Surface Pro 3 battery degradation

Anonymous
2016-05-11T07:37:37+00:00

I've been using Microsoft Surface Pro 3 for a year, and shortly after the warranty expired I noticed my Surface Pro 3 can only last about 1-2 hours after a full charge. At first I thought this was a problem with background process draining the battery so I disabled everything running in the background. It didn't helped. Then I found out about the powercfg utility and run powercfg /batteryreport on it, and this was the result:

A full charge capacity has degraded by over 80% in just few weeks and continue degrading. I tried to "recalibrate" the battery by doing full charge then full drain multiple times, and it didn't helped. Talk with Microsoft via chat support and they insist this was a software problem and reinstalled the driver and asked me to wait few days to see if things improve. Not only it didn't improved, but now my Surface can only last 30 minutes.

Few days after chat (today), I called Microsoft support and they were being extremely unhelpful. Insist that this was a software problem (which the chat support person already did) and it's "perfectly normal" for battery capacity to degrade. I insist that I've already done the software "fixes" and it didn't work and tell them this is definitely hardware problem, but the person on the phone tell me there's nothing I could do except to order the out of warranty exchange (which cost about $560 in my local currency). 

Is there anything else I should do? My country has no Microsoft Store which I could take the machine for them to take a look. Phone/online support were the only option, and none of them could understand the issue.

Surface | Surface Pro | Power and battery

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2016-07-26T21:31:16+00:00

Hello everyone,

Thanks for your continued patience here. We have now completed our testing of the update and it has passed our quality assurance process.

The update, “System Firmware Update - 8/29/2016”, is now available to install from Windows Update.

Before installing this update, ensure that your Surface Pro 3 is plugged directly in to AC power using the standard AC power adapter (do not use the Surface Docking Station), disconnect any USB devices or external monitors, and check that Windows shows a 40% charge or greater when you hover over the icon in the taskbar before you begin.

Once you install the update, please select Restart now (do not shutdown). After your Surface restarts, please manually restart it a second time to complete the process. For more information, please see our Surface Pro 3 Battery FAQ article.

If you’re having trouble charging your Surface, you get a low-battery error, or your Surface turns off when you unplug it, the steps in our Surface battery won’t charge article can help you pinpoint the problem. Should you need any further assistance, please contact us. 

Thanks again.

Greg

Updated 8/29/16.

Was this answer helpful?

100+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

1,459 additional answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2016-07-31T15:01:33+00:00

    depending on the Store and who you talk to (ask for a manager) if you explain

    the situation and say you are traveling and point them at this thread and say

    you have a need to use on battery they MAY exchange for a refurb.

    >>will they fix the battery issue?

    __________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Barb

    MVP-Windows and Devices for IT

    My Blog - http://digitalmediaphile.com/

    Please mark as answered if this answers your question

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2016-07-31T14:30:13+00:00

    I would not make the drive in hopes that they will fix it for you for free unless you are completely unable to do your work because of this issue and are prepared to pay out of pocket to have a working device. I did not find the store the least bit willing to work with me on this issue despite the fact that it had a completely dead battery barely 2 months out of warranty. I paid because I had no other option.

    If you do go, show them this thread as proof MS is aware of the issue, but I would bet they will tell you to wait for a fix or official announcement from Microsoft. Getting any money back from them after the fact will probably prove impossible.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2016-07-31T14:22:35+00:00

    I may have to do the same thing; the closest Microsoft Store is 70 miles away. I'm wondering if I do make the drive to the MS Store, will they fix the battery issue? My Surface is registered so not sure if there's anything else that needs to be done.

    How can a company that has been around as long as MS with the market impact they have create such a fiasco? Now looking at other brand tablets/laptops.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2016-07-31T14:04:57+00:00

    I continue to hope that Microsoft will actually do something for owners who have already paid out of pocket for this issue, but my experience in dealing with their customer service for this issue earlier in the year has me pretty skeptical we will ever see anything more than the barest of acknowledgement that this issue even exists. Frankly I would not be surprised if we never see another response from MS regarding this issue while they hope this thread dies quietly. It took me over a week of dealing with MS phone and email support before they could even give me a straightforward answer as to how I could even get the device replaced. I ended up driving 150 miles round trip to the nearest store which was my only option to get a replacement without sending my work computer into the black hole that is their customer service center.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments