Problem
When something goes wrong with your Apple Mac it will stem from either a hardware (component) problem or a software (program) related problem.
If you are experiencing hardware problems with your Apple Mac then you will need to seek an Apple authorised repair centre and provided your device is still within its warranty period it will be repaired free of charge.
Your Apple Mac battery is considered a hardware component and as such will be covered, to an extent, under your Apple warranty. However, this depends on the age and model of your machine and the amount of charge cycles that it has consumed.
Apple state the following:
“Batteries have a limited amount of charge cycles before they are considered to be consumed. Once consumed, a replacement battery is recommended. You can use your battery after it reaches its maximum cycle count, but you may notice a reduction in your battery life. For optimal performance, replace your battery when you reach the maximum cycle count.” (support.apple.com/kb/HT1519)
In short, an Apple Mac battery is covered so long as it has not exceeded the charge cycle allowance for that model.
The following link shows the cycle count limits for Apple computers before the battery is considered consumed:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1519
Solution
To check whether or not your battery is within the charge cycle allowance and therefore eligible for warranty replacement then first consult the table above to determine the allowance for your model.
- To determine the model of your Apple Mac device click on the Apple logo in the top left corner of your Mac and click on “About this Mac”
- Now click on the “More info…” button at the bottom of the window
- This will display useful information including the Model and version of Mac product that you own.
In the image below you can see that it is a 13″ Macbook Pro (Mid 2009).
4. Finally to check the charge cycle count for your machine, click on the “System Report” button at the bottom of the window shown directly above.
5. You will find the charge cycle count in the “Hardware” section under the power heading.
As you can see this machine has consumed 929 charge cycles and is therefore nearing the 1000 charge cycle allowance for this model.