Hmm, I don't think it should cause any real issues. If the glue is holding the battery should be fine. But I might contact them for aesthetic reasons...

12" G4 Powerbook battery replacements 2 don't fit!!!
 

I am now on my second battery replacement and the battery doesn't fit snugly like the original. Apple is telling me they will send another replacement (3rd one now) and hope that it fits.

I personally don't think that is a good solution.
I think they need to re-make the surface part of the batteries so they do fit flush how they are supposed to.

I've sent these picture to apple and they said they will forward to their engineering department. If you are having the same problem, please speak up to them. This is an issue they need to address! Don't settle for this very annoying defect.

Yep, that's how mine looks, but about half as severe as yours. It's just that they are putting too much glue between the metal plate and the plastic battery housing. The trouble is that the glue is really heavy duty stuff and won't settle or compress like some other adhesives.

I would guess this is what we can expect to happen when 10 million batteries are recalled at the same time, worldwide. I am going to wait a few months and then see what they say about giving me a battery that fits like it's supposed to. Hopefully by then the demand will have subsided enough that quality assurance is able to catch up.

Thanks for posting those pics by the way.

Try using the appropriate tool to unlock your battery from now on. A small flathead screwdriver is not the correct tool, as you have found out the hard way. I hope an AppleCare tech didn't do that to your PB!

That's why I never liked the PB's/iBooks.

Though I had to deal with those locks on my iMac DV...I just used my thumbnail to unlock it. If not that, you can always find a penny nearby.

Ya, i did that sadly when I first got my PB and didn't have a penny or coin in my new apartment (used a coin for replacing the recalled battery) and never again will use a flathead (i didn't know the metal would be so soft!) I know i've incriminated myself posting that one image with my mangled lock....but really, my replacement batteries don't fit.

Anyways, back to the battery recall issue. I guess I will have to wait until the demand subsides as ThreeBKK says. Out of the two replacement batteries they sent me, the first one actually fits alot closer (but still not flush) now than it did when i first got it. Maybe the heat has flattened out the glue so it fits closer.

ya it sucks i mangled the PB lock, will make it a bargain for whoever I sell it to...