Apple Store Repair and Service is Really Disappointing

iOS and macOS
1

This is a bit of a rant

I spent a large part of today driving to and from the Apple Store to get my company’s older 2015 15 inch MBP looked at. Random shutdowns on battery have been happening for a number of years but it hasn’t been a priority since it has been plugged in most of the time. We recently brought someone new on and wanted to give them this Mac to use but they need something reliable while being away from power.

I was pretty sure the battery was the issue but I did not want to get it replaced only for it to be something more serious like the logic board. We’re a small company and need to be smart about our expenses. The battery cycles are between 280 and 300 for a 7 year old computer. I spent 30 minutes on Apple Chat last week and they recommended going in-store to get it looked at where they can do more in-depth diagnostics. It’s a 40-minute drive each way but if it helps figure out the issue then it’s worth it.

First off, everyone at the Conestoga (Canada) Apple Store was very nice. My complaints are not about their direct service but the corporate policies they have to follow.

They ran a diagnostic on the laptop and it came back with 80% battery health. They ran the diagnostic while plugged in. I had it unplugged a couple of times at the Apple Store and it would shut down as it usually does when the battery is below 60%. In the rare cases where it does not shut down, the battery drops really fast.

I am more than willing to pay for the battery to be replaced. But to replace the battery on the 2015 models they need to replace the top case including the keyboard and trackpad. Since the battery health is at 80% (and not 79% or lower) they can’t replace the battery without charging me for a top case replacement. The battery fee as quoted on their website is $250 (all prices in Canadian dollars) but with the mandatory top case replacement it jumps to around $700. Not worth it for a 7 to 8 year old computer.

What frustrates me is the Apple Tech in the store had no choice in the matter. It was clear the battery was failing and causing restarts. Yet their own system would not let them order the battery replacement without adding the top case charge because it was just 1% above the required number for a battery replacement. Their best solution was to use the laptop on battery as much as possible until it hits 79% and then come back to get it fixed. Driving 40 minutes each way again in hopes they will replace the battery feels like a bit of a waste of time.

Over the last couple of years, I have had other repair needs (Apple Watch battery, AirPods connection issues) and the experience has always been the same. The staff at the store can see the issue but have no power to get it fixed.

This laptop in particular was purchased at the Apple Store for over $2500 CAD, plus Apple Care. We never used Apple Care before it expired and now we’re being denied a battery replacement (without paying the extra fee) because the health is 1% off the replacement level according to their diagnostics. Yet the real-world performance is clearly failing at a basic level.

I am a bit late to the Apple devices game but I thought Apple had the best service, and while they charge a lot for their tech, I thought the support was top notch. That has not been my experience in any interaction I have had with them in the last 3 to 5 years. I don’t know if this is a Canada issue or all Apple Stores but I am just so disappointed in the entire process. I don’t have a lot of free time and wasting it on something like this is really frustrating.

2

I agree. I’ve seen posts here about great Apple Store experiences where people are surprised with a free updated replacement MacBook and I wonder why can’t that be my store. All my experiences at four different local stores have been just okay but nothing special and even some have been bad over the 15 years I’ve owned Apple products. I’m glad your tech suggested how to game the system a bit to save you some money.

3

You should go to a third-party store and get the battery replaced. When the computer is this old and out of warranty, there’s no real reason to take it to Apple directly. It’s like taking a 15-year-old car to a dealership instead of an independent mechanic.

Also, I was denied the ability to pay for a battery service on an iPad because it was above 80% health. I see a pattern where they do this for devices where it isn’t a simple battery replacement. An iPad battery service is basically giving you a new iPad because the batteries can’t be taken out like they can with iPhones. On MacBook Pros, the battery is glued to the top case and not a separate part like on MacBook Airs. I assume this is to stop people from getting cheap repairs through unnecessary battery replacements.

Honestly, in my experience in Australia, I’ve had issues with my phone fixed even when it was out of the one-year warranty. A friend of mine had a 5-year-old iPhone 8 that started boot looping late last year. She made an appointment for a battery replacement but the issue wasn’t fixed, it was a logic board failure, so they gave her a new iPhone 8 replacement unit even though it was so old.

4

Sorry to hear this is happening to you. I worked at an Apple Store and I agree their policies can be really frustrating. That’s a whole other story.

Before I give my advice, I should mention I left in 2021, and their policies might have changed since then. Here are the two options I see:

  1. A store manager could get involved and the store might waive the charge for the top case replacement. They call this pennying out the transaction. Managers usually don’t like to do this, and I had to argue with them to make it happen at my store because their performance is evaluated based on how many exceptions they make and the costs involved. If it’s similar to my store, the manager will try a lot of things before giving in but it’s one option.
  2. Call AppleCare at 1-800-275-2273. Explain what happened and hopefully, your technician left some solid notes. You’ll likely need to talk to someone higher up but they might issue an exception to cover the repair cost after hearing your situation.

I’d recommend starting with AppleCare and see what they say.

I know I don’t work there anymore but I feel like I should apologize that the technician didn’t try to get their manager or AppleCare to help you. From my experience, we know the blocks and challenges we need to work through, and in this case, it sounds like an exception was definitely needed. The technician should’ve tried to navigate the corporate rules for you when they could or at least explain why you need to contact AppleCare.

5

Farrell said:
Sorry to hear this is happening to you. I worked at an Apple Store and I agree their policies can be really frustrating. That’s a whole other story.

Before I give my advice, I should mention I left in 2021, and their policies might have changed since then. Here are the two options I see:

  1. A store manager could get involved and the store might waive the charge for the top case replacement. They call this pennying out the transaction. Managers usually don’t like to do this, and I had to argue with them to make it happen at my store because their performance is evaluated based on how many exceptions they make and the costs involved. If it’s similar to my store, the manager will try a lot of things before giving in but it’s one option.
  2. Call AppleCare at 1-800-275-2273. Explain what happened and hopefully, your technician left some solid notes. You’ll likely need to talk to someone higher up but they might issue an exception to cover the repair cost after hearing your situation.

