'L' Button probs on my DS Lite

[Clearwater]

I started having problems with my Nintendo DS Lite, with the L button.I clicked it down when i was playing

a game of Mario Kart DS, but it didn't launch my bananas. I pressed it down as hard as i could, but i wouldn't do

anything.Any ideas anyone?

 

NOTE: I'll contact Nintendo Customer Services as a last resort.

[DZComposer]

The shoulder buttons are spring-loaded paddles that hit a clicky switch like the ones in a mouse. It is possible the spring got misaligned. Easy fix if you have the tools to open it. If it's under warranty, though, send it to Nintendo (obviously, opening your DS will void the warranty). If not, ordering the requsite screwdriver will be cheaper than the $85 Nintendo will charge you to just open it and re-seat the paddles.

 

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installing+Nintendo+DS+Lite+Trigger+Buttons/4757/1#s21476

 

This assumes the button wasn't somehow impacted with enough force to break the switch off of the PCB. If that happened, the mobo is probably hosed. If you're lucky and the break didn't damage the PCB, you can simply replace the switch, but that would require soldering knowledge. Otherwise, sending it to Nintendo to get a new used one is the only way to go.

 

If the switch is broke and the PCB is not, I'm sure you can find a broken DS Lite to scavenge parts off of from Ebay or Craigslist or something.

[conaly]

Hi,

a simple trick, that worked already a few times for me: cover the whole button with you lips and then blow for a few seconds. May help temporally, but I have to do this all over again after some time.

[Hidi]

I had that problem for a little while, but it seems to fix itself if you leave it for a bit (So go rage and play Command in a hiatus to hope your L button fixes itself).

[psy_commando]

Heh, too bad you're not living around here, I could have most likely fixed that pretty quickly !

I can't even count the numbers of time I took a ds lite apart and rebuilt it..

 

And since its a DS lite its most likely not under warranty anymore. So don't send it to Nintendo, it will probably be less or just as expansive as buying another one..

 

Now about your button, there are a lot of things that could go wrong. But first, I suggest you read a few things on electrical safety and static electricity:

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/protecting-electronic-components-from-dreaded-stat.html

http://spaceconcordia.ca/basic-electrical-and-electronic-safety/ (not the best, but no time to fight with Google to get sensible search results )

 

Can you feel the button moving downward and coming back up, or does it barely moves at all ? If that's the case, its probably just a stuck button. There must be a built up, of unidentified matter around the button. if you're lucky and can gently pull the button back to its fully up position, you might be able to clean it with some rubbing alcohol  without having to open it up. If not you'll have to get a tri-wing screwdriver and unscrew the backplate to clean the buttons.

 

If your button are very loose and don't come fully back up, you may have a worn out spring, a broken spring, or even broken the plastic pin that holds the spring in place(though that's not likely). That's also very easy to repair, and replacement springs are extremely cheap.

 

If its the switch itself that got damaged, that might be quite trickier, like DZ said.

I'm not sure you can break the pcb that easily though, its held very firmly in place, and it doesn't have much space to bend and break. But the switch can most likely be ripped off the pcb. Replacement switch are cheap and easy to find, but, you'll have to do some soldering. And you'll have to have a steady hand, a very narrow tip, a solder sucker( for when you mess up ), and some flux ( I prefer in felt pen form ), I also highly recommend a brass shaving tip cleaner especially if you plan on keeping your soldering iron for a while. I'm really no fan of damp sponges..

 

This vid is great for soldering, I watched it years ago when I was learning how to solder :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_NU2ruzyc4

 

And, these guys have all the spare parts you may need and they ship much faster your package than any Chinese spare parts reseller on ebay ! And they even made some video tutorials for disassembling NDS, SNES, etc and making common repairs.

http://www.nintendorepairshop.com/

[DZComposer]

I'm not sure you can break the pcb that easily though, its held very firmly in place, and it doesn't have much space to bend and break. But the switch can most likely be ripped off the pcb.

I was mainly referring to ripping the pad off the PCB. I've seen it happen.

[psy_commando]

I was mainly referring to ripping the pad off the PCB. I've seen it happen.

Woops, sorry, I think I missed a few words while reading.

 

It seems to be happening more and more to me these days..

[Clearwater]

The shoulder buttons are spring-loaded paddles that hit a clicky switch like the ones in a mouse. It is possible the spring got misaligned. Easy fix if you have the tools to open it. If it's under warranty, though, send it to Nintendo (obviously, opening your DS will void the warranty). If not, ordering the requsite screwdriver will be cheaper than the $85 Nintendo will charge you to just open it and re-seat the paddles.

 

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installing+Nintendo+DS+Lite+Trigger+Buttons/4757/1#s21476

 

This assumes the button wasn't somehow impacted with enough force to break the switch off of the PCB. If that happened, the mobo is probably hosed. If you're lucky and the break didn't damage the PCB, you can simply replace the switch, but that would require soldering knowledge. Otherwise, sending it to Nintendo to get a new used one is the only way to go.

 

If the switch is broke and the PCB is not, I'm sure you can find a broken DS Lite to scavenge parts off of from Ebay or Craigslist or something.

Thanks man. That dfid the trick.QUESTION ANSWERED.