Representative photo. You receive the part named above.
iPod Classic 6th Generation 160GB Thick Battery Replacement
New · Model A1238
$45.90
Sold out
Not for sale right now
We are not selling this part at the moment.
- Condition: new replacement part
- 1-year limited warranty · 30-day returns from delivery
- Free pry tool in the box
- Completed repairs aren't refundable. If a part we fitted fails within a year, we repair it again.
Part details
About this part
Overview
Replacement battery for the original September 2007 thick-case iPod Classic 6th Generation 160GB. Use this listing for MB145LL/A or MB150LL/A only after confirming order number, rear-case depth, and basic dock or storage checks.
Fitment snapshot
A1238 is shared across Classic-family routes; verify order number and case depth before ordering.
Product Overview
If your search is ipod classic 160gb battery replacement, use this listing only for the original September 2007 thick-case 160GB iPod Classic route.
Apple rated the original 160GB 2007 Classic for about 40 hours of music playback and 7 hours of video playback when new; actual runtime after repair varies with battery age, storage condition, display use, and prior modifications.
Use this listing for weak runtime, a battery that will not charge, an iPod that will not turn on after a long charge attempt, or a swollen thick-case battery. If the main symptom is sync trouble, clicking storage, sad iPod, liquid damage, or a post-repair connector problem, check these before ordering.
Choose Your Option
This part comes in multiple variants. Confirm your iPod's capacity, case depth, and order number before ordering.
Use this linked battery option only for 80GB/120GB thin-case iPods and the order numbers shown here.
View this option →Choose this for the original 2007 160GB thick-case Classic with the 13.5 mm rear case and 616-0232 battery path.
You're viewing this optionUse this linked option only for a flash-storage build; the 2000mAh custom pack does not clear a stock hard drive.
View this option →What Is Included
Condition: New replacement part. Quantity and exclusions: The listed part, set, pair, or configuration above is supplied with exactly one plastic pry tool. No other parts, tools, adhesives, or materials are included unless they are explicitly listed above.
Fit and specs
Specifications & Fitment
Part Details
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Model Number | A1238 |
| EMC | EMC 2173 |
| Condition | New replacement battery |
| Battery Capacity | 850 mAh (replacement-cell rating; Apple did not publish the original capacity) |
| Device Storage | 160GB |
| Chemistry | Li-Ion |
| Voltage (Nominal) | 3.7V |
| Charge Voltage | 4.2V |
| Shutoff Voltage | Not settled — published figures range ~2.7–2.9 V |
| Connector | Brown latch battery ribbon |
| Soldering Required | No |
| OEM Part | 616-0232 |
Compatible Variants
| Order Number | Capacity | Color | Case | Compatible | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MB150LL/A | 160GB | Black | thick (0.53 in) | Yes— stock match | — |
| MB145LL/A | 160GB | Silver | thick (0.53 in) | Yes— stock match | — |
| MB147LL/A | 80GB | Black | thin (0.41 in) | No— wrong case depth | 80GB and 120GB thin models (MB029LL/A, MB147LL/A, MB562LL/A, MB565LL/A) - use thin battery 616-0229 Use Replacement Battery (Thin — 80GB / 120GB) instead. |
| MB029LL/A | 80GB | Silver | thin (0.41 in) | No— wrong case depth | 80GB and 120GB thin models (MB029LL/A, MB147LL/A, MB562LL/A, MB565LL/A) - use thin battery 616-0229 Use Replacement Battery (Thin — 80GB / 120GB) instead. |
| MB565LL/A | 120GB | Black | thin (0.41 in) | No— wrong case depth | 80GB and 120GB thin models (MB029LL/A, MB147LL/A, MB562LL/A, MB565LL/A) - use thin battery 616-0229 Use Replacement Battery (Thin — 80GB / 120GB) instead. |
| MB562LL/A | 120GB | Silver | thin (0.41 in) | No— wrong case depth | 80GB and 120GB thin models (MB029LL/A, MB147LL/A, MB562LL/A, MB565LL/A) - use thin battery 616-0229 Use Replacement Battery (Thin — 80GB / 120GB) instead. |
| MC297LL/A | 160GB (Late 2009) | Black | thin | No— wrong case depth | Thick part is not compatible with thin case — risk of LCD damage |
| MC293LL/A | 160GB (Late 2009) | Silver | thin | No— wrong case depth | Thick part is not compatible with thin case — risk of LCD damage |
Install and repair
Repair considerations
Run these checks before replacing the battery — they confirm the battery is the right fix and not a nearby fault:
- Let alcohol or liquid cleaning dry before power-up
- Stop charging a swollen or damaged pack, do not press the case or screen back down, and handle it as described in Battery Safety & Shipping below
- Try known-good cable, charger, USB port, or computer
Install Overview
Case opening difficulty
The metal case uses tight clips and scratches easily at the seam. Start with thin plastic opening tools; avoid using bare metal as the first pry tool.
Brown battery connector latch
The brown latch is fragile. Lift it straight up about 1 mm with angled tweezers or a plastic tool; do not push sideways or pry on the white connector edge.
Ribbons under the battery
Headphone jack and Hold button ribbon cables run under the battery area. Disconnect and free the rear-panel ribbons before lifting the battery aggressively.
Swollen battery safety
Do not puncture, bend, or compress a swollen lithium battery. Stop charging and recycle the old cell through an appropriate battery or e-waste drop-off.
