Dead PS4 controllers

[Tarma]

Hey fellas - looking for any insight on how to potentially resurrect a dead PS4 controller.

I've had 2 die recently, one was nearly 9 years old (so I put it down to the battery pack), and one just over 2 years old.

Tried all the common stuff - reset, fresh bluetooth pairing, USB charging (we have an official charging dock as well) - nothing worked, dead as disco.

So, ordered some battery packs off of Amazon - nothing. Tested the new batteries in known working controlers, and they're fine - so haven't been sent duff battery packs.

Any ideas if these are fixable? Looks like some kind of hardware failure, but no idea what would cause it...

The older controller we've had a money's worth out of, so if that needs total replacement fair enough, but the other pad was pretty new, should last longer than 2 years, I'd have thought.

Anyway, as I say, tried all the common stuff that comes up in google and YT searches on this topic, just wondered if any of you guys have more knowledge on this?

Thanks!

 

[awbacon]

Hey fellas - looking for any insight on how to potentially resurrect a dead PS4 controller.

I've had 2 die recently, one was nearly 9 years old (so I put it down to the battery pack), and one just over 2 years old.

Tried all the common stuff - reset, fresh bluetooth pairing, USB charging (we have an official charging dock as well) - nothing worked, dead as disco.

So, ordered some battery packs off of Amazon - nothing. Tested the new batteries in known working controlers, and they're fine - so haven't been sent duff battery packs.

Any ideas if these are fixable? Looks like some kind of hardware failure, but no idea what would cause it...

The older controller we've had a money's worth out of, so if that needs total replacement fair enough, but the other pad was pretty new, should last longer than 2 years, I'd have thought.

Anyway, as I say, tried all the common stuff that comes up in google and YT searches on this topic, just wondered if any of you guys have more knowledge on this?

Thanks!

you should pick up a cheap usb power detector and see if it’s pulling any power. What kind of amps, if any, it’s detecting

Normally when they won’t charge it’s either a) a bad port or b) the charge circuitry is shot and it wont really draw the current it needs.

You can see that via the meters. Switch loves to do this…power circuitry shits the bed and it wont charge.

Either way port or circuitry probably not worth fixing unless you have a rework station

 

[Tarma]

I can see if that works - but I've put a fully charged battery pack in both, and they still won't power on.

So charging / USB connection maybe an issue, but even with a fully charged battery they won't switch on

 

[HeavyMachineGoob]

All I can say to my most disliked NG.com member (who is the OP here) is the PS4 is a hot pile of trash and you should cut your losses.

I've come across a PS4 Slim with bad USB ports. That means there's no way to pair new controllers if none are currently paired, because Sony forgot to include manual sync buttons on the console and controllers... Like the Wii, Wii U and 360 had...

 

[Burning Fight!!]

Only time a PS4 controller died on me was with the pack-in that came with the console. First the speaker started getting crackly, then stopped working, then the USB port in the controller stopped working altogether (aka it died once the battery went out).

Honestly I'd just buy a new one.

 

[Tarma]

Only time a PS4 controller died on me was with the pack-in that came with the console. First the speaker started getting crackly, then stopped working, then the USB port in the controller stopped working altogether (aka it died once the battery went out).

Honestly I'd just buy a new one.

Yeah, that's probably what I'll end up doing... was just hoping someone might have had a "simple" fix that would have negated that. Oh well.

 

[ChuChu Flamingo]

Make sure you are not charging ps4 with fast chargers. It will destroy the charging circuit.

 

[SignOfGoob]

You guys make the PS4 sound really kickass. I thought the PS3 sucked major shit but at least mine still works and so do the controllers.

 

[HeavyMachineGoob]

PS4 isn't too far off from the Xbox 360 for being poorly engineered.

 

[Tarma]

Make sure you are not charging ps4 with fast chargers. It will destroy the charging circuit.

Fast chargers? I use the official charging dock, and that's it. Is that going to fuck my controllers?

 

[Tarma]

You guys make the PS4 sound really kickass. I thought the PS3 sucked major shit but at least mine still works and so do the controllers.

Having owned every PlayStation console, since 1995, I can honestly say I've never had an issue with any of Sony's hardware until now.

To be fair, the PS4 is now mainly used by my son, I migrated to the PS5 18 months ago.

Also, still own and use all my PS hardware on and off... probably jinxed it all now with the above statement though... oh, well...

 

[ChuChu Flamingo]

Fast chargers? I use the official charging dock, and that's it. Is that going to fuck my controllers?

You might have used the charging station but someone else might have used a high speed usb charger. It only takes one time to damage the charging circuit. tl;dr the ps4 controller has a shitty usb port that often needs replacing if using usb often. Additionally the charging circuit doesn't communicate its power needs so if you charge via fast charger it doesn't have an internal voltage regulator. Anything above 5v will slowly fry the charging circuit or battery.

 

[Tarma]

You might have used the charging station but someone else might have used a high speed usb charger. It only takes one time to damage the charging circuit. tl;dr the ps4 controller has a shitty usb port that often needs replacing if using usb often. Additionally the charging circuit doesn't communicate its power needs so if you charge via fast charger it doesn't have an internal voltage regulator. Anything above 5v will slowly fry the charging circuit or battery.

Good to know, but we've only ever used the official charging dock, or, on ocassion, the usb lead. Pretty much had a charging dock from the day I had the console.

Anyway, guess the only thing to do with these controllers is either bin them or keep them for parts... although not sure what I'd need to canabilize from them.

 

[Heinz]

You might have used the charging station but someone else might have used a high speed usb charger. It only takes one time to damage the charging circuit. tl;dr the ps4 controller has a shitty usb port that often needs replacing if using usb often. Additionally the charging circuit doesn't communicate its power needs so if you charge via fast charger it doesn't have an internal voltage regulator. Anything above 5v will slowly fry the charging circuit or battery.

Compliant fast chargers default to 5V and only rise to the occasion if the device supports it. I don't know what shitty chargers people are plugging their ps4 controllers into but it sounds more like a shitty charger issue than controller. What fast chargers are USB-A and not type-C? That is out of spec!

 

[GohanX]

Your face is out of spec.

 

[Heinz]

Your face is out of spec.

Ya mums out of spec.

 

[GutsDozer]

Planned obsolescence is bull turds.

 

[ChuChu Flamingo]

Compliant fast chargers default to 5V and only rise to the occasion if the device supports it. I don't know what shitty chargers people are plugging their ps4 controllers into but it sounds more like a shitty charger issue than controller. What fast chargers are USB-A and not type-C? That is out of spec!

I always know what chargers are compliant like an instinct and so does my friends.

 

[Heinz]

I always know what chargers are compliant like an instinct and so does my friends.

ChuChu Flamingoob

 

[terry.330]

I always know what chargers are compliant like an instinct and so does my friends.

SignofZeta would beg to differ.