Apple batteries
15 reports to CPSC, the latest made Jun 19, 2017. A report isn’t a recall.
Watch and the shortlist are kept with a free account, on every device. Your watch list. CPSC’s own search is on saferproducts.gov.
At a glance
From SaferProducts.gov, released Oct 25, 2026.
- 15reports to CPSC
- Jun 19, 2017the latest report was made
- Aug 6, 2011the earliest
- 0with the company’s comments
- Brand
- Apple
- Maker
- Apple Inc.Makers, importers or sellers, as the reports name them
- Product
- BatteriesCPSC’s product type: Batteries (code 884), in Electronics: Batteries & Chargers
Other ways the reports write the brand (4)
“Apple 3GS Battery”, “Apple Computer”, “Apple Iphone” and “Apple Macintosh Battery Laptop macbook Pro 17””
By month
The numbers, as a table
| Month | Reports |
|---|---|
| June 2017 | 1 |
| December 2014 | 1 |
| January 2014 | 1 |
| August 2013 | 1 |
| April 2013 | 1 |
| February 2013 | 1 |
| December 2012 | 1 |
| September 2012 | 1 |
| July 2012 | 1 |
| May 2012 | 1 |
| February 2012 | 1 |
| January 2012 | 1 |
| November 2011 | 1 |
| October 2011 | 1 |
| August 2011 | 1 |
How badly anyone was hurt
- Hurt, no treatment 1 CPSC: Injury, No First Aid or Medical Attention Received
- No one hurt 12 CPSC: Incident, No Injury
- Not said 2 CPSC: Unspecified
As each report says it, in short words; CPSC’s own words are under each.
The reports, as CPSC published them
Reports people made to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC publishes each one after sending it to the company named, and doesn’t guarantee they’re accurate. A report isn’t a recall.
Each report is the words of the person who made it, as CPSC published them. The company’s comments, where CPSC published any, are set apart as the company’s own.
CPSC, SaferProducts.gov public database export. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.
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No one hurt Made Jun 19, 2017, sent to the company Aug 25, 2017, published by CPSC Sep 12, 2017
The product, in the report: 17-inch MacBook Pro Rechargeable Battery
The rechargeable battery pack for my 17-inch MacBook Pro laptop apparently overheated while the unit was connected to the charger line. It did not catch fire, but the pack heated up and expanded its insulation from its half inch thickness to an inch. It got hot enough to soften its adhesive. I am just glad I noticed the expansion before it got hot enough to burn.
- Model
- A1189
- UPC
- None
- Serial number
- 6N6420KSW4HB
- Bought from
- Apple Computer, Florida
- Bought
- Jan 2, 2007, about then
- Where
- Sunrise, Florida: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Age 66, Female
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand Apple Computer, made or sold by Apple Inc.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
-
Not said Made Dec 2, 2014, sent to the company Dec 10, 2014, published by CPSC Dec 24, 2014
The product, in the report: Apple 3GS battery
The screen on my 3GS popped out for no apparent reason... I didn’t think much of it and set it aside. I came back to it a few weeks later, and it popped open considerably further - making it quite obvious that it was the battery that was expanding. I’m worried about what will happen if it continues to expand, and how to properly dispose of it...
- Bought from
- Apple
- Bought
- Dec 1, 2010, about then
- Where
- Saline, Michigan: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Unspecified
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Unspecified
- As this report names them
- Brand Apple 3GS Battery, made or sold by Apple Inc.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Unspecified
-
No one hurt Made Jan 9, 2014, sent to the company Jan 17, 2014, published by CPSC Feb 4, 2014
The product, in the report: 17” MacBook Pro Lithium battery 10.8V 68 wh
The battery of my MacBook Pro [“expanded”] out of its housing. I am not technically astute & did not realize what had happened to my computer until I took it to the repair shop & was told how dangerous lithium batteries can be when they fail.
