grabbed a new pack for my 2006-era 17" MacBook Pro.

I can only suggest that one either contact AppleCare and/or a "supervisor" at their local Apple Store for proper handling of such problems.

Clint Bradford
Mira Loma CA US