Difficulty

Very difficult

Steps

28

Time Required

                          1 - 2 hours

Sections

8

  • Middle Trim
  • 5 steps
  • L1 and R1 Buttons
  • 2 steps
  • Rear Case
  • 4 steps
  • Battery
  • 2 steps
  • Motherboard Removal
  • 10 steps
  • Motherboard Desoldering
  • 2 steps
  • Motherboard
  • 1 step
  • Joystick
  • 2 steps

Flags

1

In Progress

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Unclip the right end of the middle trim
  • Disconnect and power down your controller before you begin.
  • Insert an opening pick underneath the middle trim at the bottom-right corner of the controller to release the clips securing it to the case.

Disconnect and power down your controller before you begin.

Insert an opening pick underneath the middle trim at the bottom-right corner of the controller to release the clips securing it to the case.

1024

Step 2

              Unclip the lower-right edge of the middle trim
  • Slide the opening pick along the lower-right edge of the middle trim to release the clips securing it to the case.

Slide the opening pick along the lower-right edge of the middle trim to release the clips securing it to the case.

Step 3

              Unclip the left end of the middle trim
  • Insert an opening pick underneath the middle trim at the bottom-left corner of the controller to release the clips securing it to the case.

Insert an opening pick underneath the middle trim at the bottom-left corner of the controller to release the clips securing it to the case.

Step 4

              Unclip the lower-left edge of the middle trim
  • Slide the opening pick along the lower-left edge of the middle trim to release the clips securing it to the case.

Slide the opening pick along the lower-left edge of the middle trim to release the clips securing it to the case.

Step 5

              Remove the middle trim
  • Use your fingers to lift up the bottom edge of the middle trim to release the remaining clips.
  • Lift the middle trim over the joysticks to remove it.

Use your fingers to lift up the bottom edge of the middle trim to release the remaining clips.

Lift the middle trim over the joysticks to remove it.

Step 6

              Remove the L1 button
  • Insert the flat end of a spudger into the gap above the L1 button.
  • Cover the button with your thumb to prevent it from ejecting across the room.
  • Pry upward to remove the L1 button.

Insert the flat end of a spudger into the gap above the L1 button.

Cover the button with your thumb to prevent it from ejecting across the room.

Pry upward to remove the L1 button.

Step 7

              Remove the R1 button
  • Insert the flat end of a spudger into the gap above the R1 button.
  • Cover the button with your thumb to prevent it from ejecting across the room.
  • Pry upward to remove the R1 button.

Insert the flat end of a spudger into the gap above the R1 button.

Pry upward to remove the R1 button.

Step 8

              Remove the rear case
  • Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the two 6.4 mm screws securing the bottom corners of the lower case.

Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the two 6.4 mm screws securing the bottom corners of the lower case.

Step 9

  • Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the two 6.4 mm screws behind the L1 and R1 buttons.

Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the two 6.4 mm screws behind the L1 and R1 buttons.

Step 10

  • Use the pointed edge of a spudger to unclip the two clips on either side of the headset jack.

Use the pointed edge of a spudger to unclip the two clips on either side of the headset jack.

Step 11

  • Remove the rear case.

Remove the rear case.

Step 12

              Disconnect the battery
  • Use a pair of tweezers or your fingers to disconnect the battery from the motherboard.
  • Grip the connector, not the wires, when disconnecting.

Use a pair of tweezers or your fingers to disconnect the battery from the motherboard.

Grip the connector, not the wires, when disconnecting.

Step 13

              Remove the battery
  • Lift the battery straight out of the battery bracket.

Lift the battery straight out of the battery bracket.

Step 14

              Remove the lower microphone
  • Grab the lower microphone ribbon cable pull tab with your fingers or a pair of tweezers and disconnect it from the motherboard.

Grab the lower microphone ribbon cable pull tab with your fingers or a pair of tweezers and disconnect it from the motherboard.

Step 15

              Remove the battery bracket
  • Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the 6.4 mm screw securing the battery bracket.

Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the 6.4 mm screw securing the battery bracket.

Step 16

  • Lift the battery bracket out of the motherboard.

Lift the battery bracket out of the motherboard.

Step 17

              Disconnect the right trigger assembly
  • Grip the right trigger assembly ribbon cable pull tab with a pair of tweezers or your fingers and pull up to disconnect it from the motherboard.
  • Do not completely remove the ribbon cable yet.

