I'm having a repair done and they tell me the battery indicator is faulty. Does it do anything more than just show battery life via the lights on the side? Will the computer operate normally without it? Will the onscreen battery icon still work? Just wondering if I need to spend the extra $$. Thanks guys!
MacBook Pro
Hey Surface_Dweller,
Thanks for the question. After reviewing your post, it sounds like you want to know what exactly the battery indicator does. I would recommend that you read this article, it may be able to help you.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3205
The battery indicator lights are located along the left side of the computer. This allows for quick and easy verification of the battery's charge status while the computer remains solidly in-place.
Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.
Have a nice day,
Mario
So I got the MBP back with the faulty battery indicator. It turns out that if you leave the indicator plugged in when it isn't working, the computer will not recognize the battery. I had to actually unplug the indicator in order to use the battery. The indicator's plug is directly to the right of the battery and can just be unplugged and taped to prevent accidental shorting. Also, my other readings determined that the battery indicator also lets the computer know when you have closed the lid, so if it is not working you will need to manually put your Mac to sleep. Otherwise the computer seems to work normally without the indicator lights. Though I did also find that you can pick up a replacement for as cheap as $10 off ebay and the repair is quite simple. No need to pay $50 to a repair shop.
Hope this all helps someone else. I'm definitely glad to have my Mac up and working again.
Do I need the battery indicator?