- Model
- # A1189
- Serial number
- 6N83973E29DA
- Bought from
- Mac Depot, Kettering OH, Ohio
- Bought
- Dec 10, 2008
- Where
- Eaton, Ohio: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Unknown
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Unspecified
- As this report names them
- Brand Apple, made or sold by Apple Inc.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
-
No one hurt Made Aug 18, 2013, sent to the company Aug 26, 2013, published by CPSC Sep 10, 2013
The product, in the report: Apple Computer 17-inch MacBookPro Rechargeable Battery (serial number W0115094Z9DA). Model Number A1189 10.8V 68Wh
MacBookPro battery is bulging out of its metal casing: In early 2008 I purchased a MacBookPro from Apple, Inc. Since then the battery that came with the aforementioned MacBookPro has been replaced once (by Apple) due to it reaching the “end of its life cycle” and presenting extreme bulging out of its metal encasing and consequently the slot in which it’s located. Last week the same issue started to develop with the replacement battery, serial number W0115094Z9DA, about a year since I began using it. I believe there’s an intrinsic manufacturing defect on these batteries rendering them unusable after they’ve reached a percentage of their “life cycle”. Most importantly however, these batteries seem unsafe to consumers using them under normal operation specifications. As described above, the initial battery that came with the laptop battery bulged so much that I feared for my safety. Regarding the early stages of bulging presented by the current battery, I was reassured by Apple’s Employee ([REDACTED] at Portland’s Pioneer Square Apple Store) that battery serial number W0115094Z9DA remains safe to continue operations for “several more months or years”. He reassured me specifically that there is no risk of the battery exploding or leaking its contents. My uninformed guess is that these batteries aren’t safe for use and therefore I hereby submit this unsafe product report to further evaluate the safety of this battery.
- Model
- A1189/
MacBookPro Rechargeable Battery - Serial number
- W0115094Z9DA
- Bought from
- Apple Inc
- Bought
- May 8, 2012, about then
- Where
- Portland, Oregon: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Age 34, Male
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand Apple, made or sold by Apple Inc.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
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Not said Made Apr 3, 2013, sent to the company Apr 11, 2013, published by CPSC Apr 25, 2013
The product, in the report: Apple iPhone 3GS Battery
iPhone 3GS has been in regular use, charged it overnight last night and awoke to exploding case due to bulging (and presumably overheated) lithium-ion battery.
- Model
- iPhone 3GS - A1303
- Where
- Sudbury, Massachusetts: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Unspecified
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Unspecified
- As this report names them
- Brand Apple, made or sold by Apple Inc.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Unspecified
-
No one hurt Made Feb 15, 2013, sent to the company Feb 26, 2013, published by CPSC Mar 13, 2013
The product, in the report: battery for Apple iPhone 3GS White 16GB for ATT
I had a Apple iPhone 3GS, out of warranty, where the battery was swelling. It caused the back of the phone to expand. I googled this and saw where other 3GS phone cases cracked, glass fronts came off, and some even exploded (battery exploded). I took it to an Apple store and they would only replace the battery for $150. An authorized Apple repair center told me to go to another Apple store ASAP because the expansion of the battery causing the hard plastic case to expand around the battery (very visible) indicated that the battery was seriously swelling and could explode. (the case seemed expand over a period of only a few days after noticing a dark spot on the screen, the first sign of the battery swelling) I took the phone to another Apple store and they acknowledged a battery problem and offered to sell me a replacement phone for $80. The fact that batteries can explode after 2 - 3 years of use of a very expensive phone AND the fact that the manufacturer does not disclose this to consumers is egregious. They should issue a recall for all phones with this battery and replace the phones. This is a dangerous situation and Apple should not just sit by with a sketchy program to replace the phones only to those who scream loud enough or have the insight to take the phone to less busy stores that are more service oriented. What if the phone exploded in my pocket or my hand? People are using older phones either as phones or ipods so they’re not being quickly retired. I tried to find some information on Apple’s website and the only thing I found was in the user support community where a few people - in the US and abroad - had registered incidents. I am fortunate to have learned of the problem before it became a hazard.
- Model
- iPhone 3GS 16GB White for ATT, MC136LL/
A - UPC
- 85909 31776
- Serial number
- 88010ZDP3NQ
- Bought from
- ATT Store
- Bought
- Mar 22, 2010
- Where
- Dallas, Texas: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Unknown
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Unspecified
- As this report names them
- Brand Apple, made or sold by Apple Inc.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
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No one hurt Made Dec 2, 2012, sent to the company Dec 19, 2012, published by CPSC Jan 7, 2013
The product, in the report: Iphone 3GS 32 gig version battery
My Iphone 3gs 32 gig battery swelled and exploded the phone from the inside.
- Model
- Iphone 3GS 32 Gigabyte Battery
- Bought from
- AT&T
- Bought
- Oct 1, 2009, about then
- Where
- Arlington, Texas: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Age 49, Male
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand Apple, made or sold by Apple Inc.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
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No one hurt Made Sep 26, 2012, sent to the company Oct 4, 2012, published by CPSC Oct 19, 2012
The product, in the report: MacBook Pro Battery busted twice in three years.
