PowerBook G4 Double-Layer SuperDrive Special Report: Faulty batteries

CNET staff

Sept. 2, 2009 8:26 a.m. PT

3 min read

We've received reports from a number of users indicating that their new PowerBook G4 Double-Layer SuperDrive models were shipped with faulty battery units.

In some cases, the batteries fail within a few seconds or minutes of the unit being disconnected from external power, despite the battery indicating a full charge and being measured at normal capacity with a shareware utility like Battorox.

MacFixIt reader Richard Baskett writes:

"I am having a serious problem with the new 15" PowerBook (Double-Layer SuperDrive). I have only had the laptop for about a month now and only using it once in awhile at this point and the other day I unplugged the wall charger and the computer shutdown.. I can not run off the battery at all now. If I try to bootup, I hear the first part of the bootup chime and then boom, silence. I went to the apple forums and saw quite a lot of people with the same issue. Apple is going to send me a new battery so hopefully that will fix it."

One MacFixIt reader who wishes to remain anonymous reports that out of a batch of ten new PowerBooks, four had battery problems.

The reader writes:

"I just wanted to give you some input. I work for a major university and we purchased ten new model 15" Powerbook G4's. They arrived today. Out of the ten we ordered, Four of them had battery problems. Three of them had batteries that would not charge and remained at 0% even after being plugged in properly for several hours; The fourth's battery died within 20 minutes of being unplugged. I can't imagine that Apple would have shipped these units without testing them first. Someone must have been asleep in quality control when these batteries passed through."

MacFixIt reader Maurice Matiz adds:

"I had the same problem with my new PowerBook G4. I tried all the possible resets to get the computer and battery to understand each other, but all failed. The symptom is the computer sees a fully charged battery, the battery is fully charged, but then it drops to 0% charge on the battery monitor when power is removed. Computer goes to sleep within five seconds. Curiously, I was able to awaken the computer but only if I plugged in power and used the power button. No other key would awake the system.

"Under certain circumstances which I could not reliably duplicate, the system and the battery worked fine. Each time that happened, I had hopes that everything would be fine. Luckily for me, we bought two units. The second unit had a strange keyboard failure where it would get stuck with the space bar sending characters. Apple replaced that unit, but before it was sent back, I switch batteries and now I am fine. So, it had to be something with my original battery."

One MacFixIt reader corroborates reports that using a compatible battery from an older PowerBook provides a temporary stopgap solution:

"My battery failed within 5 days of purchase. Failing all PMU resets and battery tests, I replace the brand new battery with my old extra G4 powerbook battery and it functioned perfectly. Am now awaiting a replacement batter from Apple."

Brad Reimer adds:

"Put me down as another PowerBook G4 Dual Layer SuperDrive owner who has experienced a dead battery that Apple has to replace. Frustrating..."

In addition, some users have actually reported that using a compatible battery from an older PowerBook G4 model results in normal uptime, where the new, in some cases defective battery fails.

Users experiencing this problem may want to try resetting their PMU before resorting to an Apple replacement request, as described in our tutorial "Maintaining and restoring your PowerBook/iBook battery."

Most users who have already had their batteries replaced by Apple are no longer experiencing the problem.

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