MacBook Pro randomly dies while charging overnight

[53kyle]

I’ve got a pretty strange issue with my 2016 15” MacBook Pro w/Touch Bar. I’ve started to notice sometimes that when I open up my laptop after it’s been on the charger for a while, sometimes overnight, sometimes a couple of days, it acts like the battery has completely depleted. It has the black and white blurred screen with a progress bar at the bottom as if it’s waking up from “hibernation” and I see that my battery is at 0% and “not charging.” However after a couple of minutes the battery percentage jumps all the way up to 100%. Then one of these times, after it read at 100% I unplugged it and it just shut off.

Today I used the computer for a couple of hours and Touch ID stopped working (I realized safari was auto filling passwords without my fingerprint and the Touch ID preferences wouldn’t load) so I decided a reboot was necessary. About a minute after reaching the desktop, the computer just died, and it had 40% left on the battery.

I’ve done an SMC reset and a PRAM reset so I’m guessing the battery must just be on it’s way out. I can live with that and just have it plugged in constantly, but the dying while plugged in is not something I can deal with. Has anyone experienced their battery seemingly dying while plugged in? Could my charger or thunderbolt port (I almost always use the same port) be on their way out as well/rather than the battery?

One more thing, can modern Mac laptops run purely from the charger, or do they draw too much power? I remember when I could remove my battery I could run on the charger, but obviously that’s not something I can test these days.

 

[chscag]

One more thing, can modern Mac laptops run purely from the charger, or do they draw too much power? I remember when I could remove my battery I could run on the charger, but obviously that’s not something I can test these days.

I believe a later model MacBook Pro (yours) needs to have a working battery at all times. Older models (my older 2008) could run with just the magsafe charger connected (albeit slower) without a battery installed. Sounds like you do need a new battery.

 

[53kyle]

I believe a later model MacBook Pro (yours) needs to have a working battery at all times. Older models (my older 2008) could run with just the magsafe charger connected (albeit slower) without a battery installed. Sounds like you do need a new battery.

Ah so my suspicions are probably correct. I had a little hope that there would be a magical fix since I imagine battery replacements are pretty expensive. I do have the keyboard recall issue so maybe when I bring it in for that I’ll get a new battery too.

 

[jerryk]

I you have a keyboard issue they will likely do a top case replacement because the component are glued and riveted together.

The top case consists of the Al plate where your hands rest, trackpad, keyboard, and battery modules.

And I would get your machine to Apple ASAP. When batteries fail they swell and can outgas flammable gases and short out.

 

[Fishrrman]

If you suspect the battery, it's probably worth paying $200 to have it replaced at a brick-n-mortar Apple Store.
Not only do you get a new battery, but you get it installed with a warranty as well.

Just MAKE SURE you have an understanding as to what it's going to cost BEFORE you place it into their hands for repair...