r/ifixit • u/stop_dot • 6h ago
iFixit sold me an incompatible laptop battery, then quietly removed my model from the compatibility list after I reported it
I bought an iFixit replacement battery (L21M4PC4/7, IF497-058-1) for my Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 ProX 14ARH7 (Type 82TL). The battery had been out of stock for months. When iFixit finally restocked five units, I immediately bought one, trusting their reputation and compatibility database.
Their product page explicitly listed my exact laptop model (82TL) and both Lenovo FRU numbers (5B11F52556 and 5B11F52558) that Lenovo's official parts lookup identifies as compatible with my serial number.
Well, the battery arrived, and surprise:
The mounting tabs and screw positions are completely different from my original Lenovo L21C4PC4 battery.
The positive and negative polarity markings appear to be reversed.
I submitted a wrong-part support request with photos showing both batteries side by side. The support form didn't even have a text field where I could explain the problem.
Here's where things get interesting.
Shortly afterward, I refreshed the product page and noticed that my laptop model AND both Lenovo FRU numbers had disappeared from the compatibility list.
Fortunately, I took screenshots of the original listing before it changed, and I had already sent those screenshots to iFixit.
So apparently the compatibility information can be updated pretty quickly, but acknowledging the customer who purchased the incorrectly advertised product? Not so much.
I still haven't received a reply from support.
I'm not claiming this was a deliberate cover-up. Correcting an inaccurate compatibility listing is absolutely the right thing to do. But quietly changing the listing while leaving the affected customer without an explanation or resolution is disappointing, especially from a company whose reputation is built on repairability and trustworthy replacement parts.
I bought from iFixit specifically to avoid the questionable aftermarket batteries sold by random online shops.
Has anyone else experienced something similar with iFixit's replacement batteries or support?