Disassembly Guide
Disassembly guide summary: iPod Classic Battery Replacement.
Show all 24 installation steps
For safety, completely discharge the iPod before disassembly. This reduces dangerous thermal-event risk if the battery is accidentally damaged during repair. If the battery is swollen, take appropriate precautions. This iPod case is unusually hard to open without damaging major components. Its metal faceplate, metal backing, and thirteen metal clips make disassembly especially demanding. Caution: this opening method can significantly damage the iPod beyond its current condition. Keep a few extra plastic opening tools nearby, since they are easy to ruin while opening the case. Confirm that the hold switch is locked before you open the iPod.
Opening this iPod is challenging, so do not get discouraged if it takes a few tries. Watch the plastic opening tool tip angle as you insert it into the iPod; keep it as vertical as possible while still clearing the rear panel edge. Guide a plastic opening tool into the seam between the front and rear of the iPod.
Slide a second plastic opening tool into the seam between the iPod front and rear, keeping the two tools at least 1.5 inches apart.
Working at an angle, carefully slide a putty knife about 1/8 inch into the gap between the two opening tools. You will find thin metal rails running along the inside of the back panel, so work very carefully when inserting the putty knife. After the putty knife clears the rear panel lip, rotate it vertical and carefully but firmly work it straight down through the opening tool gap.
Press on the rear panel behind the putty knife with your fingers to reduce bending. Slowly flex the putty knife so most metal tabs along this side of the iPod release. The idea is to control how the rear panel bends instead of trying to prevent all bending. Any side bend should draw the rear panel lip away from the iPod, not push outward on the curved surface. This also releases as many side clips as possible.
Take the putty knife out, then place it closer to the iPod corner and use the same gentle wiggle method. If possible, do not bend the rear panel corner.
Between the lock slider and headphone jack, guide a plastic opening tool into the seam between the front and rear of the iPod. It may be easier to flex the putty knife downward carefully to create more room for the opening tool. Be careful not to bend the rear panel corner.
Near the display center, carefully slide a metal spudger into the gap made by the plastic opening tool. A visible bump can form here in the rear panel and is hard to repair. When levering the tab free, pivot the metal spudger on the rear panel edge instead of bending the rear panel outward. With the metal spudger, release the single clip at the iPod top edge.
Near the other top corner, insert an opening tool into the gap between the front and rear of the iPod
On the other side, insert an opening tool into the gap between the front and rear of the iPod. It may help to angle the opening tool stuck in the top corner to create enough of a gap.
Take out the plastic opening tool from the top corner and slide it into the seam between the front and rear of the device, leaving at least 1.5 inches of space between the 2 tools (as done on the other side).
Working at an angle, carefully slide a putty knife about 1/8 inch into the gap between the two opening tools. Again, you will find thin metal rails running along the inside of the back panel, so work very carefully when inserting the putty knife. After the putty knife passes the rear panel lip, turn it vertical and carefully but firmly work it straight down through the gap between the plastic opening tools. Press on the rear panel behind the putty knife with your fingers to reduce bending. Flex the putty knife just enough to make sure most metal tabs along this side of the iPod release.
The metal clips near the corners grip the front panel tightly. Release these clips before opening the iPod. Carefully slide a metal spudger into the area beside the stubborn metal clip.
Gently work the metal spudger downward until it is fully seated in the rear panel.
Gently start releasing the clip from the front panel. A visible bump can form here in the rear panel and is hard to repair. When levering the tab free, pivot the metal spudger on the rear panel edge instead of bending the rear panel outward.
Use the metal spudger to apply upward pressure under the front panel until the metal clip releases.
You will find two ribbon cables connecting the rear panel to the remaining iPod assembly. In the following step, take care not to damage these ribbon cables. In this step, grasp the front-panel assembly with one hand and the back panel with the other. Pause for a moment before continuing. Very gently release the remaining rear-panel clips by pulling the tops of the front and rear panels apart, using the iPod bottom as a hinge. Take great care not to damage the ribbon cables joining the two halves.
The battery flex cable lock tab is very delicate. Pulling too far, or pulling on the connector's white portion, can tear it from the main board. If that happens, battery connector repair becomes very difficult. With angled tweezers or an opening tool, raise the brown lock latch straight up by 1 mm. Confirm you draw from both sides of the latch. Take care not to pull on the white portions extending to the connector's outer edges. Move the brown lock tab straight upward. The connector is fragile and can break if it shifts to the side. Grasp the flex cable with your fingers or tweezers and draw it straight up to detach it. If using tweezers, avoid grasping the cable too close to the socket or the cable contacts may short.
Set the rear panel beside the iPod, taking care not to strain the orange headphone jack cable.
Raise the hard drive with one hand to expose the headphone jack ribbon underneath. With a spudger, flip up the plastic tab securing the headphone jack ribbon in place. The tab can rotate up 90 degrees, releasing the ribbon cable. Move the orange headphone jack ribbon out of its connector. The rear panel is now released from the iPod.
After opening, check the rear-panel clips. If any clip bent upward, press it back down gently so the rear case can close cleanly.
Use the broad, flat face of the metal spudger to press the clip downward. Work carefully so the thin metal rail does not tear away from the rear panel. Flat pin-nosed pliers can reduce slipping and headphone jack damage risk. While shaping these clips, take care not to damage any headphone jack parts.
