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Released June 2012 / Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost / Up to 1 GB GDDR5 Video RAM

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2012 Unibody MacBook Pro randomly instantaneously shuts off

Sometimes runs for hours on AC power, sometimes can’t get through ram check chime before rebooting. Eventually OS reported “battery poor, replace now” even though it reports over 7200 mah charge. At start of issue testing, I’m almost certain battery health was good since it was the first thing I checked. Additionally the battery indicator LEDs were 5 for 5. Now blink all 5 (assume this is error, and not discharged battery indicator).

Disconnected battery and attempted to run off AC. I have done this successfully before when testing trackpad alignment issue when the original battery was swelling a couple of years ago. (Now on 2nd NuTech battery which is now just over 1 year old.) will not run off AC power alone. Based on premature failures of 2(?) Nutech batteries and current symptoms, I suspect the DC in power module to be failing. Is this diagnosis correct? What are the symptoms of a failing DC in power module besides the obvious no charge/power indicator from the adapter associated with total failure?

Charge indicator is green with or without battery installed. When this issue began yesterday morning, I was getting a charging (amber) indicator when appropriate.

Is there a better diagnosis I’m missing? Is there anything besides the logic board, DC in power module, and battery in the equation? I have tested with 3 different 85W power adapters but honestly do not suspect they are the issue.

One other really odd anomaly while testing the first day— just once the laptop screen shut off and would not turn back on. Initially I thought it was another complete instaneous shutdown, but in a darkened room I noticed keyboard backlight on. I was able to ping, attempt ssh (had disabled remote login somehow), and SMB to laptop for an hour before rebooting which fixed screen issue but immediately completely shutdown again after reboot and login.

I even tested a clean 10.13 system recovery installation on second drive in early testing, but symptons persist with slightly longer up interval— likely due to less activity loading login items since my favorite helper apps are not setup on this installation.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

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New battery arrived today. Unfortunately it did not resolve the issue.

Before it usually booted long enough to get to the login screen at least. Sometimes ran for an hour or more before shutting off.

Once I connected the new battery it will not respond to power button at all— no chime, wake/sleep LED doesn’t light. Magsafe LED still constant green.

Tried SMC reset. Tried simply holding power button for 10 seconds with charger disconnected and then connecting. Tried removing one, then the other memory dimm. No success.

continued....

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At this point I’m wondering if (logic board?) continued to degrade while I waited on a battery. Admittedly I did not try the old battery today before installing new battery so I don’t have any statu *just before* installing new battery.

Yesterday I had tried to boot into Target Disk mode. It did boot— intermittently rebooting almost immediately or a few times stayed on in Target Disk mode for a few minutes, but not long enough to even attempt migrating.

Any ideas?

Thanks

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Sorry no, your battery is gone! The blinking battery checker LEDs is telling you you’ve hit the cycle limit of the battery About the battery indicator lights on MacBook (13-inch, Aluminum, Late 2008) and MacBook Pro (Late 2008 and later) & Determine battery cycle count for Mac notebooks

Time for a new battery

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Thanks for the reply.

I do have a replacement battery en route but due to the weekend and ground shipping for lithium batteries, it will be about a week. However that doesn’t explain it not running with battery disconnected. This technique has worked in previous testing a couple of years ago with this MBP for trackpad adjustments.

I hoped not to wait a week+ only to find I needed to order the DC in module after all and incur another lengthy wait. This is my primary computer.

Additionally the cycle number on the battery is pretty low. I’m not able to acess the screenshots I took of Coconut battery but IIRC it was than 100 (battery is only 1 year old). No swelling, etc. indicating a damaged battery.

Does anyone have experience with failing DC in power modules other than complete failure? Could that explain what I’m seeing?

Thanks

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P.S. I’m not sure what the protocol is here. I hesitate to mark the answer as not helpful as it was nice to get a reply, but it doesn’t appear to apply to my situation as discussed above.

Also the advice could be helpful to someone reading this thread as a bad battery is the most likely failure mode in most cases IMO. It’s just that I believe I have eliminated it as the only cause.

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It would have been helpful from the get go here's how Adding images to an existing question

Given what you stated and my experience, I still think one of your problems is your battery.

You may have a second issue within the logic board but its one of things you need to first go after the low hanging fruit before you reach for the fruit above.

If the battery is really in good shape then you have a logic board issue within SMC logic. Did you have a liquid spill at some point onto the keyboard or trackpad? Do you tend to wipe down your system by spraying a cleaner directly on the keys/trackpad and then wipe it up?

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No spills in at least 3 years, so I can’t rule out liquid damage but it seems unlikely for the current issue. I cleaned the logic board after spill to prevent corrosion.

I clean the screen with LCD wipes and keyboard/palmrest lid area with lens wipes so I doubt that is a contributing factor.

Based on your last, I assume the power module is unlikely to be the issue and your experience indicates the logic board is likely failing. Fingers crossed that battery fixes it then.

Thanks again.

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