I’d recommend starting with AppleCare and see what they say.

I know I don’t work there anymore but I feel like I should apologize that the technician didn’t try to get their manager or AppleCare to help you. From my experience, we know the blocks and challenges we need to work through, and in this case, it sounds like an exception was definitely needed. The technician should’ve tried to navigate the corporate rules for you when they could or at least explain why you need to contact AppleCare.

Thank you for the detailed reply! I figured I could have asked to see the manager but I thought they might resist and I wanted to get home to make dinner for my wife and son.
I’ll try Apple Care today and see if we can get the fee waived.

6

Laken said:

Farrell said:
Sorry to hear this is happening to you. I worked at an Apple Store and I agree their policies can be really frustrating. That’s a whole other story.

Before I give my advice, I should mention I left in 2021, and their policies might have changed since then. Here are the two options I see:

  1. A store manager could get involved and the store might waive the charge for the top case replacement. They call this pennying out the transaction. Managers usually don’t like to do this, and I had to argue with them to make it happen at my store because their performance is evaluated based on how many exceptions they make and the costs involved. If it’s similar to my store, the manager will try a lot of things before giving in but it’s one option.
  2. Call AppleCare at 1-800-275-2273. Explain what happened and hopefully, your technician left some solid notes. You’ll likely need to talk to someone higher up but they might issue an exception to cover the repair cost after hearing your situation.

I’d recommend starting with AppleCare and see what they say.

I know I don’t work there anymore but I feel like I should apologize that the technician didn’t try to get their manager or AppleCare to help you. From my experience, we know the blocks and challenges we need to work through, and in this case, it sounds like an exception was definitely needed. The technician should’ve tried to navigate the corporate rules for you when they could or at least explain why you need to contact AppleCare.

Thank you for the detailed reply! I figured I could have asked to see the manager but I thought they might resist and I wanted to get home to make dinner for my wife and son.
I’ll try Apple Care today and see if we can get the fee waived.

You’re welcome Best of luck

I understand your situation. From my experience, if a manager needed to be involved while I helped a customer, I’d do it right away. I don’t think it would hurt to ask in your situation, but when we were dealing with a difficult customer, it usually didn’t go the way they expected.

  1. In either situation, we would pick which manager to ask for help. Sometimes with difficult customers, we’d bring in a lead, someone in a leadership role without actual managerial power. I didn’t do this, but I saw other technicians just pull another technician who was good at acting like a manager depending on the situation.
  2. Unless a manager was promoted from the Genius Bar, they usually didn’t have any technical training and often had only a basic understanding of the repair software and corporate policies. At my store, I would usually tell the manager what I needed and what was happening. Then the manager would talk to the customer or try to help. So yes, for difficult customers, they’d often hear just what I told the manager to say and why.

In short, I see your concern about involving a manager. If it’s warranted, it doesn’t hurt to ask, especially if the technician was new. But since I wasn’t there, it’s hard to say what happened. From what I said earlier, some managers really resisted making cost exceptions since that came out of their personal numbers.

7

If I remember, I did use internet recovery for the reset and it’s under a different Apple ID. It was my boss’s computer but he upgraded to the new M1 Pro, so it became our secondary laptop and point of sale computer.

When I have time I’ll try the recovery idea to see if I can reset it. It happens consistently below 60% battery.

8

Laken said:
If I remember, I did use internet recovery for the reset and it’s under a different Apple ID. It was my boss’s computer but he upgraded to the new M1 Pro, so it became our secondary laptop and point of sale computer.

When I have time I’ll try the recovery idea to see if I can reset it. It happens consistently below 60% battery.

Awesome Yeah, I’d definitely try that too I figured the technician had done their job to narrow it down to the battery before suggesting that as the repair option.

Just in case your technician didn’t leave detailed notes, I’d make sure to tell AppleCare about all the troubleshooting steps you’ve already done and if you can, record a video of it shutting down for them to see. AppleCare can view the diagnostic results the Apple Store technician ran, even if the notes aren’t great.

9

Ifixit sells a repair kit for those computers. I replaced the old battery in my 2015 13 inch MBP for about $100 (USD). It wasn’t hard at all, anyone can do it if they’re patient with removing the adhesive.

10

Laken said:
This is a bit of a rant

I spent a large part of today driving to and from the Apple Store to get my company’s older 2015 15 inch MBP looked at. Random shutdowns on battery have been happening for a number of years but it hasn’t been a priority since it has been plugged in most of the time. We recently brought someone new on and wanted to give them this Mac to use but they need something reliable while being away from power.

I was pretty sure the battery was the issue but I did not want to get it replaced only for it to be something more serious like the logic board. We’re a small company and need to be smart about our expenses. The battery cycles are between 280 and 300 for a 7 year old computer. I spent 30 minutes on Apple Chat last week and they recommended going in-store to get it looked at where they can do more in-depth diagnostics. It’s a 40-minute drive each way but if it helps figure out the issue then it’s worth it.

First off, everyone at the Conestoga (Canada) Apple Store was very nice. My complaints are not about their direct service but the corporate policies they have to follow.

They ran a diagnostic on the laptop and it came back with 80% battery health. They ran the diagnostic while plugged in. I had it unplugged a couple of times at the Apple Store and it would shut down as it usually does when the battery is below 60%. In the rare cases where it does not shut down, the battery drops really fast.

I am more than willing to pay for the battery to be replaced. But to replace the battery on the 2015 models they need to replace the top case including the keyboard and trackpad. Since the battery health is at 80% (and not 79% or lower) they can’t replace the battery without charging me for a top case replacement. The battery fee as quoted on their website is $250 (all prices in Canadian dollars) but with the mandatory top case replacement it jumps to around $700. Not worth it for a 7 to 8 year old computer.