I bought a MacBook Pro in the year 2007. The battery busted in the year 2009. I reported the incidence to both Apple and your agency. Apple folks gave me a new battery and took away the old battery. I got a call from you folks and the lady told me I should not have given the bursted battery to Apple.
A week ago, this happened again. I was working on my laptop. The computer made a sound “ Bhum” and jumped out of the table. I got scared but after few minutes, I opened the back and found the battery had blown. Than God there was no fire.
- Model
- MacBook Pro
- Serial number
- W87243LPXA9
- Bought from
- 2009
- Bought
- Jan 1, 2007, about then
- Where
- Fresh Meadows, New York: Other Public Property/
Office - Who was involved
- Unspecified
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Unspecified
- As this report names them
- Brand Apple, made or sold by Apple Inc.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
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No one hurt Made Jul 21, 2012, sent to the company Aug 15, 2012, published by CPSC Aug 29, 2012
The product, in the report: Laptop battery
I have a Macbook air from Apple. The battery inside the laptop is swelling and it’s about to explode. I red a lot of complains from people from all of the world that the batteries on macbook air from Year 2008 have exploded. Apple customer support doesn’t want to acknowledge the problem teling people that his is normal after the life span of the battery is over. I have several laptops 5-6 years old from other companies, non of them have swollen battery. How in the world exploded battery can be normal thing. You have thousands of kids using these laptops and the battery inside is like a small bomb. It can explode at any time.
- Bought from
- online
- Where
- MENTONE, California: Unspecified
- Who was involved
- Unknown
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Unspecified
- As this report names them
- Brand Apple, made or sold by Apple Inc.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
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Hurt, no treatment Made May 19, 2012, sent to the company May 29, 2012, published by CPSC Jun 12, 2012
The product, in the report: Apple BAttery Laptop macbook Pro 17” battery
My apple laptop battery started to swell may 17 2012 after just over a year of service. The battery stills works fine and indicates 90% performance and charges fine. The battery started swelling even more the next morning. I called apple and they said i had to make an appointment to be able to bring it in and evening was soonest possible. By the evening the battery was even more swollen and giving off a foul chemical gas smell but still indicated perfect charge. the aluminum case was so swollen though by this point. The person helping me at the store looked at the battery and said it was intentional that the battery does that if it malfunctions. Well the battery was performing fine apart from giving off gas and now exposing dangerous sharp aluminum as I was about to find out. The person saying it was intentional to swell the battery and set it on the counter and said he couldnt do anything as the battery was now out of warranty. I picked up the battery and tried to show him how the battery was giving off gas and this was not how any battery should perform and that is when just by touching the battery where it has swollen apart cut my finger on the razor sharp surface now exposed due to “the intentional swelling apple designed into the battery”This swelling now exposed a razor sharp surface. There was blood all over the counter and battery and the guy didnt even care as ’[REDACTED]’ said “well Im also working on someone elses computer here while im helping you”and this was in response to me asking for a tissue to wipe the blood and for the cut. This is the result of booking an appointment not even 100% attention for the appointment. He finally went to get a tissue after my insisting. He then called a manager “[REDACTED]-senior manager - woodland mall”so he could brush me off. Appointment was at 7:45pm May18,2012. This is not what someone should expect from a product that still functions fine that it becomes a dangerous household item that becomes hazardous with gases and sharp surfaces.
- Model
- MAcbook Pro 17” serial number of laptop ‘W8725520x94’
- Serial number
- 6n921046z9da
- Bought from
- Private party
- Bought
- Aug 23, 2011
- Where
- Grand Rapids, Michigan: Other Public Property/
Office - Who was involved
- Age 47, Male
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand Apple Macintosh Battery Laptop macbook Pro 17”, made or sold by Apple Inc.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Injury, No First Aid or Medical Attention Received
-
No one hurt Made Feb 7, 2012, sent to the company Feb 14, 2012, published by CPSC Feb 29, 2012
The product, in the report: Apple Iphone 3gs battery
I have an Apple iphone 3gs that is approximately 2 years old that was plugged into my one month old apple imac over night. The next day the phone case was cracked and the screen pushed out of the phone due to a swelling battery. The possibility of this battery exploding and burning down my house concerns me. I have googled this problem and have found many other people recently having this problem with the battery swelling on these devices. Please take notice of this issue as apple has had other products with battery problems and offers recalls to get these faulty products out of the hands of consumers but not this one yet it seems.
