Top case replacement, when is it needed?

Hi,

Any battery can die in an instant. It sounds like yours did, but try resetting the SMC anyway: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295.

If no luck, you need to replace the battery if you want to run on battery power. The battery is glued to the top case, which is why most places replace the entire top case assembly, as the battery is very difficult to get un-glued:

MacBook Pro 13" Retina Display Early 2015 Battery Replacement - iFixit

You might find a place that will replace the battery only, which may be cheaper, but make sure it's an AASP, unless you trust your Mac to a non-Mac repair shop.

Usually when there are issues with or complaints of keyboard and or trackpad

problems, if the key-cap removal and careful cleaning cannot resolve problems

then the top case (on several models) may require replacement. This is due to

how the case is assembled, and the keyboard main components are inside.

The batteries are replaced via the bottom section, and may require specialized

screwdrivers or other tools. You may find some information on these processes

in an online site that has detailed information for several Apple products, free:

• Mac Laptop Repair - iFixit

//www.ifixit.com/Device/Mac_Laptop

And sometimes the trackpad has like problems, where the top case has those

parts inside. ~ You could look into an iFixit.com repair guide for Mac (portable)

online and see how they suggest one could address the top case, keys, pad.

And the battery, does not require a top-case removal or renewal to replace.

• MacBook Pro 13" Retina Display Early 2015 Repair Guide - iFixit

//www.ifixit.com/Device/MacBook_Pro_13"_Retina_Display_Early_2015

So these items usually are not related, except the top case is costly; the battery

may be something you could locate from reputable source & replace yourself.

They show a kit with glue remover plus battery, instructions and more glue here:

MacBook Pro 13" Retina Display Early 2015 Battery Replacement - iFixit

Or if the battery is custom fitted into the MacBook, you may have to let the

qualified personal at some Authorized Apple Service Provider replace the cells.

Good luck & happy trails! 🙂

Be wary of those who would seek to replace the entire top-case when nothing but

the battery may be the actual problem, due to the fact much is attached to top case.

There would be more expense if they chose to replace the entire top case; look into

the linked pages at iFixit in my post, to see how many steps are required to remove

the battery. These are only labor. Skilled experienced labor, or cautious super tedious

careful thoughtful effort are required. ~ Experience is what you pay for, so if you try to

do a quick job - note- the level of difficulty runs from a shorter period of time to one

that seems to be much longer, for this same task.

The glue remover tool (as iFixit shows) that uses heat, and these plastic other bits to

carefully pry apart the battery cells from inside the case. Or use of solvent glue removal

methods, these take time.

However if someone wants to sell you a new top case plus do these other steps to

remove the logic board and other components from the old top case; this is a rip-off.

Thought to say. I'd do this task myself; looks to be less difficult if you have correct tools

and plan on taking a day or so without any hurry. ~ Or find some technical expert in Macs

with skill and experience -- who would be able to remove the battery in about 30 minutes.

If you have a second computer available that can go online to visit the instructions pages

you may also see a video or to (youtube) in addition to the iFixit.com pages linked already.

Then you'd not be trying to remember the steps; or to save/print them out ahead of time.

Part of this issue is troubleshooting for any additional cause of the symptom; if any. Then

to see about getting a correct quality battery and the repair tool kit, such as iFixit shows.

In any event...

Good luck & happy trails! 🙂

I must add that I am not surprised in the least about the remediation suggested. Many moons ago when these computers were far more serviceable due to removable parts, I acquired a new MBP whose Caps Lock key popped off all of a sudden, its mechanism broken. Apple insisted a whole top case was needed to fix a piddly little broken keycap. Plus it was "cosmetic damage", uncovered by either warranty or AppleCare and would cost over $800 to do. (Got fixed by buying a spare keycap for $5 and popping it back in)

So unsurprisingly, for these new glue-everything-inside models, the top case replacement becomes the standard fix-it-all. And once the diagnosis and cure has been given (and recorded on the service history of the computer), I fear it will be exceedingly difficult to get them to budge. I take it the repairs won't be for free?