Old thread, still the same problem. (rolls eyes.. APPLE!)
Macbook Pro 2012 9.1 here, same issue.
I got my macbook in mid 2012, when it launched and this issue for me has lingered from day one.
The quick fix below doesn't work for my model, or any model above 9.1 (someone asked this question but no one ever answered)
This solve the problem for me.
1. Go to About this mac under the apple in the upper left and click on More info
2. Click on system report
3. make a note of what it says after Model Identifier
4. go to your master drive – System -Library – Extensions – IOPlatformPluginFamily.kext -Contents – Plugins – ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin.kext – Contents – Resources – find the name from step 3 and move it to a folder that you can find again if needed.
3. Restart and you’re done
I hope this helps.
So basically like many of you I have just dealt with it over the years.
But recently the issue has come back with a vengeance.. hence why I'm here, and like everyone else I found zero useful information.
So I wanted to add to the almost dead thread to kind of revive it and help a few people out.
First off, I believe this is a sensor malfunction ;( as I have another macbook pro (same year, same model) and its never had this issues, ever..
Second, I think it gets worse depending on what version of OS X your on. For example, last year durning the Yosemite beta's and even first public launch the issue was so bad I resorted to going back to Mavericks just because I needed my macbook to work lol, and now that El Capitan is out the issue is resurfacing all over again. It did get better overtime with Yosemite for me, but I found jumping on Betas would sometimes throw it off.
With all that said, it could be a buggy OS X causing the issue, a malfunctioning sensor OR both, which unfortunately for me at least makes the most sense.
There are a couple sensors that could be causing the issue, one is on the battery, another is the palm rest (if I'm wrong sorry, trackpad) and the other few are located on the logic board (chip set and onboard abeyant)
Im going to start with the battery as I'm due for a new one, then if the problem continues I think ill finally break down and take it into apple for servicing.
I hope my experience has sort of helped answer something for some of you.
I hate saying this but I do not think this is an indexing issue or thats it'll just go away because in my many years of mac ownership have never had to "leave my mac for a day" just so I can use it again. I believe that happened for those users, but the issue was still sensor related and it just worked itself out. Mine comes and goes too so we all can't deny that lol
Anyways
Most of this was just my opinion, if i do get an official answer from apple one day I will definitely find this thread again and share how i finally squashed the kernel_task bug! 🙂
Cheers