Grip the right trigger assembly ribbon cable pull tab with a pair of tweezers or your fingers and pull up to disconnect it from the motherboard.

Do not completely remove the ribbon cable yet.

Step 18

  • Grip the right trigger assembly ribbon cable pull tab with a pair of tweezers or your fingers, and pull up to disconnect it from the trigger assembly.
  • Remove the ribbon cable.

Grip the right trigger assembly ribbon cable pull tab with a pair of tweezers or your fingers, and pull up to disconnect it from the trigger assembly.

Remove the ribbon cable.

Step 19

              Disconnect the left trigger assembly
  • Grip the left trigger assembly ribbon cable pull tab with a pair of tweezers or your fingers and pull up to disconnect it from the motherboard.
  • Do not completely remove the ribbon cable yet.

Grip the left trigger assembly ribbon cable pull tab with a pair of tweezers or your fingers and pull up to disconnect it from the motherboard.

Step 20

  • Grip the left trigger assembly ribbon cable pull tab with a pair of tweezers or your fingers, and pull up to disconnect it from the trigger assembly.
  • Remove the ribbon cable.

Grip the left trigger assembly ribbon cable pull tab with a pair of tweezers or your fingers, and pull up to disconnect it from the trigger assembly.

Step 21

              Disconnect the upper microphone
  • Use a pair of tweezers or your fingers to grip the upper microphone ribbon cable pull tab, and pull up to disconnect it from the motherboard.

Use a pair of tweezers or your fingers to grip the upper microphone ribbon cable pull tab, and pull up to disconnect it from the motherboard.

Step 22

              Disconnect the touchpad
  • Use a pair of tweezers or your fingers to grip the touchpad ribbon cable pull tab, and pull it straight out of the motherboard connector.

Use a pair of tweezers or your fingers to grip the touchpad ribbon cable pull tab, and pull it straight out of the motherboard connector.

Step 23

              Lift out the motherboard
  • Carefully guide the joysticks through the front case and lift the motherboard out.
  • Do not completely remove the motherboard. There are four soldered wires tethering the motherboard to the vibrator motors.

Carefully guide the joysticks through the front case and lift the motherboard out.

Do not completely remove the motherboard. There are four soldered wires tethering the motherboard to the vibrator motors.

Step 24

              Desolder the vibration motors
  • Flip over the controller and motherboard.
  • Use a soldering iron to desolder the vibration motor wires from the motherboard:
  • Two red wires
  • Two black wires
  • During reassembly, remember to solder the wires back into the same position. The red wires belong closest to the edge and next to the Rs on the motherboard.

Flip over the controller and motherboard.

Use a soldering iron to desolder the vibration motor wires from the motherboard:

Two red wires

Two black wires

During reassembly, remember to solder the wires back into the same position. The red wires belong closest to the edge and next to the Rs on the motherboard.

Step 25

  • Separate the controller from the motherboard.

Separate the controller from the motherboard.

Step 26

              Remove the joystick covers
  • Pull the joystick covers straight off the joystick assemblies.
  • Only the motherboard remains.

Pull the joystick covers straight off the joystick assemblies.

Only the motherboard remains.

Step 27

              Desolder the joysticks
  • Use a soldering iron and desoldering pump to desolder the fourteen connections on each joystick.
  • See our desoldering pump guide.

Use a soldering iron and desoldering pump to desolder the fourteen connections on each joystick.

See our desoldering pump guide.

Step 28

  • Remove the joysticks from the motherboard.

Remove the joysticks from the motherboard.

To reassemble your device, follow the above steps in reverse order.

Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.

Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Answers community for help.

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                                                                                      5 other people completed this guide.

Author

                    Sam Omiotek

Member since: 02/25/2019

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Kia - Nov 30, 2022

Reply

can I use Dualshock 4 joystick in the Dualsense ?

Wes - Jan 6, 2023

Yes, the joysticks are the same in both controllers.

Docits - Dec 26, 2022

Reply

Thanks - we see this Code a lot on the machines in our apartment building

TryJak - Jan 1, 2023

Reply

How do you differentiate a real joystick part from fake ones? Since in my situation i can’t order straight from sony.