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BatteryBoy · Feb 18, 2004, 12:05 AM

Hi everyone,

Last night, I shut my PowerBook G4/!Ghz (titanium) down with a nearly fully charged battery.

This morning, when I attempted to start it up, I found that the battery was completely depleted. The PowerBook will run off of AC power, but it refuses to charge the battery, always showing a "0%" charge in the menu bar.

I have tried "reset nvram; reset all" in Open Firmware, resetting the PMU, resetting the PRAM, and starting up in OS 9 and OS X. None of these has any effect.

Has this happened to anyone else? If so, any advice for solutions of possible causes?

And, since I called Apple and they told me the battery is a "consumable" part, does anyone have any ideas on getting this resolved? I understand that batteries will lose some of their life over time, but I don't think it totally dying overnight really qualifies as "wear and tear."

Thanks!

mrmister · Feb 18, 2004, 12:21 AM

Hmmm. That's ridiculous--I'd try calling back to AppleCare and using firm, patient and unaggressive pressure to get escalated to someone that will replace your battery.

euphras · Feb 18, 2004, 11:05 AM

I think battery live is covered under AC (my local dealer told me so). If your battery won�t charge you should get a new one in exchange.

BatteryBoy · Feb 18, 2004, 05:46 PM

Here's an update for anyone who is curious about the resolution of my issue.

By testing my battery in another PowerBook, and another battery in my PowerBook, I confirmed that the issue is with the battery itself and not other components.

I called Apple again today and was told by the representative I spoke with that the battery is not covered under AppleCare because it is an "accessory" subject to wear and tear. We went back and forth for a little while on the issue. I cited section 2(g) of the AppleCare agreement, which refers to the battery and wear and tear, and made the argument that "wear and tear" is the gradual decline of a lithium ion battery that's expected and is not the overnight failure of a battery.

In any event, he transferred me to a product specialist who agreed to send out a new battery to me.

So I'm overall very pleased. And I'd endorse purchasing AppleCare for future PowerBook buyers as well. I know some folks grumble about it, but my computer has been out of warranty not even two months, and my AppleCare has nearly paid for itself with the two incidents I've had.

BladeRunner80 · Feb 19, 2004, 12:36 AM

I had a problem exactly like this with my 12" PB anout a month ago. I had bought it in August and it seemed odd that a battery would die out this quickly. Luckily I was traveling back home the next day and I took it into the Apple Store. They replaced it free of charge no questions asked. Althoguh I wasn't able to watch any movies on the flight home, oh well : (

Tomster · Feb 19, 2004, 12:38 AM

Originally posted by euphras:
I think battery live is covered under AC (my local dealer told me so). If your battery won�t charge you should get a new one in exchange.

Use to be the case, but no longer. Decreasing battery life is no longer covered under Applecare. Guess too many people were abusing the system, i.e., waited until the book was 364 days old before complaining of declining battery life. Cases of complete failure are still covered, thank goodness.

Cellery · Feb 19, 2004, 01:38 AM

Same thing happened to me, but Apple was nice and gave me a 2 replacement batteries. I offered to send one back, but they said to keep them both. It made the $300 for AppleCare worth it in one incident alone.

BatteryBoy · Feb 19, 2004, 04:10 AM

Originally posted by Cellery:
Same thing happened to me, but Apple was nice and gave me a 2 replacement batteries. I offered to send one back, but they said to keep them both. It made the $300 for AppleCare worth it in one incident alone.

Wow. How'd you get 2 out of the deal?

dchiang · Apr 9, 2004, 10:50 PM

Originally posted by Tomster:
Use to be the case, but no longer. Decreasing battery life is no longer covered under Applecare. Guess too many people were abusing the system, i.e., waited until the book was 364 days old before complaining of declining battery life. Cases of complete failure are still covered, thank goodness.

Is this change in policy for new contracts or existing ones as well? Mine does not have an exclusion for batteries and I'm having difficulty convincing them that my battery is covered.