Airpods Max stopped working

[DekuBleep]

I am not sure what the issue is. They will not connect to any of my devices. I have had them since they first came out. I ordered them on the first day within minutes of when they were available. I've been using them every day since then...

Two days ago they were not connecting to my iPhone. So I disconnected them and did a reset to factory settings. Then they worked OK until yesterday. Then yesterday again I couldn't get them to connect to my iPhone, so I disconnected them and did a reset to factory settings.

But now since then they will not connect to my iPhone or any other devices at all.

So I do a reset to factory settings by holding both buttons on the AirPods Max and waiting until the light flashes amber and then flashes white. And then for some reason, my Phone says "these are not your AirPods max do you want to connect to them anyway" and I say "Yes".

And then my iPhone remembers the old name I had for them and says they are connected in the Bluetooth settings. But the AirPods will not receive music or any sounds from my phone. As soon as I turn the music on the AirPods Max disconnect.

After that nothing that I do will allow me to hear music on the AirPods Max. They don't connect to any of my devices. They also went from 93% charge to 40% charge while sitting in their case overnight last night disconnected from anything. I didn't drop them or anything like that. I have no idea what caused this... the only thing I did recently was that I updated my iPhone to iOS15.

I checked and I am running the latest AirPods Max firmware.

Any advice? What should I do? Thanks!

 

[chabig]

That sounds weird. If you are near an Apple store I would make a Genius appointment. If not, call Apple support and see what they can do.

 

[DekuBleep]

That sounds weird. If you are near an Apple store I would make a Genius appointment. If not, call Apple support and see what they can do.

Thanks! I made a Genius appointment for Friday. But Friday feels like a long time away. These Genius bar appointments are all booked up before Friday...

 

[chabig]

Friday does seem like a long way away, but I understand why the Geniuses would be busy following the iPhone launch. I don't have AirPods Pro, but your problem description sounds like hardware might be involved. You've taken he usual steps–resetting the headphones, and tried with multiple devices. This might be a case where you'll just have to be patient and wait for Apple. If they misbehave in the store as you describe I bet you'll walk out with a new pair.

 

[DekuBleep]

Friday does seem like a long way away, but I understand why the Geniuses would be busy following the iPhone launch. I don't have AirPods Pro, but your problem description sounds like hardware might be involved. You've taken he usual steps–resetting the headphones, and tried with multiple devices. This might be a case where you'll just have to be patient and wait for Apple. If they misbehave in the store as you describe I bet you'll walk out with a new pair.

I hope so... and I hope they don't try to tell me that I dropped them (which didn't happen) or something like that... and that I need to buy a replacement pair for some slightly reduced price.

 

[TorontoSS]

I hope so... and I hope they don't try to tell me that I dropped them (which didn't happen) or something like that... and that I need to buy a replacement pair for some slightly reduced price.

i hope they got fixed. Any update on what the issue turned out to be?

 

[DekuBleep]

i hope they got fixed. Any update on what the issue turned out to be?

Yeah, I went to the Genius Bar on Friday. They couldn't get them to pair, they didn't offer me a new pair of APM. They said it needed to be sent out to their repair facility, and they took them from me, and they said I would get them back on Tuesday, October 5. The Apple Genius said that as long as they didn't find any water inside my APM or any evidence of tampering then they would be repaired or replaced.

I also called Apple yesterday, Wednesday, and asked them what is the situation. They confirmed that my APM were received at the repair facility on October 2, they said that the repair facility is behind schedule, and they told me that the technicians had already begun working on them at the repair facility. (I didn't think that they were going to do brain surgery on my APM, so I am surprised it is taking this long if they did indeed already start working on them.)

This is what the repair website still looks like right now:

I wonder if FedEx will just knock on my door tomorrow or over the weekend with my APM and that web page will never be updated? Or will I have to call Apple back tomorrow or over the weekend to ask for an update? That is all I know at the moment. I miss my APM.

Oh, then when I was in the Apple Store, I also spend $60 on two years of AppleCare+ for my APM. I needed to buy it on the spot because they told me that you can only buy it with the original serial number. It covers two cases of accidental damage per year with a $29 replacement fee. They said that after the two years is up then I will be able to maintain coverage for a few dollars a month for up to five years from my date of purchase. I figured if this happened then I should probably get the AppleCare+. That's my update! Still waiting for my APM! Using my old Beats Studio 3's while I wait...

 

[TorontoSS]

Yeah, I went to the Genius Bar on Friday. They couldn't get them to pair, they didn't offer me a new pair of APM. They said it needed to be sent out to their repair facility, and they took them from me, and they said I would get them back on Tuesday, October 5. The Apple Genius said that as long as they didn't find any water inside my APM or any evidence of tampering then they would be repaired or replaced.

I also called Apple yesterday, Wednesday, and asked them what is the situation. They confirmed that my APM were received at the repair facility on October 2, they said that the repair facility is behind schedule, and they told me that the technicians had already begun working on them at the repair facility. (I didn't think that they were going to do brain surgery on my APM, so I am surprised it is taking this long if they did indeed already start working on them.)

This is what the repair website still looks like right now:

I wonder if FedEx will just knock on my door tomorrow or over the weekend with my APM and that web page will never be updated? Or will I have to call Apple back tomorrow or over the weekend to ask for an update? That is all I know at the moment. I miss my APM.

