High kernel_task CPU usage I have a 2019 15&quot; MBP which has had a string of issues, but is passing all hardware tests when serviced at the Genius Bar:
November 2019–March 2020
Mac freezes daily, usually towards the end of the work day (4–5pm), mouse and keyboard are unresponsive, reboot resolves the issue.
March 2020–September 2020
Mac becomes unusable multiple times during the day due to really high kernel_task CPU usage (sometimes more than 4000% when no apps are open). Reboot does not resolve issue, but turning the MacBook upside down in clamshell mode seemed to help (connected to external display). Some tasks such as a Skype call with video are essentially impossible. Resolved by reinstalling the OS without restoring from back up.
Now
Battery depleting at extreme rate, Mac is extremely hot even upon start up and fans almost always running at full speed. Now the icon in the upper right says &quot;service battery&quot;, even though the battery has less than 400 battery cycles.
This just seems to me like there is some fundamental core hardware issue at play that Apple is failing to diagnose.
Has anyone experienced similar, or any insight into what is happening here?
High temperature sensors is the only other thing you didn't mention explicitly. Can you correlate this to ambient temperature / inability of the CPU to cool itself (to 80C is cool / even 100C is fine if Kernel Task isn't taking more than one core)?
Barring a clean erase install of the OS fixing this, I would seek repair service.