Macbook Pro A1398 Battery Low does not boot up with cord

dagwaremedia wrote:

Pins on both are clean, removed and rested power supply. When I plug into the laptop indicator lights up green for two seconds then goes to orange. I have a T2 chip so I

Pressed power button until battery graphic comes up on back screen shows a sliver of red.

Waited 10 seconds and re did, same problem.

Now what?

I have a 2019 Macbook Pro Intel with T2 chip.

I have noticed that when connected to power (charger), when booting up the Mac does start up and after several seconds of the startup process, it chimes indicating that it has recognized the charger. This means that for the first steps of the start up, it is not yet drawing power from the charger. So if the battery is so depleted that it cannot support even those early startup steps, it won't start up. Therefore, leave it connected to power for a while (Grant suggests an hour or more) when turned off, then try starting up again. If that fails, either the charger is bad, the cable is bad, the battery has failed and cannot even start up the Mac, or there is some other hardware issue with the Mac. The next steps would be to take the power supply (charger) and its cable and the laptop in for diagnosis and service. It is relatively inexpensive to replace the cable and/or charger (power supply). The battery replacement is moderately expensive (see Grant's post), and any laptop repair will be expensive, likely more expensive than the computer is worth.

A1398 looks up to MacBook Pro 15-in Retina display MacBook Pro from 2012 through mid-2015. These Intel processor models do Not have a T2 chip. They feature a separate System Management [micro-]Controller (SMC) chip that manages battery and charging, fans, and Intel CPU clock generation.

Unless and until you can charge that battery off the red zone, the battery will drag down the possible voltage and preclude starting up.

you can try an SMC reset:

Reset the SMC of your Mac - Apple Support

Make sure that the five pins in the MagSafe connector are shiny and clean (both sides), and appears to be making good contact.

Remove the Power adapter body from the wall outlet and allow it to 'rest' for a minute or two, so that it can reset itself.

What you would like to see happen when the power adapter is connected is a Lightning Bolt appears, indicating that the power adapter was detected and charging has begun. In some cases a plug icon may appear, indicating the power adapter is detected.

There is no penalty for performing the SMC reset multiple times. Be certain you are using the keys in the keyboard POSITIONS indicated -- the keys with the same labels on the other side will NOT do the trick.

dagwaremedia wrote:

Pins on both are clean, removed and rested power supply. When I plug into the laptop indicator lights up green for two seconds then goes to orange.

Make sure there are no foreign objects in the Magsafe port. Look very closely because it doesn't take much to prevent the connector from fully seating. I've seen super thin very small bit of metal stuck on the magnet of the Magsafe port, and I've seen a staple pushed in around the edge that wasn't easy to see.

I have a T2 chip

If the A1398 designation is correct, then you do not have a T2 Mac.

so I Pressed power button until battery graphic comes up on back screen shows a sliver of red.

Waited 10 seconds and re did, same problem.

For a non-T2 laptop, you reset the SMC by pressing the following keys at the same time:

Left Shift + Control + Left Option + Power Button

If the laptop is powered on or booted, then the moment you press these keys the laptop will immediately power off. You will also see the Magsafe LED change colors. I believe the LED even goes dark for a moment. It has been a while since I worked on the 2015 & earlier models.

Now what?

Here is an Apple article for troubleshooting Magsafe charging issues:

If your MagSafe cable or power adapter isn't working - Apple Support

If the battery was allowed to be completely discharged/drained at 0% charge for a time, then it can easily prevent the battery from powering on or even charging. It is also possible the battery is bad which can also prevent an Apple laptop from even powering on.

A tech may be able to disconnect the battery to allow the laptop to power on. Sometimes if the battery is still healthy, then hot plugging the battery may allow the battery to charge (never unplug the power adapter until the battery has at least a 20% charge or the battery can become permanently damaged --- personal experience). This is not something the average user should try because the internal electronics are exposed and an inexperienced user may end up shorting something out & damaging the Logic Board or even puncturing the battery. It is also very awkward procedure to perform, but an experience repair tech can do it safely.

The green and amber LEDs in the MagSafe end are set by commands from the computer, only. Seeing them change at all says the computer has some life to it. Although that may only mean the T2 chip is alive.

The amber LED is lit when the T2 (or SMC on older models) commits to charging the battery. (in later models, Amber may stay lit when 'charging on hold', but that does not apply here.).

If yours has a T2 chip, it is likely to be a 2018 model or more recent.

If after an hour or more of amber LED ON, if no progress is made towards a charged battery, then the battery (or possibly charging circuitry) has likely failed.

--------

Apple battery service typically runs about US$250, and on many models will include a refurbished (like new) keyboard and a 90 day warranty as all Apple repairs include.

HOWEVER, battery service is no longer available for Macs 2015 model-year or older.