Set the rear panel on its side on a clean, hard surface. Carefully but firmly press it downward, rolling the full lip edge back into place. You may need to repeat this several times to straighten the sides well. Slightly overcorrecting the case edges inward is better than leaving them too far out, because reseating the front panel will bend the rear panel back into alignment. Once the rear panel is restored to good condition, continue with the iPod repair.
The battery sticks to the rear panel adhesive. As you remove it, take care not to tear the orange ribbons for the headphone jack or hold button. With a spudger, raise the battery and the attached orange cable out of the device. If you have a 160GB iPod, the battery will be thicker than thinner battery variants. If the battery is hard to remove, warm the OUTSIDE of the rear panel with a hair dryer on its low setting for 20–30 seconds — never a heat gun, and never heat aimed at the cell. If the pack is swollen, discoloured, or warm to the touch, stop: do not pry it and do not heat it. A punctured or overheated cell can vent or ignite.
Product-specific placement, reassembly, and check
- Prepare and access. Confirm the exact model and listing fit first. Use the existing steps as a disassembly guide, gather the specified tools, disconnect power where applicable, and keep screws and cable positions organized.
- Place Replacement Battery (Thick — 160GB). Seat the battery in the original battery location, route its lead or ribbon without a pinch, and reconnect it squarely.
- Reassemble without force. Reverse only the access steps needed for this repair, keep cables clear of case edges and screw posts, and close clips in stages.
- Validate before final closure. Before final closure, confirm boot and charging behavior and stop immediately for swelling, heat, odor, hissing, smoke, or leakage.
Stop condition: Stop if a connector, latch, screw, clip, housing edge, or the replacement part resists normal alignment. Recheck model fit, orientation, cable routing, and trapped hardware instead of forcing it.
After This Repair
| Check | What to do |
|---|---|
| Charge and calibrate | Charge fully, let it stay on the charger a little longer, then use it through a normal discharge and charge cycle so the meter can settle. |
| Watch the internal stack | If the display shows pressure marks, dark spots, or case bowing after reassembly, reopen and check battery thickness and cable routing. |
| Still not working? | Check the dock connector, battery connector, storage load, and board power path before replacing another battery. |
Battery Safety & Shipping
⚠️ Lithium-Ion / Li-Po Battery Safety. This product contains (or is) a rechargeable lithium-ion/lithium-polymer battery. Charge only with a compatible charger and unplug once fully charged. Avoid charging or storing in direct sunlight or other high-heat environments. Stop using and stop charging immediately if the battery swells, bulges, gets unusually hot, hisses, smokes, or leaks. Do not puncture, crush, bend, short-circuit, or try to "deflate" a swollen cell, and never press a lifted screen or case back down — it can rupture the cell. If electrolyte contacts your eyes, flush with clean water for 15 minutes without rubbing and seek medical care; on skin, wash with water and soap. Battery service should be done by a trained technician. Recycle through an electronics or universal-waste recycler, not household trash.
Shipping. A refurbished iPod shipped with its battery installed is handled as lithium-ion batteries contained in equipment (UN3481); a loose replacement cell is handled as a lithium-ion battery (UN3480). Carrier, packaging, and destination restrictions can vary, so follow the current checkout and shipping instructions for the offered route.
Troubleshooting
Quick Diagnosis
Buy this when
- The iPod is MB145LL/A or MB150LL/A, 160GB, A1238 / EMC 2173, with the 13.5 mm thick rear case.
- Runtime is very short, the iPod only works when plugged in, the battery is swollen, or it still shows low battery after a long known-good charge attempt.
Diagnose first when
- The iPod is deeply discharged; leave it on a known-good charger for 30+ minutes before treating silence as proof of a bad battery.
- The symptom happens only during sync or computer connection; check the 30-pin dock connector, USB cable, and USB port first.
Do not buy for
- 80GB or 120GB thin-case models; those need the thin battery path with
616-0229. - Dropped, liquid-damaged, corroded, or post-repair no-power iPods until the board, connector seating, and ribbons are inspected.
Failure Signs / When This Battery Helps
Use symptoms as a routing check, not proof. The thick battery is the right part only when fitment is confirmed and the easier dock, storage, and connector checks do not explain the behavior better.
