Twenty minutes of runtime, a computer that dies the moment you unplug it, or — the serious case — a trackpad that no longer clicks and a bulging base.
If the battery is swollen, stop using it and do not charge it. That is not our caution: it is what the makers write in their service manuals.
Free diagnostics, and a swollen battery gets an early slot.
Dell devotes a section of its service manuals to handling swollen lithium-ion batteries. Discharge before removal; «if a battery gets stuck in a device as a result of swelling, do not try to free it»; «do not attempt to reassemble a damaged or swollen battery into a laptop»; and «using a non-Dell or incompatible battery may increase the risk of fire or explosion».
iFixit's official page says the same and adds the method. Never use or charge a device with a swollen battery; «run the battery down as low as you can — this reduces the risk of fire»; goggles and gloves, ventilated space, plastic tools only, never puncture or bend; isopropyl alcohol to release adhesive; stop at once if smell, heat or smoke increase.
Where the old battery goes is not a detail. Neither Dell nor iFixit allows household waste: certified recycling only. We dispose of it that way, at no extra cost.
On current laptops the battery is internal and screwed down — HP's manual prescribes removing three screws that secure it — so the base has to come off. We discharge before disassembly, which official guides prescribe even for healthy batteries.
| Swollen battery | priority job: not to be used or charged |
|---|---|
| Mounting | internal and screwed on current models, clip-out on older ones |
| Part origin | original or compatible — makers warn about non-original cells |
| Collateral damage | a swollen pack presses on the trackpad and can deform the base |
| Charging port condition | if it was not charging, the battery may not be the cause |
| Disposal | certified recycling, included in the service |
The factors that actually move the cost of this job. They are not our rules: they depend on how the manufacturer supplies the part, and they are checked at the diagnosis stage before anything is ordered.
ElectrONIK Lab is an independent workshop: it is not an authorised service centre and is not affiliated with the manufacturers. The trademarks named here belong to their respective owners and are used only to identify the devices we work on. Your statutory consumer rights towards whoever carries out the repair are unaffected.
Free diagnostics, a clear quote and the part chosen by you.