Battery Lock (coin operated) broke off!

so...my new Macbook (bought in November, Santa Rosa equipped) has a bit of a problem. the coin operated battery lock bit broke off. Apparently it's only held to the computer itself by two small plastic prongs...possibly some minor adhesive.


I'm a little upset that Apple...who I thought had pretty solid build on their products would use something so pathetic on a movable item.


anyone else had this problem? I'm vacationing in Japan while it happened and the Apple store here tried telling me it'd cost $400 to fix since they apparently need to replace the whole bottom half of my Macbook. Hopefully it won't be the case in CA.

if anyone's had this happen, please share with me your experiences...like cost of repair...or the reasoning you used to get a free fix...etc etc.

this might put me over the edge to buy a better built Macbook Pro.

What where you doing when it broke off?

To be honest I can't believe any company would charge you for replacing a part within it's 1 year manufacturers cover especially as yours is still so new unless you were doing something it obviously wasn't designed for...

I was simply taking off the battery since I was going to have it plugged into the room where I'll be staying on vacation for two weeks. Read that disconnecting the battery helps preserve its capacity if it's going to be plugged in for a long time.

socalkid86 said:

I was simply taking off the battery since I was going to have it plugged into the room where I'll be staying on vacation for two weeks. Read that disconnecting the battery helps preserve its capacity if it's going to be plugged in for a long time.

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I've heard similar advice regarding the battery.

I would honestly expect Apple to cover this one - I don't see how they could even question it.

Let us know how you get on.

Bottom cases aren't covered by warranty. You must've used excessive force to unhinge the battery. Or someone else did it without you knowing. Regardless, you might be able to get some sympathy from someone from Apple, but they don't cover bottom cases.

rogair said:

Bottom cases aren't covered by warranty. You must've used excessive force to unhinge the battery. Or someone else did it without you knowing. Regardless, you might be able to get some sympathy from someone from Apple, but they don't cover bottom cases.

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What - that's shocking.

I can understand scratches and general wear and tear not being covered but a movable part falling off - I think that it sounds like it somehow made it through QA when perhaps it shouldn't have. I'd like to believe Apple will be ok about sorting this out at no cost on such a new product.

rogair said:

Bottom cases aren't covered by warranty. You must've used excessive force to unhinge the battery. Or someone else did it without you knowing. Regardless, you might be able to get some sympathy from someone from Apple, but they don't cover bottom cases.

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Where does it say that at?

its simply a screw that popped off, and adjusting the lock itself. I've never taken the bottom's cover off but I can't imagine it being too complicated or intricate, as there's really no mechanical parts on the macbook besides the hinges for the monitor and the battery lock itself.

i'd be pretty shocked as well if they tried to take me for $400 like the Apple Store here in Japan did. If they did, I guess I'd had to try to haggle with them to take this Macbook back and let me pay the difference for a Macbook Pro...which seems to me to have a superior build compared this my current plastic fantastic Macbook

I would just wait until you got back home and take it to an Apple Store there or call AppleCare up.

that's what I was figuring. I figure bringing the computer in person would be better than calling up AppleCare since they can't really see the computer itself. Unless you guys have an awesome line for me to use to have a guaranteed free repair

do you try to force it the wrong way, and snap it off?

maybe someone else did?

seems pretty ridiculous to force it off...especially in the wrong direction. i can't imagine anyone tinkering with my computer though. it's usually with me at all times since I'm a student.

Seriously, you should take it back to an Apple Store as soon as you get a chance and let them be the judge if there was abuse or if it was a defective component that snapped on your Apple notebook. No matter what we say here, they have the last word over there.

Good luck!

yea good luck. it still sounds to me it was turned forcefully in the wrong direction.

any way to get some pics of it? id like to see the assembly

there you go.

you can see the snapped bit

looks corroded to me....

when it popped off, there was adhesive holding the screw in. you can see where the plastic bit popped off though.

adhesive+plastic. i dont know man. seems cheaply made to me.

my sony's prior to this Macbook never had any physical/mechanical issues like this (or any other issues really. XP ran smoothly on them)

socalkid86 said:

there you go.

you can see the snapped bit

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I didn't realise it was just a thin bit of plastic covering some metal. I honestly think Apple will sort that out at no cost to you. However I guess as MHC said:

MacHeadCase said:

Seriously, you should take it back to an Apple Store as soon as you get a chance and let them be the judge if there was abuse or if it was a defective component that snapped on your Apple notebook. No matter what we say here, they have the last word over there.

Good luck!

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You're never really going to know until you can get to an Apple Store in US - when you due back?

I'm due back on the 4th. I only have a few hours to go to an Apple Store before I leave town again that same day.

do you guys know how the reservation deal works with the Genius bar? it seems like its 2 days ahead only and some days you cant even get a reservation.

socalkid86 said:

I'm due back on the 4th. I only have a few hours to go to an Apple Store before I leave town again that same day.

do you guys know how the reservation deal works with the Genius bar? it seems like its 2 days ahead only and some days you cant even get a reservation.

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depends on where and when you go.


if you bought a new SR laptop, you should still have phone support maybe?

i dont see what your going to do in that few hours anyways, even if you do get an appointment. can you leave the book with them?

they wont just give you a new one for that. and it wont be fixed for days probably...should have to order the base .