| Symptom | What it means & what to check |
|---|---|
| Symptom remains after basic checks |
What you may see: The iPod still points back to Replacement Battery (Thick — 160GB) after cable seating, battery stability, and nearby connector checks. Check first: Retest with known-good cables or adjacent parts where practical before ordering. Check next: A nearby cable, connector, battery, storage device, display path, audio path, or board path can mimic a bad battery. |
| Won't charge, not charging, or doesn't charge |
Check First: Try a known-good USB cable, charger, and USB port; inspect the 30-pin dock connector for bent pins, debris, or corrosion. Battery Signal: Stronger when the iPod shows low battery behavior with known-good power and the thick battery path is confirmed. |
| Won't turn on or battery drained; dead after storage or a long discharge |
Check First: Leave a completely dead or deeply discharged iPod on known-good power for 30+ minutes, then reset with Hold off before opening. Battery Signal: Stronger when it wakes only on external power or shuts off quickly once unplugged. |
| Very Low Battery or Connect to Power screen |
Check First: Charge from a known-good source long enough to separate deep discharge from a failed cell. Battery Signal: Stronger when very low battery or connect to power returns immediately after a full charge attempt. |
| Battery dies or only works when plugged in |
Check First: Separate storage spin-up load from battery sag by listening for clicking and watching restore or disk-mode behavior. Battery Signal: Stronger when storage behavior is normal but runtime collapses. |
| Overheating during charging or use |
Check First: Stop charging, let the iPod cool, and check charger, cable, dock connector, and swelling before reopening. Battery Signal: Aging or failing batteries can cause overheating, but charger and dock faults should be checked first. |
| Swollen or expanded battery |
Check First: Stop charging; do not bend, compress, or puncture the cell. Battery Signal: Use this listing only after confirming the thick 160GB case and recycling the old cell safely. |
| Charging, please wait loop |
Check First: Give it a long known-good charge first, then inspect battery connector seating if the iPod was recently opened. Battery Signal: Battery remains likely when the loop persists and dock/storage checks are clean. |
| battery won't charge, water damage then plugged in and maybe fried | Check the USB cable, charger, dock connector, and storage spin-up load before ordering a replacement battery. |
| charging please wait, dead after battery, Wont turn on after repair, Won't turn on or charge, totally dead and where do I start, black battery picture and will not turn on | Charge from a known-good source long enough to separate deep discharge from a failed cell, then confirm the case-depth battery path. |
| shuts down randomly, battery drain, new battery, replaced battery, broken, Won't Restore, apple logo stuck, red x icon, shuts down unexpectedly, difference between thick and thin, unfreeze my iPod Classic, doesn't start up when connected, screen shows www.apple.com/support/ipod | Use this as a battery clue only after the iPod matches this listing's thick-case battery fitment. |
| Related checks |
|
Do Not Buy This Battery Yet If...
| Situation | Start here instead |
|---|---|
| 80GB or 120GB thin-case Classic, 10.5 mm / 0.41 in rear case | Use the thin battery path with 616-0229. |
| Late 2009 160GB MC293LL/A or MC297LL/A | It takes the thin cell, not this thick one — order from that model's own pages. |
| Charges but will not sync, or syncs but will not charge reliably | Check the 30-pin dock connector, USB cable, and USB port first. |
Sad iPod, folder icon, clicking drive, red X, or a screen showing only www.apple.com/support/ipod
|
A red X is the iPod's own diagnostic saying it cannot use its hard drive, and that address is the error screen the iPod draws itself when it cannot start from its own storage — neither is a battery message. Check the hard drive and hard-drive cable first. |
| Boot loop or repeated restart | Charge for an hour and try restore before ordering. A boot loop can be battery sag, firmware, or storage. |
| Worked before repair and now will not turn on | Check battery connector seating, latch position, and nearby ribbons before buying another battery. |
| Visible liquid damage or corrosion | Have the board inspected and cleaned before using a battery swap as the test. |
Worth Knowing
- Apple rated the original 2007 thick 160GB Classic for about 40 hours of music playback and 7 hours of video playback when new; actual runtime varies with battery age, storage condition, display use, and prior modifications.
- Won't Charge is one of the most commonly reported failures on these iPods; the battery / charging path is the first thing to check.
iPod Classic 6th Generation Won't Charge: What Owners Describe
Charging complaints on the 6th Generation Classic range from a charging screen that never clears to an iPod that only charges from one particular source. The reports below are paraphrased from owners and are anecdotal; several different parts can produce the same picture.
Anecdotal owner reports (not a guarantee or authoritative proof): - One owner reported being stuck at the Please Wait, Low Battery screen. - Another owner reported that the Charging, Please Wait screen remained even after a battery replacement and multiple charging attempts. - After replacing both the drive and the battery, one owner found the iPod asking for a restore on a wall supply and sitting on the charging screen on a computer, and the old battery did no better. - One owner's iPod has charged only from a computer ever since a battery swap years ago; a string of USB wall adapters never charged it, and a second battery swap changed nothing. - Another owner's iPod charged only while in the connected state on a computer; once ejected the charging icon vanished, which made wall chargers and power banks useless. - One owner with a recently fitted battery could not get any current Apple charger to charge the iPod.
How it usually progresses: - A deeply drained battery is the usual first stage: the iPod shows the charging screen, a low-battery warning, or nothing, and cannot even talk to the computer until it has taken some charge, which is why the standard advice is a known-good high-power port or an Apple wall adapter before judging anything.
What typically causes it: - The charging path has four usual failure points: a dock connector fouled with dirt or corrosion or with bent pins, a wall adapter the iPod will not charge from, a battery connector that has lifted off the logic board, and a battery drained below the cut-off the power manager will accept. - A charging fault that appears right after a battery swap is very often the connector, not the cell: the battery connector on this board is easily torn off during a battery swap, and a lifted or half-seated connector gives a won't-charge or charges-only-when-cabled picture that a new battery cannot fix.
Handle it safely: - If a wall charger will not start a charge while a computer port does, try an Apple USB power adapter before blaming the dock connector: this generation is particular about wall adapters, and the Apple adapter is the reference for that check. - Do not charge from a keyboard or unpowered hub port and expect a recovery: a battery this flat needs a high-power USB port or a proper wall adapter, and only after that charge do the reset and disk-mode combinations mean anything. - If you open the iPod to reseat or replace the battery, lift the brown lock tab straight up about 1 mm with tweezers or an opening tool, never sideways and never by the white housing, and confirm the ribbon is fully home with the latch down before closing up; a connector torn off the board is a logic-board repair.
iPod Classic 6th Generation Won't Turn On: What Owners Describe
A 6th Generation Classic that shows nothing at all can be a flat battery, a battery connector that has lifted off the board, a fouled dock connector, or the logic board itself. These paraphrased owner reports are anecdotal starting points, not a diagnosis.
