grantcox

Q: Strange Battery Issue (no help found online)

Hi Folks,

 

I'm working on a macbook pro 15" from 2014 here at the shop. The owner that brought it in said that they put a new battery in it last year, and since then it won't power on once every ~3 months. The fix is to remove the bottom, unplug the battery, power on, and reseat the battery. This is the action I performed, and it fixed it, but what could cause this issue? I want to perform a permanent fix, not a band-aid that will break again in 3 months. Thanks for any help!

 

All best.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Jul 18, 2016 1:33 PM

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Q: Strange Battery Issue (no help found online)

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  • by Esquared,

    Esquared Esquared Jul 18, 2016 1:41 PM in response to grantcox
    Level 6 (8,410 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 18, 2016 1:41 PM in response to grantcox

    A new battery was needed after only a year? That is mighty strange...

  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Jul 18, 2016 1:57 PM in response to grantcox
    Level 6 (14,279 points)
    Desktops
    Jul 18, 2016 1:57 PM in response to grantcox

    Usually for models without a removable battery, a procedure differs

    on how to reset the System Management Controller; which is power

    management reset of a sort.

     

    With a removable battery a different process is prescribed. There may

    be another hardware issue, if this happened after they replaced battery

    (+ if battery a known-good brand) a deeper diagnostic may be needed.

     

    If the battery is nonremovable 

    1. Shut down the Mac.
    2. Plug in the MagSafe or USB-C power adapter to a power source and to your Mac.
    3. Using the built-in keyboard, press Shift-Control-Option on the left side of the keyboard, then press the power button at the same time.
    4. Release all keys, then press the power button again to turn on your Mac

     

    If the battery is removable

    1. Shut down the Mac.
    2. Disconnect the MagSafe power adapter from the Mac.
    3. Remove the battery. (Learn about removing the battery in MacBook and MacBook Pro computers.)
    4. Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds.
    5. Reconnect the battery and MagSafe power adapter.
    6. Press the power button to turn on the Mac.

     

    • Reset the System Management Controller (SMC) on your Mac - Apple Support

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295

     

    • About Mac notebook batteries - Apple Support

    • Apple Portables: Troubleshooting MagSafe adapters - Apple Support

     

    Some aspects of use are within the daily bounds of the main user; preventative

    maintenance and pro-active care (do not run battery flat, etc) are on them to do.

     

    Good luck..!

  • by grantcox,

    grantcox grantcox Jul 19, 2016 7:11 AM in response to K Shaffer
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Jul 19, 2016 7:11 AM in response to K Shaffer

    Shaffer,

     

    I've done those procedures for a device with a removable battery. The machine is turning on fine now! The owner had taken it to the genius bar and they replaced the battery a year ago, like I said earlier. I just want to know what a possible cause for this problem could be, or if we should just push it off as a logic board issue. The battery connector pins look fine and aren't worn down. Perhaps a bad capacitor or resistor somewhere is making it need a HARD reset? Thanks.

  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Jul 20, 2016 11:33 AM in response to grantcox
    Level 6 (14,279 points)
    Desktops
    Jul 20, 2016 11:33 AM in response to grantcox

    Another angle would be to see if an Apple Store (with Genius) may be able to test

    for a hardware related cause of this problem. Where available, a reservation is best.

    Or an Apple Authorized Service Provider (independent business) should be capable.

     

     

    Otherwise the problem may persist. If a replacement logic board is an offered cure

    you could likely locate a repaired complete computer - or one in good shape for a

    similar price mark. You could ship the computer to a repair service center for a fix

    such as the wegenermedia.com in eastern US. They will check entire device; and

    do repair all items in-shop. That means the same parts likely would be retained.

    (So the serial numbers would not change; usually.) Contact them if you like.

     

    Other sources of parts can be those such as ifixit.com, and powerbookmedic.com.

     

    Good luck in this matter!