What frustrates me is the Apple Tech in the store had no choice in the matter. It was clear the battery was failing and causing restarts. Yet their own system would not let them order the battery replacement without adding the top case charge because it was just 1% above the required number for a battery replacement. Their best solution was to use the laptop on battery as much as possible until it hits 79% and then come back to get it fixed. Driving 40 minutes each way again in hopes they will replace the battery feels like a bit of a waste of time.

Over the last couple of years, I have had other repair needs (Apple Watch battery, AirPods connection issues) and the experience has always been the same. The staff at the store can see the issue but have no power to get it fixed.

This laptop in particular was purchased at the Apple Store for over $2500 CAD, plus Apple Care. We never used Apple Care before it expired and now we’re being denied a battery replacement (without paying the extra fee) because the health is 1% off the replacement level according to their diagnostics. Yet the real-world performance is clearly failing at a basic level.

I am a bit late to the Apple devices game but I thought Apple had the best service, and while they charge a lot for their tech, I thought the support was top notch. That has not been my experience in any interaction I have had with them in the last 3 to 5 years. I don’t know if this is a Canada issue or all Apple Stores but I am just so disappointed in the entire process. I don’t have a lot of free time and wasting it on something like this is really frustrating.

The battery health in my iPhone is the biggest lie I’ve ever encountered. I really believe this software is lying to show the batteries in better health than they are.

11

Laken said:
This is a bit of a rant

I spent a large part of today driving to and from the Apple Store to get my company’s older 2015 15 inch MBP looked at. Random shutdowns on battery have been happening for a number of years but it hasn’t been a priority since it has been plugged in most of the time. We recently brought someone new on and wanted to give them this Mac to use but they need something reliable while being away from power.

I was pretty sure the battery was the issue but I did not want to get it replaced only for it to be something more serious like the logic board. We’re a small company and need to be smart about our expenses. The battery cycles are between 280 and 300 for a 7 year old computer. I spent 30 minutes on Apple Chat last week and they recommended going in-store to get it looked at where they can do more in-depth diagnostics. It’s a 40-minute drive each way but if it helps figure out the issue then it’s worth it.

First off, everyone at the Conestoga (Canada) Apple Store was very nice. My complaints are not about their direct service but the corporate policies they have to follow.

They ran a diagnostic on the laptop and it came back with 80% battery health. They ran the diagnostic while plugged in. I had it unplugged a couple of times at the Apple Store and it would shut down as it usually does when the battery is below 60%. In the rare cases where it does not shut down, the battery drops really fast.

I am more than willing to pay for the battery to be replaced. But to replace the battery on the 2015 models they need to replace the top case including the keyboard and trackpad. Since the battery health is at 80% (and not 79% or lower) they can’t replace the battery without charging me for a top case replacement. The battery fee as quoted on their website is $250 (all prices in Canadian dollars) but with the mandatory top case replacement it jumps to around $700. Not worth it for a 7 to 8 year old computer.

What frustrates me is the Apple Tech in the store had no choice in the matter. It was clear the battery was failing and causing restarts. Yet their own system would not let them order the battery replacement without adding the top case charge because it was just 1% above the required number for a battery replacement. Their best solution was to use the laptop on battery as much as possible until it hits 79% and then come back to get it fixed. Driving 40 minutes each way again in hopes they will replace the battery feels like a bit of a waste of time.

Over the last couple of years, I have had other repair needs (Apple Watch battery, AirPods connection issues) and the experience has always been the same. The staff at the store can see the issue but have no power to get it fixed.

This laptop in particular was purchased at the Apple Store for over $2500 CAD, plus Apple Care. We never used Apple Care before it expired and now we’re being denied a battery replacement (without paying the extra fee) because the health is 1% off the replacement level according to their diagnostics. Yet the real-world performance is clearly failing at a basic level.

I am a bit late to the Apple devices game but I thought Apple had the best service, and while they charge a lot for their tech, I thought the support was top notch. That has not been my experience in any interaction I have had with them in the last 3 to 5 years. I don’t know if this is a Canada issue or all Apple Stores but I am just so disappointed in the entire process. I don’t have a lot of free time and wasting it on something like this is really frustrating.

Most people who rave about the great service are probably just spending a lot of money on Apple and getting new devices every one or two years with Apple Care. This way, they are always covered for issues and think Apple is giving great service when they are just getting what they paid for.

12

Chen said:

Laken said:
This is a bit of a rant

I spent a large part of today driving to and from the Apple Store to get my company’s older 2015 15 inch MBP looked at. Random shutdowns on battery have been happening for a number of years but it hasn’t been a priority since it has been plugged in most of the time. We recently brought someone new on and wanted to give them this Mac to use but they need something reliable while being away from power.

I was pretty sure the battery was the issue but I did not want to get it replaced only for it to be something more serious like the logic board. We’re a small company and need to be smart about our expenses. The battery cycles are between 280 and 300 for a 7 year old computer. I spent 30 minutes on Apple Chat last week and they recommended going in-store to get it looked at where they can do more in-depth diagnostics. It’s a 40-minute drive each way but if it helps figure out the issue then it’s worth it.

First off, everyone at the Conestoga (Canada) Apple Store was very nice. My complaints are not about their direct service but the corporate policies they have to follow.

They ran a diagnostic on the laptop and it came back with 80% battery health. They ran the diagnostic while plugged in. I had it unplugged a couple of times at the Apple Store and it would shut down as it usually does when the battery is below 60%. In the rare cases where it does not shut down, the battery drops really fast.

I am more than willing to pay for the battery to be replaced. But to replace the battery on the 2015 models they need to replace the top case including the keyboard and trackpad. Since the battery health is at 80% (and not 79% or lower) they can’t replace the battery without charging me for a top case replacement. The battery fee as quoted on their website is $250 (all prices in Canadian dollars) but with the mandatory top case replacement it jumps to around $700. Not worth it for a 7 to 8 year old computer.