Anecdotal owner reports (not a guarantee or authoritative proof): - One owner reported that a fully charged iPod abruptly stopped turning on, whether connected to power or not. - After a center-button repair one owner's iPod would not power on at all; the small white battery connector had come away from the board, and the reply worked through a wall charger, then iTunes recognition, then reseating every connector. - One 80GB owner had a good display, drive and click wheel plus a new battery, tried the wall charger with no battery fitted, and still got nothing; the suspects left were the dock connector wiring and the battery connector on the board. - One 160GB owner set the iPod down for a few seconds mid-scroll and picked it up to a black screen; the wheel still clicked for a moment and then went silent, with the battery fully charged. - One owner installed a replacement 80GB drive and the iPod would not turn on afterwards; the reset combination made iTunes announce it was waiting for the iPod, but it never got further. - One 120GB owner's iPod stopped reacting to charging or resets, and on the rare occasion a computer noticed it, iTunes reported error 1601.
How it usually progresses: - Owners work outward from the battery: a dead cell is the cheapest thing to eliminate first, and if a known-good battery brings nothing back the search moves to the dock connector, then the battery connector and latch on the board, and finally the board itself.
What typically causes it: - A completely dead iPod that a known-good battery does not revive, with no charging indicator and no response to a reset, is pointing at the logic board rather than the battery. - On this model the small battery connector on the logic board is notoriously fragile: it lifts or tears off during a battery swap, and a battery that is not fully seated in it, or a connector that has come off the board, leaves the iPod dead no matter how new the cell is.
Handle it safely: - When you open it, slide the battery connector's brown lock tab straight up about 1 mm rather than prying it: levering it or pulling the white housing is how the connector gets torn off the board, and that turns a battery job into a logic-board job. - Check the dock connector before you take the iPod apart: bent, broken or corroded pins in the 30-pin socket stop both charging and recognition, and a different cable plus a clean of the socket costs nothing.
Frozen, Stuck on the Apple Logo, or Rebooting in a Loop: What 6th Generation Owners Describe
A 6th Generation Classic that sits on the Apple logo, flashes it every few seconds, or freezes and ignores every button is usually being held back by its battery, its drive, or its software. The reports below are paraphrased and anecdotal.
Anecdotal owner reports (not a guarantee or authoritative proof): - One owner's iPod froze on the Apple logo; a reset went straight back to the logo, iTunes did not detect it in sync mode, and after several days it asked for a charge, charged, then returned to the frozen logo. - A 160GB owner's iPod stopped responding off the charger, flashed a dim Apple logo over and over when connected, could not be seen by a computer, and made no drive noise at all. - After months of a weak battery, one 120GB owner's iPod stopped reaching the menu on any power source and flashed the Apple screen roughly every two seconds; holding the reset buttons only paused the flashing. - A hand-me-down iPod boot-looped wildly when plugged in, then after being unplugged and reconnected went completely silent: no charging screen, no loop, no drive spin. - One 120GB owner's iPod came off a dock warm and stuck on the charging graphic; after resets it showed only the Apple logo, first with the backlight on, then dim. - One owner's iPod showed the connected screen, switched to the Apple logo, shut off and repeated the cycle on every PC it met, and the hard reset no longer worked.
How it usually progresses: - There are two tracks. A flat or failing battery makes the iPod reset before it can finish starting, so the Apple logo flashes every few seconds and no button combination holds; a failing drive lets it boot as far as the logo and no further, often with a click from inside.
What typically causes it: - Loops that trace to the software side come from a damaged library or corrupted firmware; the way out is disk mode and a restore, which the battery has to be able to sustain, and which erases everything on the iPod. - An iPod that flashes the Apple logo, will not reset and cannot be put into disk mode or diagnostics gets its dock connector checked first, with a fresh cable and a look at the pins for bending, corrosion or breakage.
Handle it safely: - Charge before you diagnose: an iPod that resets every few seconds is usually too flat to hold a button combination, so give it a real charge from a wall adapter or a high-power USB port and only then try the reset, disk mode and diagnostics again.
What Owners Report
These are anecdotal owner reports, not guarantees or authoritative proof that a particular part will fix a symptom. Use them as a troubleshooting starting point: confirm the symptom, run the quick checks, then match the fix.
Will not charge, odd charging icon, or charger-dependent behavior
Symptoms. No charging screen when plugged in; stuck on "Charging, please wait"; battery icon never fills or never shows full; works on a dock, car kit, or wall adapter but dies the moment it's unplugged; shuts off the moment external power drops; runs fine on an external power adapter but won't wake or appear when connected to a Mac or PC; white "OK to disconnect" screen that won't clear; completely dark after months in a drawer.
Quick diagnosis.
- Flick the Hold switch to locked and back, then hold Menu + Center together for 6–10 seconds until the Apple logo appears. Repeat once or twice if nothing happens — this hard reset clears a surprising share of "dead" units.
- A white checkmark / "OK to disconnect" screen means the iPod is sitting in Disk Mode — the same reset brings it back.
