A recall statement from Apple suggests that MacBook Pros developed between September 2015 and February 2017 pose a fire safety risk due to the battery.
On June 20, Apple issued the recall to ensure customer safety. According to CNET, this service is not available for devices that have the USB-C or Touch Bar features on the product. The affected models include the 2015 MacBook Pro with Retina Display as the battery could overheat and catch fire, according to The Verge.
“In general, the company says the recall doesn’t affect any other MacBooks, so this shouldn’t affect the smaller 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display that was also sold between those same years,” The Verge reported. “Last April, the company also issued a battery-related recall for some 2016 13-inch MacBook Pros, but that one wasn’t considered a safety issue.”
Although Apple determined the issue was only in a certain number of older generation 15-inch MacBook Pros, the company issued a recall to negate the issue. Apple said the product’s recall eligibility will be determined by the laptop’s serial number.
To check eligibility for a MacBook that may have this battery issue, customers can type in their serial number at https://support.apple.com/15-inch-macbook-pro-battery-recall.
Apple stated that if the serial number is eligible, customers should immediately stop using the product and follow instructions until the battery is replaced.
The replacement process will take one to two weeks, according to Apple, and customers have several options to replace their batteries. The devices will be shipped to an Apple Repair Center for service and replacement. The center will also examine the laptop to verify it is eligible for service before conducting the repair.
Apple states that customers who are eligible can either find an Apple authorized service provider, make an appointment at an Apple retail store or contact Apple support to arrange mail-in service. Apple suggests that any users affected should back up their data before sending it in for the repair. The repair is free to affected customers.
The Verge reported that there have been repeated issues with its newer MacBook Pros, since about 2016.
“(The company has) clearly been taking them more seriously over the past year, offering Flexgate fixes and keyboard replacement programs for issues that the company might have traditionally ignored,”The Verge reported. “(It also fixed that throttling bug.) It’s hard to say whether the overheating batteries are a newly discovered issue now that these batteries are aging, or one that Apple is finally dealing with all at once, but the recall is welcome either way.”
The recall will not extend the standard warranty coverage of the 15-inch MacBook Pro, according to Apple, and it won’t affect customer’s statutory or warranty rights.
Sources: Apple, CNET, The Verge