What frustrates me is the Apple Tech in the store had no choice in the matter. It was clear the battery was failing and causing restarts. Yet their own system would not let them order the battery replacement without adding the top case charge because it was just 1% above the required number for a battery replacement. Their best solution was to use the laptop on battery as much as possible until it hits 79% and then come back to get it fixed. Driving 40 minutes each way again in hopes they will replace the battery feels like a bit of a waste of time.

Over the last couple of years, I have had other repair needs (Apple Watch battery, AirPods connection issues) and the experience has always been the same. The staff at the store can see the issue but have no power to get it fixed.

This laptop in particular was purchased at the Apple Store for over $2500 CAD, plus Apple Care. We never used Apple Care before it expired and now we’re being denied a battery replacement (without paying the extra fee) because the health is 1% off the replacement level according to their diagnostics. Yet the real-world performance is clearly failing at a basic level.

I am a bit late to the Apple devices game but I thought Apple had the best service, and while they charge a lot for their tech, I thought the support was top notch. That has not been my experience in any interaction I have had with them in the last 3 to 5 years. I don’t know if this is a Canada issue or all Apple Stores but I am just so disappointed in the entire process. I don’t have a lot of free time and wasting it on something like this is really frustrating.

Most people who rave about the great service are probably just spending a lot of money on Apple and getting new devices every one or two years with Apple Care. This way, they are always covered for issues and think Apple is giving great service when they are just getting what they paid for.

Same I often hear others rave about Apple Care.
It’s good if it gets used but why expect an Apple product to fail in the first two years of purchase?
I’ve had Apple Care on a few purchases but never claimed anything. Makes me feel like wasted money.

13

Laken said:
This is a bit of a rant

I spent a large part of today driving to and from the Apple Store to get my company’s older 2015 15 inch MBP looked at. Random shutdowns on battery have been happening for a number of years but it hasn’t been a priority since it has been plugged in most of the time. We recently brought someone new on and wanted to give them this Mac to use but they need something reliable while being away from power.

I was pretty sure the battery was the issue but I did not want to get it replaced only for it to be something more serious like the logic board. We’re a small company and need to be smart about our expenses. The battery cycles are between 280 and 300 for a 7 year old computer. I spent 30 minutes on Apple Chat last week and they recommended going in-store to get it looked at where they can do more in-depth diagnostics. It’s a 40-minute drive each way but if it helps figure out the issue then it’s worth it.

First off, everyone at the Conestoga (Canada) Apple Store was very nice. My complaints are not about their direct service but the corporate policies they have to follow.

They ran a diagnostic on the laptop and it came back with 80% battery health. They ran the diagnostic while plugged in. I had it unplugged a couple of times at the Apple Store and it would shut down as it usually does when the battery is below 60%. In the rare cases where it does not shut down, the battery drops really fast.

I am more than willing to pay for the battery to be replaced. But to replace the battery on the 2015 models they need to replace the top case including the keyboard and trackpad. Since the battery health is at 80% (and not 79% or lower) they can’t replace the battery without charging me for a top case replacement. The battery fee as quoted on their website is $250 (all prices in Canadian dollars) but with the mandatory top case replacement it jumps to around $700. Not worth it for a 7 to 8 year old computer.

What frustrates me is the Apple Tech in the store had no choice in the matter. It was clear the battery was failing and causing restarts. Yet their own system would not let them order the battery replacement without adding the top case charge because it was just 1% above the required number for a battery replacement. Their best solution was to use the laptop on battery as much as possible until it hits 79% and then come back to get it fixed. Driving 40 minutes each way again in hopes they will replace the battery feels like a bit of a waste of time.

Over the last couple of years, I have had other repair needs (Apple Watch battery, AirPods connection issues) and the experience has always been the same. The staff at the store can see the issue but have no power to get it fixed.

This laptop in particular was purchased at the Apple Store for over $2500 CAD, plus Apple Care. We never used Apple Care before it expired and now we’re being denied a battery replacement (without paying the extra fee) because the health is 1% off the replacement level according to their diagnostics. Yet the real-world performance is clearly failing at a basic level.

I am a bit late to the Apple devices game but I thought Apple had the best service, and while they charge a lot for their tech, I thought the support was top notch. That has not been my experience in any interaction I have had with them in the last 3 to 5 years. I don’t know if this is a Canada issue or all Apple Stores but I am just so disappointed in the entire process. I don’t have a lot of free time and wasting it on something like this is really frustrating.

While it may very well be the battery, there are several other hardware and software issues that could cause this problem too. Full diagnostics should be run on the machine and not just battery tests. Software issues should also be ruled out. It would be smart to do this before paying even the battery fee if you’re eligible for it.

I realize this story isn’t a complete account of your troubleshooting and appointment, but given what you’ve provided, it’s definitely not clear as day.

I’m not defending any policy or fee, just suggesting you should check for other causes before paying for any service that may not be necessary.

14

River said:

Laken said:
This is a bit of a rant

I spent a large part of today driving to and from the Apple Store to get my company’s older 2015 15 inch MBP looked at. Random shutdowns on battery have been happening for a number of years but it hasn’t been a priority since it has been plugged in most of the time. We recently brought someone new on and wanted to give them this Mac to use but they need something reliable while being away from power.

I was pretty sure the battery was the issue but I did not want to get it replaced only for it to be something more serious like the logic board. We’re a small company and need to be smart about our expenses. The battery cycles are between 280 and 300 for a 7 year old computer. I spent 30 minutes on Apple Chat last week and they recommended going in-store to get it looked at where they can do more in-depth diagnostics. It’s a 40-minute drive each way but if it helps figure out the issue then it’s worth it.

First off, everyone at the Conestoga (Canada) Apple Store was very nice. My complaints are not about their direct service but the corporate policies they have to follow.