- If the screen shows "Charging, please wait" or stays dark, leave it on a known-good power source for at least 30 minutes before judging anything. A deeply drained battery cannot even talk to the computer at first.
- Not all power sources are equal: unpowered keyboard and hub USB ports cannot charge this iPod. Use a rear (motherboard) USB port or a wall adapter.
- If it charges from the wall but not the computer (or the reverse), inspect the dock connector for lint, corrosion, and bent or broken pins; clean it with 90%+ isopropyl alcohol, a toothpick, and compressed air.
- Still nothing: the built-in diagnostic mode can help isolate battery vs. drive vs. board faults before you buy parts.
Fixes.
- Battery replacement — the most common outcome. A battery that only holds a charge while plugged in, drains overnight while switched off, or reads a healthy resting voltage yet dies under load is at end of life. Dies the moment it is unplugged = battery at end of life; a flash conversion is the same disassembly, so owners weighing a storage upgrade often do both in one opening (what fits, and how much of it this model can use, is on the hard-drive and flash pages). Thin-case units (80GB and 120GB) take the thin battery; the 2007 thick 160GB takes the thick 850mAh battery. The two are not interchangeable — a thick battery forced into a thin case prevents the back from seating and presses on the display.
- Charger match — this model negotiates charge current over the cable's data lines, so bare-bones "dumb" 5V adapters may never start a charge. Apple-class USB adapters work; so do 12V FireWire-era adapters and docks, which charge (but never sync) this generation. Owners also report a FireWire-era 12V source waking units so deeply discharged that a computer USB port gets no response. Check the cable generation first — a FireWire-wired 30-pin cable powers it but never syncs it; USB is the data connection. Wondering about a splitter to charge from the wall while syncing? One owner reports a Y-cable (a FireWire-era 12V adapter for power plus USB to the computer for data) as a workaround on a weak-battery unit — unverified and not a supported fix; the battery or connector still needs service.
- Dock connector service — corroded, bent, or shorted pins reproduce every symptom above; cleaning fixes the mild cases and a connector replacement fixes the rest.
- Board-level charging fault — with a good battery, good cable, and clean connector, a unit that still won't charge from USB usually has a failed power-management IC on the logic board. That is a board-level repair or a donor-board job, not a battery problem.
Cautions.
- The battery connector on this series is fragile and is known for tearing off the logic board — pry gently and mind the locking clasp.
- After any battery swap, seat the ribbon exactly as it came out; a reversed or half-seated ribbon reproduces "Charging, please wait" indefinitely.
- Water- or sweat-exposed units: clean the board with isopropyl alcohol before condemning parts — corrosion mimics every charging fault in this list.
- A resting multimeter reading can look normal on a battery that fails under load; don't rule the battery out on voltage alone.
- In the car, an always-powered accessory socket can leave the player running after the ignition is off and drain it flat — disconnect it when parked.
Community signal. Reported by 52 owners — the most-reported battery issue on this model.
Dead device or will not turn on
Symptoms. Screen black mid-use and never comes back; totally unresponsive to buttons or cable; shows only the Apple logo; reboots every few seconds on power; runs only while connected to power; got hot and died; nothing responds after erasing songs.
Quick diagnosis.
- Toggle Hold, then hold Menu + Center 6–10 seconds for the Apple logo; repeat if needed. Sudden one-minute-to-the-next deaths are often just a locked-up controller.
- If the reset does nothing, put it on a wall (AC) charger for a full hour, then repeat. Wall adapters supply more current than most USB ports, and a battery drained past its threshold will not charge from a weak port at all.
- From "please wait — low battery": toggle Hold a couple of times, hold Select + Play to enter Disk Mode, plug it in, let it charge 20–60 minutes, then reset with Menu + Select.
- Check the dock connector — bent, broken, or corroded pins and pocket lint account for many "dead" units.
- If it runs while plugged in but dies instantly when unplugged, the battery can no longer hold a charge — replace it.
- If it stays dead on wall power with a clean connector, replace the battery anyway before condemning the board: it is the cheapest way to establish a known-good starting point.
- Froze after erasing songs or another library edit? Try Hold off and the Menu + Center reset, then charge; if the library remains unusable, copy needed files first and follow the drive page's Restore & sync instructions, because restore erases the iPod.
Fixes.
- Battery replacement first (thin/thick pairing: see the "Will not charge" card above).
- Fell in water, sink, tub, or drink: do not keep trying to charge it. Disassemble fully, clean the logic board and every connector with 90%+ isopropyl alcohol and a soft brush, watch for white or green residue, replace the battery (lithium cells react badly to moisture), then re-evaluate. The hard drive may also have taken damage.
- Repeated 2-second boot loops on power with a long-dead battery: replacement battery, then wall-charge before first judgment.
- After all of that, a unit that still shows no sign of life on any power source has a logic-board fault — board repair or replacement.
Cautions.
- Overheating while on a car adapter or third-party dock can cook the battery and, in bad cases, the board — owners report faulty adapters delivering sustained over-voltage. If a unit got hot before dying, inspect the adapter before reusing it.
- After any repair, a unit that won't power up usually has a connector problem, not a new fault: re-check that every ribbon (battery, display, click wheel, hard drive) is fully seated and that no board connector came off with the cable.
Community signal. Reported by 18 owners.