- Model
- 3GS
- Serial number
- 88932UZP3NQ
- Bought from
- Apple Store
- Bought
- Aug 15, 2009
- Where
- Loxahatchee, Florida: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Unspecified
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand Apple Iphone, made or sold by Apple Inc.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
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No one hurt Made Jan 12, 2012, sent to the company Jan 20, 2012, published by CPSC Feb 10, 2012
The product, in the report: White 12” iBook battery
My Apple iBook’s battery has overheated and was impossibly hot to touch. I tested the temperature with a laser thermometer, and it was undulating between 78 and 80°C hot. I contacted Apple Inc, they said they would call me back, meanwhile they told me to not use it. With my experience in computers, this temperature is quite abnormal in li-ion batteries.
- Model
- iBook
- Bought from
- Apple.com
- Bought
- Mar 1, 2008, about then
- Where
- 95670, California: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Age 18, Female
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand Apple, made or sold by Apple Inc.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
-
No one hurt Made Nov 5, 2011, sent to the company Nov 15, 2011, published by CPSC Nov 30, 2011
The product, in the report: Apple Macbook pro bought in 2008 serial number w88170021sg has a battery that has exploded and is leaking fluids. Before the battery exploded it got so hot that it left a burn mark on a table. The battery serial number is 6N8143XMZ9DA
Apple Macbook pro bought in 2008 serial number w88170021sg has a battery that has exploded and is leaking fluids. Before the battery exploded it got so hot that it left a burn mark on a table. The battery serial number is 6N8143XMZ9DA
- Model
- apple
- Serial number
- 6N8143XMZ9DA
- Bought from
- apple
- Bought
- Nov 4, 2008
- Where
- sandwich, Massachusetts: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Age 51, Male
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- made or sold by Apple Inc.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
-
No one hurt Made Oct 20, 2011, sent to the company Oct 28, 2011, published by CPSC Nov 21, 2011
The product, in the report: Apple MacBook Pro 17-inch widescreen notebook’s OEM/stock Apple Rechargeable Battery
I bought two Apple MacBook Pro 17-inch laptops (Macintosh) for personal and office use.
Both of these computers came with the standard OEM factory parts, including the Apple-branded rechargeable lithium ion battery, as it should.
What should NOT happen is the following: In the 2 years of owning them, I have always exercised safe and very gentle operating and maintenance of the computers (I BABY THEM; I know how sensitive and delicate electronics can be, plus I never want to get even a scratch on the nice aluminum body).
I followed all the guidelines in the printed and electronic documentation included with the computers (including the user guide/manual). I always have and always do.
HOWEVER I noticed one day that the trackpad (built in touch pad) was difficult to operate and sometimes clicking was especially difficult. Soon I felt the computer was rocking back and forth. So I looked underneath and saw that the rechargeable battery had expanded/swollen out of its “normal” size. I knew something was wrong so I took it in to the “genius” bar at the Apple Store in Santa Monica, California (Third Street Promenade), where they brushed this incident off as “normal” and “the battery does that when it is consumed and no longer works. Time to buy a new battery.” I replied that the battery still holds a solld 3 to 4 hour charge, and that System Profiler reports the battery status as “Normal” as far as charge-holding and discharging capacity. It was working fine for what it was made for, but not working fine as far as my computer’s keyboard and trackpad operation. They suggested I spend $142 on a new battery (129 + 10.25% Tax). Or buy a bulk packaged battery from the genius bar for “only” $100. I denied their sales pitch and said that this was a manufacturing defect, and that I was worried it might further expand and burst. “Isn’t this a health and safety issue? can’t this cause a fire, and therefore possible damage and even death?” They didn’t know what to say. I repeated that I would like a replacement free of charge for this manufacturing defect. They said no. So I left and continued to use the computer. The battery held a charge just fine. Well the next morning I came to my Office and the battery had indeed burst open, spewing some kind of chemical/gook all over my desk. It smelled like burning metal. I took it back to the genius bar, and they again said this was normal and that Apple is not responsible for it. Because my computer was “out of warranty” they felt they had no need to replace the now exploded Apple battery.
