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Battery is swelling
- Thread starter zoran
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Take it to your nearest Apple Store. If the battery keeps expanding you also run the risk of it breaking internal components.
I had one do that years ago. If I remember correctly the guy at the Apple Store said the replacement battery was covered because it was defective so they just charged me labor. Definitely take it in asap. Avoid using it but if you must don’t charge it without being in the room.
You can also perform the battery replacement yourself. Get a quality replacement battery from places like fixit or OWC. I have done the battery replacements on my MBA 13 2013 and MBP 13" 2015 and MBP 15" 2015 with very little effort. Apple I believe charges about $200 - perhaps more or less depending on a model and you will be without your machines for several days.
It's happening a lot now... Inflation has been high. 
Seriously though? I've had this problem at least a dozen times now with various corporate laptops (HP, Dell, Apple, etc.) as well as once with one of my own. Lithium-Ion batteries swell up like this when they have an internal failure. Best to take it in ASAP for servicing. I've seen batteries swell up so much, they cracked the glass trackpad on the laptop!
It's also true they can catch fire and explode, though explosions are still pretty rare with them. Biggest thing is to stop charging it and let it discharge completely to render it as safe as possible. That and don't poke or rupture it!
Seriously though? I've had this problem at least a dozen times now with various corporate laptops (HP, Dell, Apple, etc.) as well as once with one of my own. Lithium-Ion batteries swell up like this when they have an internal failure. Best to take it in ASAP for servicing. I've seen batteries swell up so much, they cracked the glass trackpad on the laptop!
It's also true they can catch fire and explode, though explosions are still pretty rare with them. Biggest thing is to stop charging it and let it discharge completely to render it as safe as possible. That and don't poke or rupture it!
I have it with my 15" MBP early 2011. Been swollen for maybe 2 years or so.
Not used in a very long time, but doesn't seem to get worse (trackpad is damaged and not working). Still a bit of a worry though. I doubt Apple Store would do anything because of the age.
Only reason I still have it, because it contains quite some data I want to transfer once I have a new one (not really needing one since I have an iPad or can use PC at work). Was thinking about getting an Air, to get at least rid of this risky thing in my flat.
Not used in a very long time, but doesn't seem to get worse (trackpad is damaged and not working). Still a bit of a worry though. I doubt Apple Store would do anything because of the age.
Only reason I still have it, because it contains quite some data I want to transfer once I have a new one (not really needing one since I have an iPad or can use PC at work). Was thinking about getting an Air, to get at least rid of this risky thing in my flat.
Apple might not service one that old any longer, but you can absolutely repair it with a fresh battery pack.
Techowl A1382 A1286 Battery (2011, 2012) Replacement Battery for MacBook Pro 15 inch(Early/Late 2011, Mid 2012 Version) Fit for MacBookPro8,2 9,1 A1286 Battery [10.95V/77.5Wh]
Techowl A1382 A1286 Battery (2011, 2012) Replacement Battery for MacBook Pro 15 inch(Early/Late 2011, Mid 2012 Version) Fit for MacBookPro8,2 9,1 A1286 Battery [10.95V/77.5Wh]
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If the battery is swollen, don't use the Mac or leave it plugged in. Turn it off and replace the battery as soon as you can. I don't think Apple will fix 2011 machines any more, but you can get a replacement battery and tool kit on iFixit. I just replaced my swollen battery on my late 2013 MacBook Pro and it's like a new machine!
Seeing it closer, it’s not the base that’s hot the problem… the keyboard seems like it has a bump from the swell. ☹️☹️☹️
Thank you all for the comments… I think I’ll just go kill my self now… what a disaster!!!
Batteries swell to reduce risk of fire. I could send a host of photos to this thread to show Macs that have completely disassembled themselves from swelling. It's not going to explode, but it's best to take it in. If it's a newish machine (newer than 5 years), Apple will charge you the cost of a battery and replace any components that were damaged from the swelling. At least that's how we did it when I worked there.
When you start getting warping like that, it's time to get a battery replacement otherwise it'll continue to swell and potentially tear on the components. As it is right now it is a fire risk and I strongly recommend you get it into an Apple Store or repair shop ASAP
I recommend that if you are waiting to get that battery replaced, that you remove the bottom cover, so you don't damage the top case more than it is now. Leave the bottom cover OFF until you decide what to do about replacing the battery. DON'T charge the battery while it is in this condition.
With a real event going on (swelling does not improve with time, it gets worse), you may be in a time-limited window, and you should choose to ignore your data-privacy concerns. Time to replace is now. Don't ship it somewhere, as it is now considered hazardous material (in my opinion) Take it to a local shop, or do the replacement yourself.
With a real event going on (swelling does not improve with time, it gets worse), you may be in a time-limited window, and you should choose to ignore your data-privacy concerns. Time to replace is now. Don't ship it somewhere, as it is now considered hazardous material (in my opinion) Take it to a local shop, or do the replacement yourself.
I would disagree with this wholeheartedly. By removing the bottom cover you're exposing very fragile li-on cells to anything on the desk. Honestly, if it expands to that point, it'll push the screws out before it blows up. Removing the bottom-case creates more danger than leaving it on.
I had a favorite old 17” mbp do that. I notice the trackpad wasn’t clicking right one day, and then the next day it wasn’t clicking at all. The day after that the whole thing bulged out & needed replacement. The tech was just glad I brought it in before it burst into flames. Don’t wait, peoples houses burn down all the time from old batteries. Someone above likes unnecessary risk, and is playing a wait and see game, but there’s only one thing to see, and that’s your house on fire. Not sure how you justify that, unless you just really hate your house.
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The "pregnant battery syndrome." As many above said, get it replaced ASAP. It happens occasionally to lots of different laptops, phones, iPods, tables - of all sorts of brands. I had a MacBook Pro of similar vintage have the same problem as you had, and it had swollen up to the point that the track pad was not working correctly. I was in an out of the Apple store in about half an hour.
I've also had it happen to an iPhone 5s, and an iPod of one sort or another. The iPod battery eventually expanded to triple the thickness of the original iPod itself - we were on vacation and that's how I found it when I got back.
Friends and associates have occasionally had analogous problems all sorts of brands of similar gear.
I've also had it happen to an iPhone 5s, and an iPod of one sort or another. The iPod battery eventually expanded to triple the thickness of the original iPod itself - we were on vacation and that's how I found it when I got back.
Friends and associates have occasionally had analogous problems all sorts of brands of similar gear.
Any odd bumps on the top case, such as within the keyboard, might return to normal after replacing the battery. Get that done ASAP. After that is done, then worry about those areas that might remain deformed. Expect it to be permanently damaged, so you can be surprised if everything goes back together without leaving visible damage, which is sometimes the result.
This happened to my 2010 MacBook Air after using it for about seven years. I once spilled water over it, damaging the keyboard and the USB ports, but the swelling only started two years after that. At that point I simply threw it away and got a new one, didn’t bother repairing it.
Something similar happened to my 2015 MBP Retina so I took it into the Apple store. In addition to the effects of the swollen battery that I knew about (bottom case swelling), they also noted the battery was pushing the touchpad and keyboard up a bit. I knew a battery & replacement kit was about $100. Apple quoted me $200. I got it back less than a day later, with a new battery, top case and keyboard. Worth every penny and more.