Service Battery Message - Apple Care?

I am not sure my battery is officially bad now.
I occasionally get the "Service Battery" warning message in the Power menu. In those cases iStat Pro shows 74% capacity. I have 373 charge cycles. Is there anything I can do to make this go away? I tried SMC reset and conditioning the battery, following Apple's instructions. I ran it down to 0, then let it rest for 5 hours, then charged again.
Once it's fully charged, iStat Pro shows 84% capacity. I don't know why capacity indicators would fluctuate that much, it seems weird.
I have two questions - one, is this battery bad? And, two, would it be replaced under warranty.
This is a MacBook Pro 17 unibody early 2009 with the non-replaceable battery. I have read here the battery is supposed to last 1000 charge cycles. I have also read that the battery is excluded from the 3 year AppleCare warranty. If I only have 1 year on the battery, then I would be well outside that already, machine is 1 1/2 years old.

It seems likely that the battery is not performing as well as it ought. However, The standard Apple claim is that you should reach 1000 charge cycles while still retaining at least 80% of original battery capacity. I interpret this as meaning that Apple are unlikely to entertain a claim unless the capacity is clearly below 80% with less than 1000 cycles completed.
The issue of warranty is in some ways complex. However there is a general principle which Apple seems to have encompassed that any significant shortfall in performance compared with their public claims is possibly compensable. I think this is partly to try to keep customers happy so that Apple's market share is not adversely affected by service issues.
Regarding calibration (which you have done): this is I understand a way of establishing the original capacity of the battery more accurately so that condition can be more reliably assessed later. There are various theories about how often this needs to be done. I think if you were concerned about your battery's condition I would be inclined to do a recalibration before approaching Apple. This will help you get a reliable measure of current condition.
iStat Pro & System Profiler probably use somewhat different algorithms for their calculations. This could easily explain the inconsistencies. When both agree to the extent that the battery is less than satisfactory a case for free replacement will be stronger.
Neville

Similar Messages

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    I have a 2010 Macbook Pro with Mavericks on it.
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    Doesn't make sense after that many cycles to need to replace the battery....

    Reset SMC.     http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964
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    Best.

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      PCB Lot Code:          0
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    ibrah97 wrote:
    1. I didn't cycle it too much! see I have 400 cycles and counting.
    2. I use my computer all day long and charge it until i get to around 30-40% of charge. I use it all morning on battery charge and at noon switch to plug it on charger. BTW I leave it all night charging it so that next day I have full charge on my macbook pro so i can use at school.
    3. I used to play GTA SAN ANDREAS on it but usually while charging due to the game sucking all my battery charge
    PS: The battery should last up to 1000 cycles according to my model.
    Wrong, the battery CAN last UP TO 1000 cycles. 
    Ive seen well treated battery get over 1300 cycles before the chemistry is ruined.
    I can, if so inclined, easily destroy a lithium battery within 300~400 'cycles'   (cycle count is not what ruins a battery within 1 to 3 years...., its short term abuse).
    I use it all morning on battery charge and at noon switch to plug it on charger.
    You didnt answer the ONLY important question............do you often drain the battery very low?
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    In the second example, where one fully charged battery is discharged down to 40%, then fully recharged, then using 40% of that full charge, this also counts as 1 cycle since the total of both discharges is 100% of a full charge of use.
    While both examples are that of a single charge cycle, the first example is more aggressive against the lithium battery chemistry than is the second example. In short, collective overall gentle shallow or mid-range draining of your lithium battery is a better use condition than is the first example of deep-draining of the battery.  While both are quantitatively identical as a single charging cycle, they are wholly different qualitatively on the battery chemistry, which is directly related to its ultimate longevity and health.
    In short, it is the near and mid-term life of the battery as relates to its proper care (or lack thereof) that is to be looked after.
    Priorities in order of decreasing importance for battery care are:
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    2. Avoiding having your battery constantly on charge or on charge and in sleep mode.
    3. When playing graphics intense games, use your notebook plugged in when possible.
    4. Reduction of battery cycles by plugging into power when on the go, or when accessible.
    A person who has, for example, 300 charge cycles on their battery and is recharging at say 40% remaining of a 100% charge has a better battery condition state than, say, another person who has 300 charge cycles on their battery and is recharging at say 10-15% remaining on a 100% charge. DoD (depth of discharge) is vitally important on the wear and tear on your Macbook’s battery, much more so than is the counting of charge cycles. There is no set “mile” or wear from a charge cycle in specific. Frequent high depth of discharge rates (draining the battery very low) on a Lithium battery will greatly hasten the lowering of maximum battery capacity.
    Understand that a charge cycle is a general parameter of use, but is not directly related to the short-term or mid-term abuse of the battery, which can rapidly hasten a shorter lifespan, regardless of what the actual cycle count on the battery indicates.
    Proper considerations for near-term care of the battery is of utmost importance. Abuse of the battery is entirely avoidable, long-term eventual old age deterioration of the battery is entirely unavoidable.
    Apple’s adaptive charging system mitigates much potential for accidental battery misuse or abuse; however it is still readily possible to abuse the battery and thereby affect battery health.

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  • My MBP 13" Mid 2010 indicate "Service Battery", What step should i take apart from visiting apple store?