Won't charge after a battery swap / new battery misbehaves
Symptoms. Brand-new battery shows full after a minute then drains; won't charge at all after a battery, jack, or hold-switch repair; still won't hold a charge after replacement; gets warm under the click wheel while plugged in; only charges in the car; sealed replacement battery bought years ago — still good?; hand-me-down unit boot-loops on power and won't settle.
Quick diagnosis.
- Re-open the case and check the battery ribbon first: fully inserted, straight, to the marking on the cable, locking clasp down. A half-seated ribbon is the single most common cause after any repair.
- Check the battery connector itself — this series is plagued by a badly designed battery connector that corrodes and tears off the logic board. Confirm it is still firmly attached and makes contact.
- Swap in a known-good cable and a different charger before blaming parts.
- Give a new battery its first charge on a wall adapter, and allow 15–30 minutes before expecting any sign of life.
- Clean and inspect the dock connector (isopropyl alcohol, compressed air, no bent pins).
- A hand-me-down that boot-loops on power after years in a drawer: charge it on a wall adapter first, then check the battery ribbon, connector and power path before condemning the cell — a tired battery is a common finding, not a certain one.
Fixes.
- Exchange the battery — replacement batteries are routinely duds or old stock. If the iPod runs on the original battery yet stays dead on the replacement, the replacement cell is bad: exchange it. Cheap no-name batteries also cause charge-indicator nonsense and short run times.
- Connector repair — a battery connector that has separated from the board needs to be re-soldered or the board replaced; no battery will fix that.
- Board-level fault — heat concentrated under the click wheel while charging points at a short circuit, worst case in the power-management IC; that is a logic-board repair.
- New-battery break-in: charge to full, leave it plugged a couple of hours, run it down once, then use normally. Leaving it plugged in a few hours longer than the instructions say does no harm.
Cautions.
- Battery percentage on a fresh battery varies hugely with backlight, volume, and bitrate settings. Apple rated these at 30 hours (80GB), 36 (120GB) and 40 (thick 160GB) of music, and reviewers measured more; a replacement cell running 25–28 hours at normal volume and backlight is doing fine — well below that means a weak cell or a background drain.
- "New to you" is not new: a never-used lithium cell still ages on the shelf, so old-stock batteries deplete before they are ever fitted. Shelf-aged cells may have reduced capacity; judge runtime after a full charge-and-run cycle and check the power path before condemning the cell.
Community signal. Reported by 18 owners.
Problems after battery replacement
Symptoms. Won't boot at all with the new battery in; turned on once then died; charges to half and stops; "Charging, please wait" persists after replacement; laptop powers the iPod but no longer recognizes it.
Check first.
- Original battery back in: alive on it but dead on the new one = a bad replacement — exchange it.
- Cable fully in, straight, clasp locked; lift the clip with an L-bent paperclip pulled gently straight up — prying rips the connector off.
- Connector still on the board? A loose one reads like a dead battery.
- First charge on a wall adapter; allow 15–30 minutes.
Fixes. Bad cell → exchange it. Torn connector → solder-level repair or a logic board. Drive swapped just before the trouble? Re-check its ribbon too.
Caution. Judge a new battery after a full charge-drain cycle, not the first hour.
Community signal. Reported by 9 owners.
Computer won't recognize it — when the cause is power
Symptoms. Doesn't start and the computer sees nothing; flashes the Apple logo when plugged into a computer; works in the car but shuts off instantly when unplugged; wall-charger light flips off the moment the iPod is connected; whirring/clicking then drops off iTunes.
Check first. Clean the dock connector (alcohol, compressed air; no bent or corroded pins); another cable and a rear USB port, never a hub; 30 minutes on wall power first.
What it usually is. Car-only = a weak battery living on the car kit's higher charge current; whirring or clicking with restore failures = the drive. One owner reports a wall charger's light going out the instant the iPod connects — shorted pins.
Fixes. Worn-out battery → replace. Damaged or shorted port → clean; a persistent short is solder-level board work. Wet unit → clean before any charging; new battery after submersion.
Community signal. Reported by 9 owners.
Stuck on the Apple logo / computer sees nothing — Disk Mode recovery
Symptoms. Frozen on the Apple logo and resets straight back to it; charges but won't sync; plays music but iTunes never sees it; "restore with iTunes" on screen yet nothing appears in iTunes or the file explorer.
Check first.
- Hold Menu + Center until the Apple logo, then at once Center + Play/Pause until the Disk Mode screen shows.
- In Disk Mode connect by USB and wait; it is often seen when a normal boot is not.
- Copy what you want to keep off it first, then restore — restoring erases the iPod.
Meaning. Failure to enter Disk Mode or a hanging drive test warrants checking the drive, ribbon, power and board paths; it does not identify the failed part by itself.
Fixes. Disk Mode restore for boot-looped software. Charges but never syncs: clean the 30-pin port (dirt kills the data pins first); damaged pins are solder-level board work.
Community signal. Reported by 5 owners.
General battery diagnosis and testing
Symptoms. Battery drains abnormally fast (especially after getting wet); "low battery" appears minutes after a full charge; wanting to bench-test the board or battery before buying parts.
Check first.
- After liquid exposure, disconnect power and inspect for corrosion before charging or testing with a known-good battery.
- The reviewed sources supplied no board schematic; component substitution can help isolate the fault.
Fixes. Replace the battery to set a known-good baseline — cheapest part, commonest fault. Lift the connector's clip gently straight up (an L-bent paperclip works); prying rips it off. Match the number printed on the old cell — thin and thick differ.
