Easy repair of broken buttons on a cheap, junk PS5 genuine controller

Recently, SONY released the official PS5 pro controller,Dualsense EDGE' has been announced.
A regular controller easily costs over 8000 yen...how much does a pro controller cost?
This controller has quite a few problems, so it's not something that you can just buy casually.

So this time, we will introduce the process of repairing a broken PS5 controller.
Repairing controllers is relatively easy, so I think this genre is suitable for beginners, including junk controllers.

The PS5 controller prepared this time

We hope you will take a look at the "Akihabara Weekend Travelogue No. 9" serialized on Akihabara Base Camp.
I'm using a junk controller I found in Akihabara.

Because it is a junk item,BrokenIt's hard to say whether it falls into the category of "faulty," but since there were buttons that didn't work properly, I've decided to classify it as a broken item.
The controller used is the PS5 version of DualSense Cosmic Red.
This product was released in 2021, so it's a controller from about a year ago.

Golden rules for handling junk items [Controllers]

Here are some things you should keep in mind before dealing with (purchasing) junk items.
If you are thinking of buying or repairing junk items in the future, you will be happy if you make a note of this.

・Basically, junk items are not considered to be fully functional.
Think of it as broken
・Make sure to check that the power is on.
*It's best to buy it in-store. Buy it knowing the risks.
・Junk items are non-refundable.
* "I bought it but it doesn't work" is out of the question.

In addition to this, here are some things to keep in mind when choosing a junk controller.

・More than half of the reasons for not working are due to poor contact.
*The rest are caused by short circuits due to submersion in water or damage due to impact.
　I want to check if the power is on
Choose items with few scratches
*Select items that will have minimal physical impact (throwing, hitting, etc.)
・If you can, it's better to buy two of the same thing.
*If you want to take out insurance, you want to repair it as a two-piece unit.

Repairing the buttons on the PS5 genuine controller DualSense

As I mentioned earlier, this timeGEO (World Mobile Akihabara)I will be repairing the Cosmic Red PS5 controller I purchased.

This store will connect the cable in-store and check that the power is on, so you can at least check that it is usable.
I'll check the power again at home and there's no problem.

In the video, we connected to a PS5 to check, but we will also check the buttons on a PC.

Windows menu > Click the gear icon "Settings" > Under Devices, click "Devices and Printers"Click

The PS5 controllerWireless Controlleris recognized as.
Right-click WirelessController in the menu and select "Game Controller Settings."

Once the window opens, you will be able to check the controller input from the properties.

ボ タ ン
→ Enter 〇×□△, LR, option buttons, etc.
X-axis/Y-axis
→ Left stick input
Hat Switch
→ Input on the directional pad
X rotation, Y rotation
→LR trigger input
It looks something like this.

I checked the buttons that weren't entered here!
The ① corresponding to the □ button did not respond.
Let's fix it right away!

Disassembling the buttons on the PS5 genuine controller DualSense

First, let's disassemble it and find out why the □ button is not responding.

A detailed explanation of the disassembly is given in the article below.

[PS5] Controller disassembly procedure that even beginners can do [also for modding]

This time, the button is not responding, and the reasons for this are thought to be as follows:
・Poor contact due to dust or dirt
・□The button is not conducting electricity to the circuit board.
The board is defective
*The input itself is working, so the board is not faulty.

First, let's break it all down right away.


Remove all parts and disassemble everything except the soldered parts.

Cleaning the buttons on the PS5 genuine controller DualSense

Once I disassemble it, I'll try cleaning it first.
Here we say "cleaning" refers to removing rust from contact and electrical contact points and restoring the circuit board itself to the same condition as when it was new.
The contact points will accumulate scraps from moving parts (buttons, rubber, silicone, etc.), as well as dirt and rust caused by parts repeatedly coming into contact with the contact points over a long period of time.
This causes poor contact and the button does not respond, which is the most common cause of button failure.
The same thing can also cause the stick to malfunction.

Therefore, we hope that disassembly and cleaning will restore functionality.

Now, as I was examining the controller board I disassembled, I discovered a shocking fact...
There's something sticky on the circuit board...
When I looked at it at a slight angle, I saw traces of dried liquid.

This is also commonly seen on PC keyboards,
"Traces of some liquid adhering to the board and then drying"
It is very similar to.
If it's sticky, it's likely that sugar is attached to it.
I think it's probably juice or something. It's still powered on and working normally, but I need to get rid of it.

What we use here is contact revitalizer

It can lift and remove dirt and rust that has adhered to metal parts (contact points).
It also coats the surface and prevents new rust and dirt from adhering, making it useful for repairing junk items.
It's extremely effective for simple cleaning, so having one on hand will help you get a lot done.
It can also be used to clean circuit boards, making it an excellent product for sticking to the circuit board in this case.

First, we will clean the board.
Apply an appropriate amount of contact cleaner.

Brush with a soft toothbrush with very fine bristles.

Next, clean up the printed wiring.
If you look closely, you can see that it's a little black, so I wonder if that's the cause...?

Also, clean the silicone parts on the buttons.

Check the operation of the buttons on the PS5 genuine controller DualSense

First, we will temporarily attach the board and check how the buttons respond.

The button check will be performed again on the PC.
There were no particular problems with the operation of other buttons, sticks, etc.
Now, the all-important square button...

① corresponding to the □ button responded.
Since the problem was fixed by cleaning alone, it appears that the cause this time was a faulty (dirty) contact point.
I also cleaned the circuit board, but considering that the other buttons and sticks were usable even before cleaning, I don't think that was the cause.

After checking the functionality, we thoroughly cleaned the body and then assembled it.

After repairing the buttons on the PS5 genuine controller DualSense

The results of this PS5 controller repair!!

Purchase cost: 3850 yen (1 controller)
→Result: Complete recovery
Perhaps I was lucky this time, but the controller was restored with just a little cleaning and washing.
It's not a difficult job, so if you're interested, why not give it a try to repair your controller?