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    But My Battery Cycle is only clocking 415. When fully charged. i can use it for some hours with power code removed BUT the moment i close the lid for it to sleep, it turns off instead. When i don't close while using battery, it sleep without and wake normally when i resume using the laptop. I can plan on buying a new battery but this model's has maximum battery cycle of up to 1000.
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      Display Sleep Uses Dim: Yes
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  • "Service Battery" after recalibration and SMC reset

    I purchased a unibody 13'' MacBook Pro 13 months ago (and didn't have the foresight to buy Apple Care, oof) and I've lately been running into some battery issues.
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    I recalibrated my battery last night and woke up to find the battery life had not improved. Following the Apple guide, I rest the the SMC and PRAM.
    After it rebooted, it now says "SERVICE BATTERY." The battery got up to 99% charge and stayed there for over an hour before it finally charged. But now, my capacity, after only 70 cycles, is 52%, 2859mAh.
    What would cause such a dramatic decrease in battery capacity for my laptop?
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    Charge remaining (mAh): 2859
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    Amperage (mA): 262
    Voltage (mV): 12587

    When you get the service battery message the battery needs to be replaced - it  is like the service engine warning lamp on a car or the robot waving its arms and yelling "Danger Will Robinson."
    If you have Apple's 3 year AppleCare you may be able to get the battery replaced under warranty - Apple says the battery should retain 80% of its charge after 1000 cycles and you didn't even get 1000 cycles out of it. Even if it isn't still under warranty you can at least ask for free replacement or a price break since it failed before reaching 1000 cycles. I know people who have been successful with such an appeal.

  • Service battery after 2 years of 659 cycles???

    Hi! My laptop is a 13 inch macbook Air 2011 model and it right now says I need to service battery (after 659 cycles). Why is that? and Should i change my battery? my original battery max was 6700 mAh and now its 4780 mAh.
    Battery Information:
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      Serial Number:          D8614170526DKRNAA
      Manufacturer:          SMP
      Device Name:          bq20z451
      Pack Lot Code:          0
      PCB Lot Code:          0
      Firmware Version:          406
      Hardware Revision:          000a
      Cell Revision:          162
      Charge Information:
      Charge Remaining (mAh):          313
      Fully Charged:          No
      Charging:          Yes
      Full Charge Capacity (mAh):          4780
      Health Information:
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      Condition:          Service Battery
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      Amperage (mA):          3287
      Voltage (mV):          7815
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      Disk Sleep Timer (Minutes):          10
      Display Sleep Timer (Minutes):          5
      Wake on AC Change:          No
      Wake on Clamshell Open:          Yes
      Wake on LAN:          Yes
      Current Power Source:          Yes
      Display Sleep Uses Dim:          Yes
      PrioritizeNetworkReachabilityOverSleep:          0
      RestartAfterKernelPanic:          15
      Standby Delay:          4200
      Standby Enabled:          1
      Battery Power:
      System Sleep Timer (Minutes):          60
      Disk Sleep Timer (Minutes):          10
      Display Sleep Timer (Minutes):          3
      Wake on AC Change:          No
      Wake on Clamshell Open:          Yes
      Display Sleep Uses Dim:          Yes
      Reduce Brightness:          Yes
      RestartAfterKernelPanic:          15
      Standby Delay:          4200
      Standby Enabled:          1
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      UPS Installed:          No
    AC Charger Information:
      Connected:          Yes
      ID:          0x0100
      Wattage (W):          45
      Revision:          0x0000
      Family:          0x00ba
      Serial Number:          0x00718639
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    When you get the service battery message the battery needs to be replaced - it  is like the service engine warning lamp on a car or the robot waving its arms and yelling "Danger Will Robinson."
    If you have Apple's 3 year AppleCare you may be able to get the battery replaced under warranty - Apple says the battery should retain 80% of its charge after 1000 cycles and you didn't even get 1000 cycles out of it. Even if it isn't still under warranty you can at least ask for free replacement or a price break since it failed before reaching 1000 cycles. I know people who have been successful with such an appeal.

  • Service Battery appeared again along with fast battery drain on Mavericks 10.9.4 with iTunes 11.3

    I upgraded to Mavericks on my MacBook Pro about a month ago and bluetooth connection problems with my Bose Mini Soundlink and UE Boom were resolved but everything else went haywire from the dreaded Service Battery message, email, to wifi issues. After a few days of hair pulling and looking for solutions, the problems just went away, and everything went fine again. Two days ago iTunes came out with an update and I installed it. I first noticed the battery lost capacity from 87% down to 74% with just 299 cycles on it. Now the Service Battery warning is back and the battery doesn't seem to last that long anymore. I've removed Google Chrome, done SMC reset, battery reset, and the whole kit and caboodle of tricks from forums but none worked. I tried removing iTunes but I can't. I have a lurking idea this is a software issue. Any tricks out there to get this back into shape?

    Hi there Sproox,
    You may find the information in the article below helpful.
    OS X Mavericks: Battery conditions
    http://support.apple.com/kb/PH14197
    Service Battery: The battery isn’t functioning normally, and you may or may not notice a change in its behavior or the amount of charge it holds. Take your computer in for service. You can continue to use your battery before it’s checked without harming your computer.
    -Griff W. 

  • Can Any one Tell me how to fix service battery macbook pro13.3 inch 2011 body style?

    i am getting Service battery Message . my macbook book is 13.3 2011 Body style. can anyone  tell me how to fix this ??

    If a SMC reset does not help, a new battery is in your near future:
    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3964
    Ciao.

  • Solution for Service Battery

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    Could be the aftermarket AC charger you bought damaged the battery. Or the simple fact might be your battery needs to be changed, it has reached its End Of Life.
    Why not have the battery changed by an Apple store.

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    varjak paw wrote:
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  • Apple Care and 1:1 - worth the price?

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    JesúsRentería wrote:
    I went to a reseller shop and i paid the cost of the new battery, how much do they are allowed to charge for the service?, is there a fee? If there is a fee why is not included on the cost of the battery ?
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