They ran a diagnostic on the laptop and it came back with 80% battery health. They ran the diagnostic while plugged in. I had it unplugged a couple of times at the Apple Store and it would shut down as it usually does when the battery is below 60%. In the rare cases where it does not shut down, the battery drops really fast.

I am more than willing to pay for the battery to be replaced. But to replace the battery on the 2015 models they need to replace the top case including the keyboard and trackpad. Since the battery health is at 80% (and not 79% or lower) they can’t replace the battery without charging me for a top case replacement. The battery fee as quoted on their website is $250 (all prices in Canadian dollars) but with the mandatory top case replacement it jumps to around $700. Not worth it for a 7 to 8 year old computer.

What frustrates me is the Apple Tech in the store had no choice in the matter. It was clear the battery was failing and causing restarts. Yet their own system would not let them order the battery replacement without adding the top case charge because it was just 1% above the required number for a battery replacement. Their best solution was to use the laptop on battery as much as possible until it hits 79% and then come back to get it fixed. Driving 40 minutes each way again in hopes they will replace the battery feels like a bit of a waste of time.

Over the last couple of years, I have had other repair needs (Apple Watch battery, AirPods connection issues) and the experience has always been the same. The staff at the store can see the issue but have no power to get it fixed.

This laptop in particular was purchased at the Apple Store for over $2500 CAD, plus Apple Care. We never used Apple Care before it expired and now we’re being denied a battery replacement (without paying the extra fee) because the health is 1% off the replacement level according to their diagnostics. Yet the real-world performance is clearly failing at a basic level.

I am a bit late to the Apple devices game but I thought Apple had the best service, and while they charge a lot for their tech, I thought the support was top notch. That has not been my experience in any interaction I have had with them in the last 3 to 5 years. I don’t know if this is a Canada issue or all Apple Stores but I am just so disappointed in the entire process. I don’t have a lot of free time and wasting it on something like this is really frustrating.

While it may very well be the battery, there are several other hardware and software issues that could cause this problem too. Full diagnostics should be run on the machine and not just battery tests. Software issues should also be ruled out. It would be smart to do this before paying even the battery fee if you’re eligible for it.

I realize this story isn’t a complete account of your troubleshooting and appointment, but given what you’ve provided, it’s definitely not clear as day.

I’m not defending any policy or fee, just suggesting you should check for other causes before paying for any service that may not be necessary.

That’s totally fair. Software wise, I did a full reset about a year ago and kept the installed apps really basic like Chrome, Sonos, and Office. Still having issues.

I agree it could be the logic board. They did run full diagnostics which should catch that, right The technician also checked crash logs for any kernel panics. But that doesn’t exclude it. That’s why I went to the Apple Store in the first place, hoping they would identify the issue.

15

Laken said:

River said:
Laken said:
This is a bit of a rant

I spent a large part of today driving to and from the Apple Store to get my company’s older 2015 15 inch MBP looked at. Random shutdowns on battery have been happening for a number of years but it hasn’t been a priority since it has been plugged in most of the time. We recently brought someone new on and wanted to give them this Mac to use but they need something reliable while being away from power.

I was pretty sure the battery was the issue but I did not want to get it replaced only for it to be something more serious like the logic board. We’re a small company and need to be smart about our expenses. The battery cycles are between 280 and 300 for a 7 year old computer. I spent 30 minutes on Apple Chat last week and they recommended going in-store to get it looked at where they can do more in-depth diagnostics. It’s a 40-minute drive each way but if it helps figure out the issue then it’s worth it.

First off, everyone at the Conestoga (Canada) Apple Store was very nice. My complaints are not about their direct service but the corporate policies they have to follow.

They ran a diagnostic on the laptop and it came back with 80% battery health. They ran the diagnostic while plugged in. I had it unplugged a couple of times at the Apple Store and it would shut down as it usually does when the battery is below 60%. In the rare cases where it does not shut down, the battery drops really fast.

I am more than willing to pay for the battery to be replaced. But to replace the battery on the 2015 models they need to replace the top case including the keyboard and trackpad. Since the battery health is at 80% (and not 79% or lower) they can’t replace the battery without charging me for a top case replacement. The battery fee as quoted on their website is $250 (all prices in Canadian dollars) but with the mandatory top case replacement it jumps to around $700. Not worth it for a 7 to 8 year old computer.

What frustrates me is the Apple Tech in the store had no choice in the matter. It was clear the battery was failing and causing restarts. Yet their own system would not let them order the battery replacement without adding the top case charge because it was just 1% above the required number for a battery replacement. Their best solution was to use the laptop on battery as much as possible until it hits 79% and then come back to get it fixed. Driving 40 minutes each way again in hopes they will replace the battery feels like a bit of a waste of time.

Over the last couple of years, I have had other repair needs (Apple Watch battery, AirPods connection issues) and the experience has always been the same. The staff at the store can see the issue but have no power to get it fixed.

This laptop in particular was purchased at the Apple Store for over $2500 CAD, plus Apple Care. We never used Apple Care before it expired and now we’re being denied a battery replacement (without paying the extra fee) because the health is 1% off the replacement level according to their diagnostics. Yet the real-world performance is clearly failing at a basic level.

I am a bit late to the Apple devices game but I thought Apple had the best service, and while they charge a lot for their tech, I thought the support was top notch. That has not been my experience in any interaction I have had with them in the last 3 to 5 years. I don’t know if this is a Canada issue or all Apple Stores but I am just so disappointed in the entire process. I don’t have a lot of free time and wasting it on something like this is really frustrating.

While it may very well be the battery, there are several other hardware and software issues that could cause this problem too. Full diagnostics should be run on the machine and not just battery tests. Software issues should also be ruled out. It would be smart to do this before paying even the battery fee if you’re eligible for it.

I realize this story isn’t a complete account of your troubleshooting and appointment, but given what you’ve provided, it’s definitely not clear as day.

I’m not defending any policy or fee, just suggesting you should check for other causes before paying for any service that may not be necessary.

