Apple To Replace Some Macbook Pro Batteries

Tom Jowitt,

Some Macbook Pro batteries expand due to component failure, but Apple insists it isn’t a safety issue

Apple is offering free replacement battery for certain non-touch MacBook Pros affected by a battery problem.

The problem batteries are found in some 13-inch MacBook Pro laptops manufactured between October 2016 and October 2017.

This is not the first time that Macbook batteries have been in the news. Nearly a year ago MacBook Pro laptops came under intense scrutiny after tech testing site Consumer Report failed to recommend the laptops because of a highly variable battery life.

Battery replacement

The new issue however is down to a component failure that can result in the battery in some non-touch MacBook Pros expanding.

Owners of the laptops in question are advised to visit Apple’s Battery Replacement Program page and enter the serial number of their Macbook Pro in the box provided.

“Apple has determined that, in a limited number of 13-inch MacBook Pro (non Touch Bar) units, a component may fail causing the built-in battery to expand,” Apple stated. “This is not a safety issue and Apple will replace eligible batteries, free of charge. Affected units were manufactured between October 2016 and October 2017 and eligibility is determined by the product serial number.”

The Macbook serial number can be found in a number of places.

This includes in the ‘About This Mac’ option on the Apple menu, on the underside of the laptop near the regulatory markings, or on the original product packaging or receipt.

If Apple confirms that the battery needs to be replaced, it will be done, free of charge, at an Apple Authorized Service Provider, an Apple retail store.

Owners can also mail their MacBook Pro machines to the Apple Repair Centre.

Common issue

Battery issues within laptops are of course not an uncommon problem, and many manufacturers have issued recalls over the years.

Sometimes battery problems can be more serious, espicially if they present a fire risk.

In 2010 for example, one homeowner blamed her company’s laptop for causing a fire at her thatched cottage that resulted in more than £350,000 of damages.

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