Caution. Higher-capacity cells charge more slowly and the readout drifts; judge run time over a full cycle.
Community signal. Reported by 4 owners.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I confirm this is the thick 160GB battery path?
Use order number and case depth, not color or A1238 alone. MB145LL/A and MB150LL/A are the 2007 160GB thick-case models at 13.5 mm / 0.53 in. MB029LL/A, MB147LL/A, MB562LL/A, and MB565LL/A are thin 80GB / 120GB models at 10.5 mm / 0.41 in. Two batteries are listed with different capacities and part numbers, and a serial number can decode ambiguously — so identify the case, not the paperwork. Apple's figures are about 162 g for the thick 160GB and 140 g for the thin 80GB and 120GB; on a unit with a swapped back or new drive, trust the case depth: 10.5 mm thin, 13.5 mm thick. Refurbished units and swapped backs can carry the wrong markings, so the code printed on the cell you remove is the tiebreaker: 616-0467 is an iPod nano battery number. Classic replacement listings commonly use 616-0229 for the thin path and 616-0232 for the thick path; match the installed cell, connector and physical clearance rather than capacity alone. A battery that dies in minutes is the symptom the right replacement fixes — once it is the right one; a thick cell forced into a thin case stops the back seating.
My iPod only works when plugged in. Is this the right battery?
It can be, especially when the iPod is a confirmed 2007 thick 160GB model and it dies quickly when unplugged. Check the USB cable, charger, dock connector, and storage behavior first so a dock or hard-drive problem is not mistaken for a battery.
What does Charging, please wait mean?
A deeply discharged battery can stay on that screen for a while. Leave the iPod on known-good power for 30+ minutes, then reset with Hold off. If it never recovers and fitment is confirmed, the battery becomes a stronger suspect.
Why does my iPod show the Apple support URL screen?
The support URL, sad iPod, folder icon, or clicking behavior often starts with storage checks. Inspect the hard drive and hard-drive cable before buying a battery for that symptom.
What if it still will not turn on after replacing the battery?
Reopen only far enough to inspect the brown battery latch, ribbon seating, headphone/Hold ribbons, and any connector touched during repair. If the iPod was dropped, wet, or corroded, board inspection comes before another battery.
What should I do with a swollen battery?
Stop charging it. Do not puncture, bend, compress, or throw it in household trash. Remove it only if it can be handled safely, then take it to a battery recycler or electronics drop-off.
You May Also Want
Flash storage can make the iPod faster, quieter, and more reliable while the case is already open.
Related: Hard Drive Cable (Thick — 160GB)Sad iPod, restore errors, or battery-like shutdowns can involve the thick hard-drive cable; inspect it during battery service.
Related: Replacement Hard Drive (160GB)Clicking, cannot-restore, or sad iPod symptoms may mean the original 160GB drive needs replacement instead of another battery.
Search terms
Why people land on this part
Also searched as: iPod classic 6th generation 80GB battery replacement, battery cell, order 160GB thick battery for iPod classic sixth generation, shop 160GB thick battery for iPod classic sixth generation, iPod classic sixth generation 160GB thick battery price, buy iPod classic sixth generation 160GB thick battery, iPod classic sixth generation 160GB thick battery replacement service, Replacement Battery (Thick — 160GB) replacement, ipod classic 160gb battery replacement, replace battery ipod classic 6th generation, ipod classic 6g battery replacement, battery won't charge, Won't Turn On, Battery Drain, Shuts Down Randomly, dead after battery, new battery, battery dies, battery life, charging please wait, not charge, replaced battery, battery ribbon, connect to power, not charging, doesn't charge, battery drained, expanded battery, Swollen Battery, iPod classic 6th gen battery life, battery path, apple logo stuck, boot loop, folder icon, red x icon, shuts down unexpectedly, Won't Restore.
Some buyers search for "ipod battery replacement", "ipod classic 6th gen battery life", "ipod classic 6th gen battery replacement", "ipod classic 6th generation battery replacement", "ipod classic 6g battery replacement", "ipod classic 6g battery", "ipod classic 6th gen battery", "replace battery ipod classic 6th generation", "Li-Ion", "3.7V", "thick battery fitment", "still won't turn on after replacing the battery", "My iPod is stuck on Charging please wait", or "My iPod shows the Apple support URL screen — is the battery dead"; confirm the checks above point to this same part before ordering.
Owners searching for this describe it as: iPod classic 6th Generation Won't Charge, iPod won't charge, replacement battery won't charge, ipod classic charging please wait stuck, ipod classic only charges from computer, ipod classic not charging from wall adapter.
Owners searching for this describe it as: iPod classic 6th Generation Won't Turn On, iPod won't turn on, iPod has no power, ipod classic dead no power, ipod classic won't turn on after battery replacement, ipod classic no response to reset.
Owners searching for this describe it as: iPod classic 6th Generation Frozen or Boot Loop, ipod classic 6th gen stuck on apple logo, ipod classic apple logo flashing on and off, ipod classic boot loop.
Questions people ask
- Does Apple still replace iPod Classic batteries.
- Will replacing the battery improve battery life
- What if my iPod still won't turn on after replacing the battery
Free diagnostic
Broken iPod? We can help.
Mail us your iPod and we will test it and send you a free repair quote. If you don't like our price, we will ship your iPod back at our expense.