That’s totally fair. Software wise, I did a full reset about a year ago and kept the installed apps really basic like Chrome, Sonos, and Office. Still having issues.

I agree it could be the logic board. They did run full diagnostics which should catch that, right The technician also checked crash logs for any kernel panics. But that doesn’t exclude it. That’s why I went to the Apple Store in the first place, hoping they would identify the issue.

Glad to hear it I was hoping that wasn’t skipped because there might have been a free solution available. In my opinion, just passing diagnostics doesn’t guarantee parts are working, but it’s pretty close.

“I did a full reset” means different things to different people. I see a full reset as booting into internet recovery mode, wiping the disk completely using disk utility, and then installing a new OS through internet recovery. Bonus points for using Configurator on another Mac to do a restore using a cable if that’s possible for your model. Full testing means not restoring from a backup or signing into iCloud where app data could sync back until you confirm the problem persists.

Another test could be booting into recovery mode and doing nothing else. Let the machine sit in that state on battery and see if the issues still happen.

16

Laken said:

River said:
Laken said:
This is a bit of a rant

I spent a large part of today driving to and from the Apple Store to get my company’s older 2015 15 inch MBP looked at. Random shutdowns on battery have been happening for a number of years but it hasn’t been a priority since it has been plugged in most of the time. We recently brought someone new on and wanted to give them this Mac to use but they need something reliable while being away from power.

I was pretty sure the battery was the issue but I did not want to get it replaced only for it to be something more serious like the logic board. We’re a small company and need to be smart about our expenses. The battery cycles are between 280 and 300 for a 7 year old computer. I spent 30 minutes on Apple Chat last week and they recommended going in-store to get it looked at where they can do more in-depth diagnostics. It’s a 40-minute drive each way but if it helps figure out the issue then it’s worth it.

First off, everyone at the Conestoga (Canada) Apple Store was very nice. My complaints are not about their direct service but the corporate policies they have to follow.

They ran a diagnostic on the laptop and it came back with 80% battery health. They ran the diagnostic while plugged in. I had it unplugged a couple of times at the Apple Store and it would shut down as it usually does when the battery is below 60%. In the rare cases where it does not shut down, the battery drops really fast.

I am more than willing to pay for the battery to be replaced. But to replace the battery on the 2015 models they need to replace the top case including the keyboard and trackpad. Since the battery health is at 80% (and not 79% or lower) they can’t replace the battery without charging me for a top case replacement. The battery fee as quoted on their website is $250 (all prices in Canadian dollars) but with the mandatory top case replacement it jumps to around $700. Not worth it for a 7 to 8 year old computer.

What frustrates me is the Apple Tech in the store had no choice in the matter. It was clear the battery was failing and causing restarts. Yet their own system would not let them order the battery replacement without adding the top case charge because it was just 1% above the required number for a battery replacement. Their best solution was to use the laptop on battery as much as possible until it hits 79% and then come back to get it fixed. Driving 40 minutes each way again in hopes they will replace the battery feels like a bit of a waste of time.

Over the last couple of years, I have had other repair needs (Apple Watch battery, AirPods connection issues) and the experience has always been the same. The staff at the store can see the issue but have no power to get it fixed.

This laptop in particular was purchased at the Apple Store for over $2500 CAD, plus Apple Care. We never used Apple Care before it expired and now we’re being denied a battery replacement (without paying the extra fee) because the health is 1% off the replacement level according to their diagnostics. Yet the real-world performance is clearly failing at a basic level.

I am a bit late to the Apple devices game but I thought Apple had the best service, and while they charge a lot for their tech, I thought the support was top notch. That has not been my experience in any interaction I have had with them in the last 3 to 5 years. I don’t know if this is a Canada issue or all Apple Stores but I am just so disappointed in the entire process. I don’t have a lot of free time and wasting it on something like this is really frustrating.

While it may very well be the battery, there are several other hardware and software issues that could cause this problem too. Full diagnostics should be run on the machine and not just battery tests. Software issues should also be ruled out. It would be smart to do this before paying even the battery fee if you’re eligible for it.

I realize this story isn’t a complete account of your troubleshooting and appointment, but given what you’ve provided, it’s definitely not clear as day.

I’m not defending any policy or fee, just suggesting you should check for other causes before paying for any service that may not be necessary.

That’s totally fair. Software wise, I did a full reset about a year ago and kept the installed apps really basic like Chrome, Sonos, and Office. Still having issues.

I agree it could be the logic board. They did run full diagnostics which should catch that, right The technician also checked crash logs for any kernel panics. But that doesn’t exclude it. That’s why I went to the Apple Store in the first place, hoping they would identify the issue.

You should search online for something called shutdown codes. There are terminal commands to run that show a log of every time the computer shut down and give a code for why it shut down like normal shutdown, battery disconnect, temp issue, etc. This could help you see if it really is the battery or something else.

17

Drew said:

Laken said:
River said:
Laken said:
This is a bit of a rant

I spent a large part of today driving to and from the Apple Store to get my company’s older 2015 15 inch MBP looked at. Random shutdowns on battery have been happening for a number of years but it hasn’t been a priority since it has been plugged in most of the time. We recently brought someone new on and wanted to give them this Mac to use but they need something reliable while being away from power.

I was pretty sure the battery was the issue but I did not want to get it replaced only for it to be something more serious like the logic board. We’re a small company and need to be smart about our expenses. The battery cycles are between 280 and 300 for a 7 year old computer. I spent 30 minutes on Apple Chat last week and they recommended going in-store to get it looked at where they can do more in-depth diagnostics. It’s a 40-minute drive each way but if it helps figure out the issue then it’s worth it.

First off, everyone at the Conestoga (Canada) Apple Store was very nice. My complaints are not about their direct service but the corporate policies they have to follow.

They ran a diagnostic on the laptop and it came back with 80% battery health. They ran the diagnostic while plugged in. I had it unplugged a couple of times at the Apple Store and it would shut down as it usually does when the battery is below 60%. In the rare cases where it does not shut down, the battery drops really fast.

