Chosen Solution
Hello mates! I was cleaning my MacBook and found this “scratch” on my MacBook battery. I don’t know how long it does exist or maybe I just did it right now when I was opening everything but I wanted to ask you if it’s safe to use it this way or I need to run and replace it as soon as I can. There are no bumps or anything like that; the shape and size are perfect just to clarify.
The safest solution would be to have the battery replaced, as there is an increased risk of a thermal event, expansion, or chemical leakage now that the battery has been damaged / possibly punctured. Signs of danger include chemical smells emanating from the battery, any abnormal expansion of the battery, and/or excessive heat. If you notice any of these things, follow these guidelines: What to do with a swollen battery That being said, I have seen similar damage on other batteries which did not cause problems with use later on. In those cases, though, I believe the damage was only topical and the battery cells had not been punctured. Proceed with caution!
It just looks like a issue where the adhesive used to build the pack has failed (and the wrap has come off), but it hasn’t developed LiPo airbags. It’s probably fine to use, but you are taking a bit of a chance in doing so. If you are going to chance it, at least watch it charge a few times, and make a decision. If you aren’t willing to take that chance, DO NOT mention you opened it and take it to Apple for a new palmrest assembly - they do not do just the battery in these, so it could get expensive. What I would do in this case is use that to argue down the manager into making a fully covered exception, or split the cost to make it bearable.
