MacBook Air (Mid 2011) doesn't charge

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Level 1

20 points

MacBook Air (Mid 2011) doesn't charge

I have a MacBook Air (Mid 2011) and it won't charge the battery when I plug it to the wall adapter.

No matter what i do the light on the L shaped connector magsafe doesnt light up.

After a few tries, a few minutes, or even a few hours it just works..and I don't know why, or what to do to make it work all the time.

I tried resetting the SMC (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964), followed every step, but it doesn't help.

I dont know if the problem is in the MagSafe Power Adapter, or if it is in the MacBook Air MagSafe Connector.

Here is a video of me trying to connect it to the Power Adapter without success:

http://youtu.be/3rRko1VncoE

Then 30 minutes later it is working again:

http://youtu.be/j4x3YxWZzAA

This time was 30 minutes, but there sometiimes is much, much longer before I get it to work..

What sloud i do?

My mac is still in the warranty period. If i take it to an Apple Authorized Service Provider (AASP), will they change the faulty component for free?

(Where I live, in portugal, there are no official Apple Stores..so i can't go to one).

MacBook Air, Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on Feb 12, 2012 7:56 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

BGreg

Level 6

17,552 points

Feb 12, 2012 9:10 AM in response to filcrds

Since it's under warranty, there should be no charge from the AASP for warranty-related work.

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Answer 2

filcrds Author

Level 1

20 points

Feb 12, 2012 9:23 AM in response to BGreg

So I can assume that if the problem is in the computer, they will replace the MacBook Air for a new one without the charging problem, without costs for me, right? Or does that not fall into the warranty-related work?

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Answer 3

jamojamo

Level 1

10 points

Feb 12, 2012 9:41 AM in response to filcrds

They will repair it. Might have to replace a few parts etc but they don't just replace it if you've only had this one problem. Replacing would be only a realistic option after numerous attempts at repair and Apple, not the AASC would be the one to make that decision.

P.S. Make sure you save all of your repair paperwork if you are concerned about future issues. Documentation is the key. Also, if you can still buy AppleCare you should.

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Answer 4

ilpap

Level 1

5 points

Feb 12, 2012 10:10 AM in response to filcrds

i have the EXACT same problem. first occured one month ago. i tried a charger from a different mac and it started working immediately. Then its own charger started working. Until now, it is on and off.

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Answer 5

filcrds Author

Level 1

20 points

Feb 12, 2012 12:07 PM in response to ilpap

ilpap wrote:

i have the EXACT same problem. first occured one month ago. i tried a charger from a different mac and it started working immediately. Then its own charger started working. Until now, it is on and off.

Can you reproduce the problem whennever you want?

I unplugged it an hour ago for a few times and everything was fine. It always charged when connecting the charger.

But a few moments ago I unplugged it, then plugged it after a few minutes, then it wouldn't charge anymore. I just left it there, plugged, while I used the computer. Then, after 2/3 minutes, without me doing anything, the light in the connector turned on.

It makes no sense..

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Answer 6

ilpap

Level 1

5 points

Feb 12, 2012 12:13 PM in response to filcrds

it had the same behavior, going on and off whenever it wanted until today. Finally, today it stop charging..i waited.. nothing. I tried a different charger and it worked fine, while my charger didnt work on the other laptop. It is going back ASAP (the charger only not the laptop).

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Answer 7

filcrds Author

Level 1

20 points

Feb 12, 2012 12:20 PM in response to ilpap

At least you could confirm the problem was in the charger.

When you get the new one, if it happens again, please say something.

Good luck

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Answer 8

ilpap

Level 1

5 points

Feb 12, 2012 12:23 PM in response to filcrds

so you havent tried you charger on a different computer?

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Answer 9

filcrds Author

Level 1

20 points

Feb 12, 2012 12:33 PM in response to ilpap

No. I still haven't had that opportunity.

Hopefully I'll take the computer and the charger to AASP when the problem occurs and I'll check there.

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Answer 10

ilpap

Level 1

5 points

Feb 12, 2012 12:36 PM in response to filcrds

right. from what i realize is that this behavior shows that the charger is about to die.

good luck

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Answer 11

Mar 3, 2012 8:15 PM in response to filcrds

I also have a mid '11 Macbook Air and this exact same thing is happening to me with the charger. Tonight scared me because it would not start charging for a long time. Fortunately I still had battery power left.

Guess I need to go to the Apple Store 😟

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Answer 12

filcrds Author

Level 1

20 points

Mar 4, 2012 2:09 AM in response to joolsca50

joolsca50 wrote:

I also have a mid '11 Macbook Air and this exact same thing is happening to me with the charger. Tonight scared me because it would not start charging for a long time. Fortunately I still had battery power left.

Guess I need to go to the Apple Store 😟

I did not have the same problem again..don't know why, but here is what I think:

The mac doesn't charge because it doesn't recognise the charger or the other way around..

Last time this happened I just let the computer connected to the charger, and the charger plugged in the wall, and left it there overnight. The next morning it was fully charged, with the green light on the connector.

After this, there was only 2/3 times that when I plugged the charger it wouldn't do anything, so I just started working normaly on the mac and after a few minutes it started to charge. That first time it took 30 minutes to start. On another ocasion it only took 2 minutes. And after that was just a few seconds. Now it is behaving normaly. When I plug it, the connector turns green after 1/2 seconds.

So, if you have this problem, try just leaving it there..while you work on it, or while you sleep. It seems eventually it will start working. In my case it "solved" the problem, as it isn't happening anymore.. (I hope forever..)

It's not really a solution..but if it works for you too, great! Good luck!

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Answer 13

Mini-Mac

Level 3

818 points

Mar 4, 2012 5:16 AM in response to filcrds

My mother-in-law had the same problem. We moved to another electric outlet on a different curcit and it worked, we concluded the outlet not working was not properly grounded.

I had the NOT charging problem out of the box (ordered online) I took it to a local Apple store and ask for a replacement which they did. Now no problems.

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Answer 14

Mar 10, 2012 5:05 AM in response to Mini-Mac

Just went totally DEAD on me...left it overnight hoping it would charge but it didn't! ****...don't have enough power to make a backup 😟 Going to Apple Store today and I hope they can replace/fix it...

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Answer 15

Mar 13, 2012 6:58 AM in response to joolsca50

Just as a follow up...it was the charger, went to the Apple Store and they replaced it.

It took a while of erratic/slow charging before it went completely dead, so if this is happening to anyone, I suggest they get the charger replaced before it becomes a REAL problem.

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