A couple months later, I removed the Apple battery from my other 17-inch MacBook Pro, as I was leaving town for a couple weeks and feared a repeat of it blowing up in my house, possibly burning down the building. I placed in on my office desk and when I came back from my trip, amazingly, the removed battery had somehow swollen up to the point of bursting the metal battery casing apart. No goo/liquid escaped this time, but the product was clearly unusable. I can see the cells inside bloated up. This is clearly not normal. This is a manufacturing defect that Apple is trying to cover up. If you google the phrase “Apple MacBook Pro Battery exchange” or even “Apple Macintosh PowerBook battery recall fires”, you will see a lot of this happening in the past, and you’ll see that up until 2008 or 2009, Apple admitted fault in their OEM laptop/notebook batteries, and said there is a risk of fire. They offered to replace such batteries for certain models/years, free of charge, no questions ask, regardless of Warranty status. This program for MacBook Pros (same model year as mine) is now closed. you can see the page still on Apple.com if you search the above. But they knew about the issues and HAD a recall, but ONLY for 15-inch MacBook Pros (as opposed to my 17-inch MB Pro), and they decided that they weren’t responsible for any of them explooding, burning, catching fires, possibly destroying homes and possibly claiming human lives. Why? They fessed up before!
I called AppleCare (Customer Relations) and they interviewed me with a barrage of questions, it felt like a court deposition. They said they’d get back to me on what their “engineers find.” I said okay, but never heard back from them. I called and left several kind but persistant messages. No callback, no reply, no replacement battery. No apology for possibly burning my house down while i slept.
APPLE, YOU NEED TO DO THE RIGHT THING LEGALLY, MORALLY, and BEYOND.
REPLACE ALL SWOLLEN BATTERIES FOR FREE WITHOUT HASSLE.
DON’T LET THESE “normal” BATTERIES EXPLODE ON ANYONE ELSE.
Apple should issue a RECALL and offer one of their EXTENSION REPAIR PROGRAMS on their site apple.com and/or issue a full refund to owners who have already been FORCED to buy a new battery from Apple at almost $150 after tax per battery.
I thank you, APPLE COMPUTERS INC., for correcting this mistake in all fairness, and in accordance with U.S. Consumer Protection Laws.
- Bought from
- Private sale, used
- Where
- Santa Monica, California: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Age 31, Male
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand Apple, made or sold by Apple Inc.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
-
No one hurt Made Aug 6, 2011, published by CPSC Aug 29, 2011
The product, in the report: MacBook Rechargeable Battery (Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China) Model Number A1280; Serial Number 6N841U7413CB
I have a MacBook laptop, which I purchased in early 2009. The laptop last year started to bulge a bit at its battery cover. Since it is a metal case, I thought that I had bent the bottom of the laptop when picking it up. However, two weeks ago, I noticed the bulge had grown quite a lot and my trackpad (mouse) would not click. So, I removed the MacBook Rechargeable Battery (model number A1280) and found that it had swollen substantially. When I replaced the cover without the battery, the laptop was working perfectly.
The laptop and battery are out of warranty because of age. However, the battery still holds a charge of a number of hours, and it has only reached around 270 cycles, which is less than the 300 cycle life. The swelling seems to be a manufacturing defect, as the battery still works.
So, I took the battery and laptop to an Apple Store (in SoHo, Manhattan, New York). The specialist looked at it and said the battery had outlived its useful life and I would have to pay a hundred dollars to replace it. When I protested that the battery was within its cycle life and still held a charge, the lady told me that rechargeable batteries swell, indicating their life is over. I protested again, she insisted I buy a new battery so I can use the laptop without being plugged into a wall. I again refused, and she gave me the battery back. Of course, I am not using a potentially dangerous, swollen battery.
My battery’s information: Serial Number 6N841U7413CB; Model Number A1280
I researched the problem, and have found numerous other complaints about the battery swelling, with different results. Mine is simply swollen. Some swell until they break open, exposing the individual cells. Others overheat.
http://store.apple.com/us/reviews/MA458LL/A
http://www.cultofmac.com/apple-service-rep-swollen-macbook-battery-“normal”/77201
- Model
- MacBook Recharbeable Battery, Model # A1280
- Serial number
- 6N841U7413CB
- Bought from
- Apple Store
- Bought
- Jan 1, 2009, about then
- Where
- New York, New York: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Unspecified
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Unspecified
- As this report names them
- Brand Apple, made or sold by Apple Inc.
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
CPSC’s disclaimer
Disclaimer: CPSC does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of the Publicly Available Consumer Product Safety Information Database on SaferProducts.gov, particularly with respect to information submitted by people outside of CPSC.
Word for word, from the disclaimer in CPSC’s export.
Sources
Sources
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U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, SaferProducts.gov public database export.
Released Oct 25, 2026 and checked Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work). CPSC asks to be credited, and that no endorsement be implied.
Reports of harm are from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), on SaferProducts.gov. CPSC does not endorse Hearth Record.