Oh, then when I was in the Apple Store, I also spend $60 on two years of AppleCare+ for my APM. I needed to buy it on the spot because they told me that you can only buy it with the original serial number. It covers two cases of accidental damage per year with a $29 replacement fee. They said that after the two years is up then I will be able to maintain coverage for a few dollars a month for up to five years from my date of purchase. I figured if this happened then I should probably get the AppleCare+. That's my update! Still waiting for my APM! Using my old Beats Studio 3's while I wait...

I think it was smart buying AppleCare+ - you were able to do that on your purchase even though it was after 60 days? if you were, then great! I also bought it for my APM recently because there's so much computer stuff in here that it can easily break down for no real reason, as you've just experienced unfortunately!

I think the status they provide is pretty accurate to be frank so I don't think they're going to show up tomorrow. I hope they do though for your sake and I hope you find out what was causing all of this!

From the forums I've read, it seems Apple is less keen to just replace Airpods Max like they do with phones for example. They'd rather repair them. Maybe that's why it's taking so long, because normally Apple would just send a new pair back to you. I don't know. I can't think of anything else.

 

[DekuBleep]

I think it was smart buying AppleCare+ - you were able to do that on your purchase even though it was after 60 days? if you were, then great! I also bought it for my APM recently because there's so much computer stuff in here that it can easily break down for no real reason, as you've just experienced unfortunately!

I think the status they provide is pretty accurate to be frank so I don't think they're going to show up tomorrow. I hope they do though for your sake and I hope you find out what was causing all of this!

From the forums I've read, it seems Apple is less keen to just replace Airpods Max like they do with phones for example. They'd rather repair them. Maybe that's why it's taking so long, because normally Apple would just send a new pair back to you. I don't know. I can't think of anything else.

I mean for me, I know that the web page status is not accurate because I know that my APM have arrived at the Apple service center (I saw the FedEx delivery notification to the service center) and Apple claims that they already started my repair.

So what I was told about AppleCare+ is that you are able to buy it yourself within 60 days from within your Apple Device. After 60 days to buy AppleCare+ you have to bring your device in to be evaluated and after evaluation then you can buy AppleCare+ for example at an Apple Store. That is what I did. And now AppleCare+ can be had for up to five years from the purchase date of your device, which is nice. It was also nice that my AppleCare+ will now last for two years from the day I bought it, not from two years after the purchase date of my APM.

 

[DekuBleep]

Ok, I just got my AirPods Max back from their repair today, about a week later than expected and I am frustrated because they have a new big scratch/dent in one of the earcups.

They used to have a scratch, and that scratch is gone, but now there is a worse dent/scratch in the other earcup that wasn't previously there...

I put them on the charger and I haven't tried to pair them to my iPhone yet.

But besides that, does anyone know what these parts are that Apple says they repaired or replaced?

Thanks!

EDIT: Here is the picture of the dented, and scratched earcup. This is the way it came out of the box from my repair. Now I am on the phone with Apple again.

 

[Htsi]

Fascinating how this shoddy of a repair passes inspection.
they have changed atleast the right earcup from what I read. I’m not sure what the second part is, could be a new headband

if there was a scratch on the left cup, that is now gone, then could be everything changed except the headband

 

[TorontoSS]

oh wow that's a noticeable dent! I hope apple sorts this out for you.

 

[DekuBleep]

oh wow that's a noticeable dent! I hope apple sorts this out for you.

Thanks!

Yeah I spent 45 minutes on the phone with Apple yesterday, then we started emailing.... They are still trying to sort it out. They haven't gotten back to me yet from when I sent them the last email yesterday evening.

They basically wanted me to send them a picture and then they said they would replace or repair it. I'll try to call them again after work today if I haven't heard from them by then.

Fascinating how this shoddy of a repair passes inspection.
they have changed atleast the right earcup from what I read. I’m not sure what the second part is, could be a new headband

if there was a scratch on the left cup, that is now gone, then could be everything changed except the headband

Yeah there was a scratch on the left ear cup as in this thread that I made from January 2021:

How can I repair my scratched AirPods Max (pics inside)?

It's not that bad, I don't really mind it as I didn't get them for the appearance... and I have been wearing them basically a lot every day... but somehow I got a real scratch. Any recommended way to fix this at least a little bit?

forums.macrumors.com

Now there is no scratch on the left ear cup, but there is a bigger dent and two scratches inside the dent in the right ear cup.

Hopefully it get's fixed without my having to be another two weeks without my AirPods Max... I use them a lot every day.

 

[DekuBleep]

Well it looks like Apple is going to send me a brand new pair of replacement AirPods Max. I hope that I don't get a refurb... they just called it a "replacement". I can send back my old AirPods Max after I receive the new ones... that works for me too! I'll take it.

 

[Htsi]

Well it looks like Apple is going to send me a brand new pair of replacement AirPods Max. I hope that I don't get a refurb... they just called it a "replacement". I can send back my old AirPods Max after I receive the new ones... that works for me too! I'll take it.

If it’s in a white box, it’ll be a refurb but that’s the case for any warranty or AppleCare incident. You should not be worried, fresh headband who dis

 

[captain cadet]

As an apple genius once explained to me with iPhones, a replacement is made on the same line with the same parts with the same standards of a new iPhone, but is given a refurb serial number and a different box for consumer right reasons, as if they gave you a new serial number and unit, they'll have to give you a new warranty.

It's a good chance you'll have a new unit, but if its a refurb, it will be to the same specs as new, just reusing the internal circuit.

 

[Takeum]

Mine were personalized with writing on them and were returned with a different pair,,,never said anything about it after I complained,,,,2 nd set were brand new off the store shelf,,,,wondering what I’ll get this time round? Hopefully a pair that won’t break,,,,,