I am more than willing to pay for the battery to be replaced. But to replace the battery on the 2015 models they need to replace the top case including the keyboard and trackpad. Since the battery health is at 80% (and not 79% or lower) they can’t replace the battery without charging me for a top case replacement. The battery fee as quoted on their website is $250 (all prices in Canadian dollars) but with the mandatory top case replacement it jumps to around $700. Not worth it for a 7 to 8 year old computer.

What frustrates me is the Apple Tech in the store had no choice in the matter. It was clear the battery was failing and causing restarts. Yet their own system would not let them order the battery replacement without adding the top case charge because it was just 1% above the required number for a battery replacement. Their best solution was to use the laptop on battery as much as possible until it hits 79% and then come back to get it fixed. Driving 40 minutes each way again in hopes they will replace the battery feels like a bit of a waste of time.

Over the last couple of years, I have had other repair needs (Apple Watch battery, AirPods connection issues) and the experience has always been the same. The staff at the store can see the issue but have no power to get it fixed.

This laptop in particular was purchased at the Apple Store for over $2500 CAD, plus Apple Care. We never used Apple Care before it expired and now we’re being denied a battery replacement (without paying the extra fee) because the health is 1% off the replacement level according to their diagnostics. Yet the real-world performance is clearly failing at a basic level.

I am a bit late to the Apple devices game but I thought Apple had the best service, and while they charge a lot for their tech, I thought the support was top notch. That has not been my experience in any interaction I have had with them in the last 3 to 5 years. I don’t know if this is a Canada issue or all Apple Stores but I am just so disappointed in the entire process. I don’t have a lot of free time and wasting it on something like this is really frustrating.

While it may very well be the battery, there are several other hardware and software issues that could cause this problem too. Full diagnostics should be run on the machine and not just battery tests. Software issues should also be ruled out. It would be smart to do this before paying even the battery fee if you’re eligible for it.

I realize this story isn’t a complete account of your troubleshooting and appointment, but given what you’ve provided, it’s definitely not clear as day.

I’m not defending any policy or fee, just suggesting you should check for other causes before paying for any service that may not be necessary.

That’s totally fair. Software wise, I did a full reset about a year ago and kept the installed apps really basic like Chrome, Sonos, and Office. Still having issues.

I agree it could be the logic board. They did run full diagnostics which should catch that, right The technician also checked crash logs for any kernel panics. But that doesn’t exclude it. That’s why I went to the Apple Store in the first place, hoping they would identify the issue.

You should search online for something called shutdown codes. There are terminal commands to run that show a log of every time the computer shut down and give a code for why it shut down like normal shutdown, battery disconnect, temp issue, etc. This could help you see if it really is the battery or something else.

That’s really helpful, thank you. I’ll look into it.

18

Laken said:
This is a bit of a rant

I spent a large part of today driving to and from the Apple Store to get my company’s older 2015 15 inch MBP looked at. Random shutdowns on battery have been happening for a number of years but it hasn’t been a priority since it has been plugged in most of the time. We recently brought someone new on and wanted to give them this Mac to use but they need something reliable while being away from power.

I was pretty sure the battery was the issue but I did not want to get it replaced only for it to be something more serious like the logic board. We’re a small company and need to be smart about our expenses. The battery cycles are between 280 and 300 for a 7 year old computer. I spent 30 minutes on Apple Chat last week and they recommended going in-store to get it looked at where they can do more in-depth diagnostics. It’s a 40-minute drive each way but if it helps figure out the issue then it’s worth it.

First off, everyone at the Conestoga (Canada) Apple Store was very nice. My complaints are not about their direct service but the corporate policies they have to follow.

They ran a diagnostic on the laptop and it came back with 80% battery health. They ran the diagnostic while plugged in. I had it unplugged a couple of times at the Apple Store and it would shut down as it usually does when the battery is below 60%. In the rare cases where it does not shut down, the battery drops really fast.

I am more than willing to pay for the battery to be replaced. But to replace the battery on the 2015 models they need to replace the top case including the keyboard and trackpad. Since the battery health is at 80% (and not 79% or lower) they can’t replace the battery without charging me for a top case replacement. The battery fee as quoted on their website is $250 (all prices in Canadian dollars) but with the mandatory top case replacement it jumps to around $700. Not worth it for a 7 to 8 year old computer.

What frustrates me is the Apple Tech in the store had no choice in the matter. It was clear the battery was failing and causing restarts. Yet their own system would not let them order the battery replacement without adding the top case charge because it was just 1% above the required number for a battery replacement. Their best solution was to use the laptop on battery as much as possible until it hits 79% and then come back to get it fixed. Driving 40 minutes each way again in hopes they will replace the battery feels like a bit of a waste of time.

Over the last couple of years, I have had other repair needs (Apple Watch battery, AirPods connection issues) and the experience has always been the same. The staff at the store can see the issue but have no power to get it fixed.

This laptop in particular was purchased at the Apple Store for over $2500 CAD, plus Apple Care. We never used Apple Care before it expired and now we’re being denied a battery replacement (without paying the extra fee) because the health is 1% off the replacement level according to their diagnostics. Yet the real-world performance is clearly failing at a basic level.

I am a bit late to the Apple devices game but I thought Apple had the best service, and while they charge a lot for their tech, I thought the support was top notch. That has not been my experience in any interaction I have had with them in the last 3 to 5 years. I don’t know if this is a Canada issue or all Apple Stores but I am just so disappointed in the entire process. I don’t have a lot of free time and wasting it on something like this is really frustrating.

Hey,

I don’t know if you know, but Apple has a business team. Maybe some of their business perks might be useful to you?

19

Niall said:

Laken said:
This is a bit of a rant

I spent a large part of today driving to and from the Apple Store to get my company’s older 2015 15 inch MBP looked at. Random shutdowns on battery have been happening for a number of years but it hasn’t been a priority since it has been plugged in most of the time. We recently brought someone new on and wanted to give them this Mac to use but they need something reliable while being away from power.

