MacBook Pro won't stay powered on

Where did you purchase the battery? The quality of third party Lithium-ion Batteries is extremely poor even when purchased from a respected vendor such as OWC. You may just have received a bad battery.

Or perhaps the laptop has other hardware issues such as a bad DC-In Board or Logic Board. Unfortunately there is no easy way to know for sure without trying other parts (including battery). Make sure all external devices are disconnected from the laptop.

The 15" models are known to have GPU issues. This can result in no video or even power issues. You can try forcing the laptop to use the Intel GPU instead of the discrete GPU. The easiest method is to use gfxCardStatus, but if you cannot boot into macOS or into Safe Mode, then you can try using this alternate method of forcing the laptop to use the Intel GPU:

http://dosdude1.com/gpudisable/

You should also check the Logic Board and other components for signs of liquid residue and corrosion in case the laptop has liquid damage. Also check the contacts in the Thunderbolt ports to make sure they are not damaged or burned.

OldSaintBen wrote:

In case someone finds this information useful, I've discovered that the problem doesn't occur when I run the computer without a battery installed. A quick search indicates that this could mean the SMC chip is faulty.

Or it means the new battery may be bad since the quality of third party Lithium-ion Batteries is extremely poor.

OldSaintBen Said:

"MacBook Pro won't stay powered on: I bought a second hand MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013). The seller didn't disclose that the battery had swollen. It arrived with the case bulging and a screw popped out. I have replaced the battery, but the machine won't stay powered on. It has stayed on long enough for me to do a fresh install of Big Sur and I have reset the NVRAM/PRAM and the SMC. What more can be done, please?"

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This is a Used Item that you Purchased?

If so, I'd say you've been scammed, though a full assumption on my part. Where to go from here:

• Take this up with the Original Owner:

This is a user-to-user support forum - no one here can remove the battery. So, contact the original owner, and have them give you your money back. Elsewise, it is useless to you.

• If Purchased off of a Web site (i.e. eBay)

Contact the site, and ask that the seller be held accountable, and that you get your money back.

• Take this as a learning experience:

The next time you purchase an Apple device, then make sure that you can log into it, and all looks good. For a MacBook Pro, have the original user use this site: What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your Mac - Apple Support Request that you are able to log into it, and assign it to your account, prior to hading over the money. If the seller dis-abides by those rules, then do not proceed with the purchase. Rather than performing this purchase remotely, consider performing it in-person.

OldSaintBen Said:

"MacBook Pro won't stay powered on: Thanks, TheLittles. Yes, I know what the seller is attempting. I still have the option to pursue a full refund. I have already gotten him to agree to a partial refund, which is what makes diagnosing and resolving the issue attractive to me. If I can resolve it, I've gotten the machine for a good price, so I want to rule that out first."

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You are welcome.

Good work! 👍