PS3 YLOD FAQs – What is YLOD, PS3 YLOD cause reasons and remedies
Posted on 21. Sep, 2010 by admin in PS3 YLOD FIX
What is PS3 YLOD?
PS3 Yellow Light of Death is also referred as YLOD. It is the situation in which a PS3 starts emitting flashing yellow light. As per Sony, it means “general hardware failure” Other symptoms are 2-3 beeps, flashing red light etc.
What are symptoms of YLOD?
The most common symptoms of PS3 YLOD are
- Flashing yellow/green/amber colored light
- 2 or 3 beep sounds
- PS3 freezing up during starting up, while playing game or movie.
- PS3 refusing to startup.
What are the causes of YLOD?
YLOD is caused due to PS3 getting overheated and thereby causing the components to get detached. Some time back I covered a post about YLOD causes.
Please tell in detail
See, PS3 is an earth-shattering piece of console ever made in the market. And with such great number crunching power, the amount of heat generation also increases. When the PS3 is being used for playing games or watching movies it gets hot and the solder connecting the CPU and/or GPU to motherboard starts to melt. This is a normal process and there’s nothing to worry about. When left alone, the PS3 starts cooling down and the solder becomes solid again. But sometimes (usually when you’ve been using your PS3 for too long) the solder melts and the motherboard, CPU and GPU get detached. Since the electric circuit is not complete anymore, the PS3 gave a YLOD error.
Can YLOD be fixed?
Yes, YLOD can be fixed very easily. The aim is to connect the detached component back and the PS3 will be good to go.
Who can fix YLOD?
You have 3 choices ahead of you.
- Ask Sony: You can contact Sony and ask them to repair your PS3. Keep in mind tough that it comes with a huge charge.
- Find a repairman: You can try searching for a reputable repairman in your area. Beware though, since even if you find one he will be running short of time and may not give proper attention to your PS3. You may have to wait for upto 3 weeks and may need to shell out upto $100.
- Fix YLOD yourself: You will need some easily available tools and a very good PS3 repair guide.
How to fix PS3 YLOD?
You have 3 choices-
- Give it to Sony: Give your PS3 to Sony and let them fix it. They’ll charge $150 (+shipping + taxes) and will return your PS3 in 4-6 weeks. Also, Sony will remove all the data from your HDD when repairing YLOD.
- Find a repairman: Give it to a repairman and ask him to fix it. He’ll charge around $100 and will take around 3 weeks. Good luck finding a reputable repairman who will do good quality repair work.
- Fix it yourself: Buy a professional repair guide and fix your PS3 yourself. It will cost you $37 and around 2 hours to fix your PS3 YLOD.
Beware of cheap quality guides floating on the Internet. You may end up doing permanent damage to your PS3. Stick with me and I’ll make sure you use the best guide available on PS3 YLOD repair.
How much time will it take to fix YLOD?
- Sony: Anywhere from 4 weeks to 6 weeks, though it took longer than that for some people. On top of that there’s no guarantee that the PS3 you get back will be your own. They are known for sending refurbished ones too so beware.
- Fixing it yourself: Around 2 hours depending on the availability of some simple tools. I covered about fixing PS3 YLOD for free
How much is the YLOD repair cost?
- Sony: Sony will charge $150 (+ Taxes + shipping)
- Fixing it yourself: $37 (That’s full $113 less than what Sony charges)
Will I keep my data on the PS3 HDD?
Sony will completely wipe-off the data off your HDD. But if you fix PS3 YLOD yourself, no data will be lost.
Will YLOD come again?
Yes, YLOD comes again on PS3 even after it is repaired. YLOD is caused due to overheating and since Sony failed to provide enough ventilation system on PS3, YLOD can occur again. The solder can melt again thereby detaching the CPU, GPU and motherboard. There is nothing that can be done since it is a design flaw except making sure PS3 does not get overheated.
What to do if YLOD comes again?
- Getting repaired by Sony: If you got your PS3 repaired by Sony then they give you a warranty of 3 months. If you get YLOD within 3 weeks, Sony will repair it for free (you still need to pay for shipping though).
- Getting repaired by a repairman: If you got your PS3 repaired by a repaired by a repairman then don’t expect any guarantees. He may knowingly use low quality components so that you get YLOD again thus letting him make more money. If you get YLOD again, he’ll surely charge you again.
- Fixing YLOD yourself: If you fix your PS3 yourself then you don’t have to pay a single penny to anyone. You already have the guide with you so essentially, you pay only once. If you face YLOD again or maybe if your buddy faces PS3 YLOD then you can fix your or his PS3 for free. You may ask him for a treat though.
What is the quality of repair if I fix YLOD myself?
I can’t say anything about the quality of repair done by your local repairman. But the quality of repair done by making use of this professional guide is of top quality. The methods being used are exactly the ones which Sony uses so it is of very high quality.