I was pretty sure the battery was the issue but I did not want to get it replaced only for it to be something more serious like the logic board. We’re a small company and need to be smart about our expenses. The battery cycles are between 280 and 300 for a 7 year old computer. I spent 30 minutes on Apple Chat last week and they recommended going in-store to get it looked at where they can do more in-depth diagnostics. It’s a 40-minute drive each way but if it helps figure out the issue then it’s worth it.

First off, everyone at the Conestoga (Canada) Apple Store was very nice. My complaints are not about their direct service but the corporate policies they have to follow.

They ran a diagnostic on the laptop and it came back with 80% battery health. They ran the diagnostic while plugged in. I had it unplugged a couple of times at the Apple Store and it would shut down as it usually does when the battery is below 60%. In the rare cases where it does not shut down, the battery drops really fast.

I am more than willing to pay for the battery to be replaced. But to replace the battery on the 2015 models they need to replace the top case including the keyboard and trackpad. Since the battery health is at 80% (and not 79% or lower) they can’t replace the battery without charging me for a top case replacement. The battery fee as quoted on their website is $250 (all prices in Canadian dollars) but with the mandatory top case replacement it jumps to around $700. Not worth it for a 7 to 8 year old computer.

What frustrates me is the Apple Tech in the store had no choice in the matter. It was clear the battery was failing and causing restarts. Yet their own system would not let them order the battery replacement without adding the top case charge because it was just 1% above the required number for a battery replacement. Their best solution was to use the laptop on battery as much as possible until it hits 79% and then come back to get it fixed. Driving 40 minutes each way again in hopes they will replace the battery feels like a bit of a waste of time.

Over the last couple of years, I have had other repair needs (Apple Watch battery, AirPods connection issues) and the experience has always been the same. The staff at the store can see the issue but have no power to get it fixed.

This laptop in particular was purchased at the Apple Store for over $2500 CAD, plus Apple Care. We never used Apple Care before it expired and now we’re being denied a battery replacement (without paying the extra fee) because the health is 1% off the replacement level according to their diagnostics. Yet the real-world performance is clearly failing at a basic level.

I am a bit late to the Apple devices game but I thought Apple had the best service, and while they charge a lot for their tech, I thought the support was top notch. That has not been my experience in any interaction I have had with them in the last 3 to 5 years. I don’t know if this is a Canada issue or all Apple Stores but I am just so disappointed in the entire process. I don’t have a lot of free time and wasting it on something like this is really frustrating.

Hey,

I don’t know if you know, but Apple has a business team. Maybe some of their business perks might be useful to you?

Yes! The technician recommended that and I’m supposed to get a call tomorrow from them. Not sure what to expect but we’ll see.

20

Laken said:

Niall said:
Laken said:
This is a bit of a rant

I spent a large part of today driving to and from the Apple Store to get my company’s older 2015 15 inch MBP looked at. Random shutdowns on battery have been happening for a number of years but it hasn’t been a priority since it has been plugged in most of the time. We recently brought someone new on and wanted to give them this Mac to use but they need something reliable while being away from power.

I was pretty sure the battery was the issue but I did not want to get it replaced only for it to be something more serious like the logic board. We’re a small company and need to be smart about our expenses. The battery cycles are between 280 and 300 for a 7 year old computer. I spent 30 minutes on Apple Chat last week and they recommended going in-store to get it looked at where they can do more in-depth diagnostics. It’s a 40-minute drive each way but if it helps figure out the issue then it’s worth it.

First off, everyone at the Conestoga (Canada) Apple Store was very nice. My complaints are not about their direct service but the corporate policies they have to follow.

They ran a diagnostic on the laptop and it came back with 80% battery health. They ran the diagnostic while plugged in. I had it unplugged a couple of times at the Apple Store and it would shut down as it usually does when the battery is below 60%. In the rare cases where it does not shut down, the battery drops really fast.

I am more than willing to pay for the battery to be replaced. But to replace the battery on the 2015 models they need to replace the top case including the keyboard and trackpad. Since the battery health is at 80% (and not 79% or lower) they can’t replace the battery without charging me for a top case replacement. The battery fee as quoted on their website is $250 (all prices in Canadian dollars) but with the mandatory top case replacement it jumps to around $700. Not worth it for a 7 to 8 year old computer.

What frustrates me is the Apple Tech in the store had no choice in the matter. It was clear the battery was failing and causing restarts. Yet their own system would not let them order the battery replacement without adding the top case charge because it was just 1% above the required number for a battery replacement. Their best solution was to use the laptop on battery as much as possible until it hits 79% and then come back to get it fixed. Driving 40 minutes each way again in hopes they will replace the battery feels like a bit of a waste of time.

Over the last couple of years, I have had other repair needs (Apple Watch battery, AirPods connection issues) and the experience has always been the same. The staff at the store can see the issue but have no power to get it fixed.

This laptop in particular was purchased at the Apple Store for over $2500 CAD, plus Apple Care. We never used Apple Care before it expired and now we’re being denied a battery replacement (without paying the extra fee) because the health is 1% off the replacement level according to their diagnostics. Yet the real-world performance is clearly failing at a basic level.

I am a bit late to the Apple devices game but I thought Apple had the best service, and while they charge a lot for their tech, I thought the support was top notch. That has not been my experience in any interaction I have had with them in the last 3 to 5 years. I don’t know if this is a Canada issue or all Apple Stores but I am just so disappointed in the entire process. I don’t have a lot of free time and wasting it on something like this is really frustrating.

Hey,

I don’t know if you know, but Apple has a business team. Maybe some of their business perks might be useful to you?

Yes! The technician recommended that and I’m supposed to get a call tomorrow from them. Not sure what to expect but we’ll see.

Did you get the call