PS3 controllers going bad awfully fast

June 27, 2012 12:12 AM

Playstation 3 controllers have both lost battery chargability, they were bought in late November 2011. Seven months ago. Is that just about par for the course?

I know for sure because we bought these items on Black Friday 2011. Now I must admit that between all the PS3 games and the NETFLIX, they have seen monstrously heavy use. I have found replacement batteries available for sale on AMAZON, and I think I will be able to fearlessly open them up and do a battery-replacement with a fine-tipped Phillips-head screwdriver from an eyeglass repair kit. I am just wondering --- is this seven month lifespan before the LiIon (?) battery inside craps out completely, is that common?

posted by shipbreaker to Technology (12 answers total)

I have four controllers, two that came with the system and two that I bought at varying points in time since. The system is at least three years old, we also thrash the hell out of our controllers (one is red and does not get "rotated" in use very much - it's mine I tells ya, all mine) and we have had zero issues with the batteries. They still charge well and hold that charge for a reasonable amount of time.
posted by Jilder at 1:35 AM on June 27, 2012

Definitely not normal, in my experience. Just a possibility - could you have accidentally purchased some of the very convincing counterfeit controllers that are apparently circulating? Might be worth checking when you open up the controllers...
posted by fearthehat at 1:40 AM on June 27, 2012

Not batteries, but the accelerometers in one controller failed before the year warranty was up, which made playing a scene in Ratchet and Clank impossible. It was almost impossible to get in touch with Sony warranty support, and they wanted all kinds of paperwork (not just the PS3 and controller serial numbers, but the location where the unit was bought and a copy of the receipt) before even talking about the dead controller. Once I had gotten past that barrier, they said they would send a replacement, but none ever came. I don't play games as much as I used to, but that poor experience (along with the recent credit card account theft) has soured me on Sony.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:41 AM on June 27, 2012

My boyfriend's had his PS3 for at least four years now, and the controllers that he got with it are still going just fine, despite heavy wear and abuse, so I'd say that sounds unusual...
posted by Dysk at 3:50 AM on June 27, 2012

I have a PS3 about as old as yours (actually I think I got mine a year before yours). Controllers batteries are fine, no issues with recharging or holding charge for a good period of time.

Are your USB cables OK? (the ones you connect the controllers to the PS3, for charging?)
posted by thermonuclear.jive.turkey at 4:03 AM on June 27, 2012

Just wanted to join the chorus that this is no par for the course. My PS3 and controllers is like a year and half old and they still hold a charge for long periods of time. They are in heavy use including a lot of "use Netflix, accidentally leave controllers on overnight" experiences.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 5:20 AM on June 27, 2012

Yeah, I'm still using the controllers that came with my 80GB fat PS3 from at least four years ago. No battery issues, they take and hold charges just fine.
posted by Ghidorah at 6:01 AM on June 27, 2012

Same experience as above - I have two controllers that have lasted at least two years. I know nothing about battery longevity, but I do know we don't plug them in to charge until the system starts complaining about it.
posted by Perthuz at 6:10 AM on June 27, 2012

Nthing no problems with launch-day controllers (both regular and DualShock), so I'm guessing it's a very close counterfeit per fearthehat's link.
posted by zombieflanders at 6:12 AM on June 27, 2012

I have an original PS3 launch controller from Dec. 2006 that's still going strong.
posted by porn in the woods at 9:20 AM on June 27, 2012

The controllers have a 1 year warranty. I'm pretty sure Sony didn't design them to die in less than that.

Contact them and get replacements.
posted by wongcorgi at 9:36 AM on June 27, 2012

I got my ps3 slim when they came out (which wikipedia tells me is '09) and am still using the same controllers. They may not hold charge as well as they used to originally, but they still last hours/multiple play sessions per charge.
posted by juv3nal at 10:08 AM on June 27, 2012