The PlayStation 4 is a vastly popular system with over 110 million units sold. Since the release of the Playstation 5, we are edging closer to the end of its life cycle.
As such, many systems will begin to need repairs after years of use. Whether you’re a novice or an expert on Playstation 4 repair, you should familiarize yourself with these basic repair concepts to avoid bricking the console.
But, what exactly are these simple repair solutions? This guide will give you some repair tips to help keep your console running in mint condition.
Faulty HDMI Ports
One of the biggest PlayStation 4 problems includes a non-functioning HDMI port. These issues are more common with the original build of the Playstation 4.
This is a small piece in the rear of the motherboard. This piece is soldered onto the motherboard to provide access to the HDMI port.
One way to note whether the HDMI is bad or not is the white light that comes on inside of your console. If you see this light with no signal to the display, this can signal a bad port.
You can remove the HDMI cable and shine a flashlight into the HDMI port. This can reveal bent connections disrupting the signal.
A small chip, called an IC chip, located on the motherboard behind the HDMI port, can fail. Sometimes, currents from a thunderstorm can reach this chip and cause damage as well.
Sometimes the IC chip has damage but the HDMI port is functioning. A great way to troubleshoot this is to test out the HDMI port with a new HDMI cable.
In this case, replacing this chip can help bring that picture back, if needed.
Accelerated Processing Unit
The PlayStation 4 has what is known as an accelerated processing unit or an APU. This chip holds both the CPU and GPU in the same chip. You can also find this chip on the motherboard.
If you remove this chip and flip it you can see many tiny solder balls. In certain cases, these tiny balls will heat up to the point of melting. Thus, they will melt onto the motherboard.
Since these units do all the processing, they can inhibit your system. In other cases, these units can go bad.
You might have oxidized pads on the APU or even cracks in the solder joint within the chip. This will signal the blinking blue light on the PlayStation. Or, the PlayStation will power on only to immediately shut off.
If you own an older model, you can place washers under the clamp that rests on the APU. This will tighten the clamp and may restore the connections under the APU.
Another more time-consuming method is replacing the solder balls. Once you replace these solder balls you can then solder the solder balls back onto the board.
As you can imagine, this is quite difficult and is a costly emergency if the washer method does not work.
Power Supply & PlayStation 4 Repair
Among the many PlayStation 4 problems is the connection to the power supply.
A simple readjustment that most people forget is checking the power cord connection. A loose power cord can cause flickering blue light and random system shutdowns.
This can cause the power supply to not function. It will disrupt the delivery of power to the system.
Make sure the power cable is securely flush into the back of the console. Also, in certain cases, check to see if the cable is plugged into a power strip.
Power strips are useful but can sometimes it can cause a shutdown problem for the PlayStation. You can troubleshoot the shutdown issue by plugging the cable into the wall instead of a power strip.
It’s a strange solution but is an effective method of fixing power issues.
If this does not solve the issue, you are likely facing the BLOD or the Blue Light of Death. In this case, you may need to visit a PlayStation 4 repair shop.
Disk Drive Issues
One of the many PlayStation 4 problems is the disk drive issue. There are many fixable solutions to this problem.
One common problem includes the bottom plate dislodging from the disk drive. The rollers under the bottom plate can loosen and dislodge themselves from the disk drive.
This will prevent the disk drive from receiving PlayStation discs. In addition, when replacing the hard drive, there are tiny module pieces that can also break. This will also disrupt the disc reading process.
Make sure the rolling pins under the disk drive are clean. Clean up any loose pieces fumbling around the bottom of the disk drive as well.
Disc Read Error
Sometimes you’ll place a disk drive into the console and an error message will appear. The message will relay that the disk is unreadable.
Make sure to keep your discs inside their cases when not in use. You can also clean the disc to make sure the disc itself is not the issue.
But, if you are frequently seeing this message, you may have an issue with the laser.
The laser inside the disk drive is a fragile piece of hardware. In a smoking house or a house with pets, the lens of the laser can get dirty.
Sometimes, you can clean it, but it’s wise to replace the laser reader itself if you are experiencing issues reading discs.
Renewing Your PlayStation 4
In many cases, if simple fixes do not work, you’ll need to send the PlayStation 4 console to an independent PlayStation 4 repair shop. The PlayStation warranty does not cover most system failures.
These troubleshooting tips can help triangulate the problem. Becoming knowledgeable in these PlayStation 4 maintenance tips can help you better communicate with your repair professional.
Schedule a consultation so that our professional technicians can diagnose and fix your PlayStation 4 console!
