Got new battery in my MacBook last year, was completely dead within a year. CGA?

Forums › Laptops and mobile computers › Got new battery in my MacBook last year, was completely dead within a year. CGA?

jarledb

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#179074 25-Aug-2015 15:24

Had a problem, which in retrospect I should have probably brought to the attention of Apple and have gotten fixed with them.

The battery of my 2010 MacBook Pro swelled up and stopped working. So took it into my local Mac-shop and they swapped the battery with what turns out to be a third-party battery. (So not an original Apple battery).

Less than a year after having it installed, the battery no longer works at all. (Does not charge and seems completely faulty).

Local Mac-shop says that the battery supplier only gives a 3 month warranty, and won't replace it. But has offered a discount. But I am not keen to pay extra for a battery that could well be dead within a year.

Anyone know if a completely dead battery for a computer would be covered under the CGA? I do understand that its hard to give warranties for batteries, but its a huge difference between a battery not having the same capacity after a year, and it being completely dead.

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#1373940 25-Aug-2015 15:29

i think this would depend on the number of cycles

Dairyxox

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#1373955 25-Aug-2015 15:47

Seems like a very 'grey' set of circumstances. You might have difficulty getting CGA cover.

It kind of depends what you paid for it, if you paid a premium price I'd expect a high quality battery. If it was cheap, then you kind of got what you paid for.

Frankly I'm not surprised a 3rd party battery ended up like this.
You should always try get OEM original replacements for parts in things like phones, tablets, laptops etc...unless you're happy with compromises somewhere down the line.

jarledb

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#1373956 25-Aug-2015 15:55

I wasn't aware that it was a third party battery until it failed. Was never given the option, and would - of course - have gone for original parts if I had been asked.

Probably going to end up using a authorised Apple repair centre now, and won't be using the local shop again. Not a very happy customer at the moment.

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#1373957 25-Aug-2015 16:01

I think they should have told you it wasn't an original battery. What sort of price did they charge you for it, compared to an original? Are they are an Apple authorised agent? You should check the warranty, as you my find that installing a third party one may void it, even if it is out of it's warranty period.

I believe under the CGA, even batteries should be expected to last a reasonable period of time. The fact that they say they only have a 3 month warranty doesn't mean that you don't have legal rights under the CGA, so you want to make sure they don't mislead you over your consumer rights. I would expect a battery to last a year, even a cheap clone, without totally failing. It may lose some capacity, but that is only a certain percentage, and batteries should last hundred of charges. My experience with clone batteries, is that they don't last as long and lose their capacity quicker. But you make the saving in the lower capital cost of buying it.

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#1373962 25-Aug-2015 16:17

IMO batteries are consumables, I think the only case you may have is if they mislead you about the battery type you were buying, not that it has failed. So perhaps they owe you the difference between a knockoff and the real deal?

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#1374060 25-Aug-2015 17:31

what did you pay for the battery?

what does an OEM battery cost?

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#1374064 25-Aug-2015 17:44

You can try but I fear battery is probably good up to max of 6 months.

This is the same with car battery etc.

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#1374068 25-Aug-2015 17:52

If it was me and I went to a "local mac shop" I would expect a Apple (OEM) battery, unless told it's a 3rd party battery and if I would accept that.
I would also have a go at them for using a knock off battery that could have damage my machine for not using an approved battery.

Now it all comes down to what the "local mac shop" really is, are they an apple dealer etc?

jarledb

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#1374283 25-Aug-2015 23:22

mrtoken: If it was me and I went to a "local mac shop" I would expect a Apple (OEM) battery, unless told it's a 3rd party battery and if I would accept that.
I would also have a go at them for using a knock off battery that could have damage my machine for not using an approved battery.

Now it all comes down to what the "local mac shop" really is, are they an apple dealer etc?

Yes, they market themselves as a "Apple authorised reseller", and I was expecting the battery to be an original part. There is nothing on the detailed receipt I got from them that alludes to the battery being from a third party manufacturer. (Or, for that matter, being an original part).

mattwnz

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#1374286 25-Aug-2015 23:28

jarledb:
mrtoken: If it was me and I went to a "local mac shop" I would expect a Apple (OEM) battery, unless told it's a 3rd party battery and if I would accept that.
I would also have a go at them for using a knock off battery that could have damage my machine for not using an approved battery.

Now it all comes down to what the "local mac shop" really is, are they an apple dealer etc?

Yes, they market themselves as a "Apple authorised reseller", and I was expecting the battery to be an original part. There is nothing on the detailed receipt I got from them that alludes to the battery being from a third party manufacturer. (Or, for that matter, being an original part).

Perhaps ask apple about it, although you would need to talk to the right person. If they are an authorised agent, then why would they not be using genuine apple parts?

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#1374321 26-Aug-2015 01:53

mattwnz:
jarledb:
mrtoken: If it was me and I went to a "local mac shop" I would expect a Apple (OEM) battery, unless told it's a 3rd party battery and if I would accept that.
I would also have a go at them for using a knock off battery that could have damage my machine for not using an approved battery.

Now it all comes down to what the "local mac shop" really is, are they an apple dealer etc?

Yes, they market themselves as a "Apple authorised reseller", and I was expecting the battery to be an original part. There is nothing on the detailed receipt I got from them that alludes to the battery being from a third party manufacturer. (Or, for that matter, being an original part).

Perhaps ask apple about it, although you would need to talk to the right person. If they are an authorised agent, then why would they not be using genuine apple parts?

Only authorised service providers have access to genuine apple spare parts, the resellers don't.
Unless the battery is a user replaceable one but it doesn't sound like it is.

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1101

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#1375080 27-Aug-2015 10:18

The CGA applies .
No way could 3 months be seen as expected/reasonable lifetime of a new battery.

If the batt is so cheap & nasty they only offer 3months, the shop should have told you that up front , before they sold it to you

Of course, if pushed , the shop might just argue the batt was fine, the fault was caused by the MAC's charging circuit having issues.

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#1375101 27-Aug-2015 10:50

Could also be that there is something wrong with your Mac logic board that has caused the battery to drain faster than expected. Very grey. Certainly though if you went to an Authorised Apple Service Centre they should have known to only use authorised parts for the repair.

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#1375843 28-Aug-2015 17:51

1101: The CGA applies .
No way could 3 months be seen as expected/reasonable lifetime of a new battery.

A battery is a consumable part and it is possible to kill a battery in 3 months with enough cycles.

I have to say though that a 3 month warranty is pretty crap but still a valid option for the manufacturer.
Many factory or refurbished parts now only come with 3 month warranties.

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#1375908 28-Aug-2015 20:20

Did the 3rd party battery come packed in the standard apple packaging and include their little limited warantly booklet?

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