KipMudz's solution to malfunctioning DSLite's shoulder buttons

WARNING!!!
This procedure requires extra care since we're dealing with DSLite's tiny and some sensitive parts. I'm not held responsible if any your DSLite's parts or the entire unit was lost or screwed up while doing this procedure. DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Hello guys, this is my guide on how to fix a malfunctioning DSLite shoulder buttons. This guide will not cover the problem about the shoulder buttons which is not clicking anymore because the metal plate inside the trigger have reached its end of life. I read a lot of topics here at temp about the unresponsive shoulder buttons of the Nintendo DS handheld console (all revisions) and a lot of people here said that blowing the gaps of the shoulder buttons will solve this issue. But for me, blowing the gaps of the shoulder button will do NOTHING just like blowing the cartridges of a game console! The reason why the compressed air trick will not work because the mechanism inside the trigger was sealed! So I made my own solution to this issue which involves tearing down the console. Using this solution, I already fixed four DSLites so far.

For the guide regarding the DSLite disassembly for those who never disassembled a DSLite before, go here... or to this site. The parts required to open the unit were already mentioned on that guide.

If you're done disassembling your DSLite, you will need these following tools to fix the trigger buttons:
  • Fat sewing needle - Will be used to open the metal shielding of the triggers. Any tools with pointed tips comparable to the sewing needle can be used too.
  • A pair of needle-nosed or long-nosed pliers - Will be used for returning the triggers to its original state.
  • Abrasive paper #1200 - The smoothest one I found and this will be used to clean the metal contacts of the triggers.
  • A piece of magnet - Will be used to secure the tiny metal plate inside the trigger button (not needed if you're very careful enough with these parts). The stronger, the better. A good example is the magnet found inside the hard disk drive.
  • Any kind of adhesive - Same function as the magnet. Be sure that the metal disc/plate can be removed in that adhesive that you will use after cleaning. Use if if you don't have a magnet.
  • A cleaning solution for metal contacts - Use it if you hate scratching things or if you're afraid of messing up the contacts and the metal disc/plate.
So, let's get it started!!!

Locate the defective triggers of your DSLite. The triggers are those parts marked with circles are shown below the image.

DPZqj.jpg


Now, let's begin opening the triggers of the DSLite!

First, grab your needle and put its tip to the part shown in the image below. then push it gently until the metal strip gets bent. Repeat this on the other side of the trigger. Don't bend the metal strip too much.

LQ17d.jpg


The metal strip should look like this...

eKPSS.jpg


Then, put the tip of the needle on the gap between the metal shielding and the plastic then push it gently just like in the previous step. Remember, do not over-bend things.

UrrkV.jpg


It should look like this...

VjsPU.jpg


After opening the trigger, you will see the the real reason why the DSLite's shoulder buttons are malfunctioning even the buttons are still clicky... The oxidized metal contacts of the trigger!

lRfjo.jpg


Now let's proceed on cleaning the contacts!

First, take out the metal plate (the part that gives the clicking effect and connecting the terminals inside the trigger when pressed) and the rubber button.
WARNING!!! Don't lose these parts or else, you permanently screwed your DSLite's shoulder buttons up! Unless, you have some extra... Put the metal plate in a piece of magnet or adhesive (if you have one) then grab an abrasive paper. Cut a little piece then fold it like on the image...

wX1UQ.png


After folding the abrasive paper, clean the oxidized part of the metal plate with the sharp tip of the folded abrasive paper. The metal plate should look shiny like this... (please disregard that bump on the metal since I accidentally folded that thing during the clean-up!)
If the metal disc/plate was bent/folded, the clicking factor of that metal will be reduced so avoid it from being bent/folded at all cost.

CIOYe.jpg


After cleaning the metal plate, proceed to the metal contacts inside the trigger. If you having trouble cleaning that part with the folded abrasive paper, you can use the needle to scratch the metal contacts. Scratch it until the contacts became shinier. If you have some cleaning solution for metals, put some drop on it.

4INvW.jpg


After cleaning these two parts, you can re-assemble the trigger now. Put the metal plate first then put the rubber button on the top of the metal plate. Close the opening by pushing the metal shielding to the plastic part of the trigger. When its closed, return the bent metal strips to its original state by using a pair needle-nosed pliers (I lost my needle-nose pliers so I used a normal long-nosed pliers instead.). Don't put too much pressure on it because you may crush the trigger!)

BcMBv.jpg


Optional step: For much better sealing, re-solder the solder points of the metal shielding.

When you're done on sealing the trigger, re-assemble the unit now and test if it works now!

UPDATE:
Added TwinRetro's and Foxi4's suggestion to the guide, added some precautions about cleaning the metal contacts and added some tools needed.
If you found something wrong on this guide or want to add something, just post it! I hope that this guide helped some people who have some trouble with DSLite's malfunctioning shoulder buttons!

THANKS FOR READING!!!
 

KipMudz

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Do the DSi and DSi XL/LL use the same kind of shoulder switch as the DS lite?
Based on what I saw on Ifixit's teardown of DSi/XL and even the 3DS, it seems that these handhelds are not using the same kind of trigger switch found on the GBA family and DS phat and lite due to the appearance of the triggers. My guess is the trigger switch of DSi looks like the buttons of a mobile phone keypad which the metal discs of the buttons are being held by some sort of adhesive coating. I'm think that the way of cleaning the metal contacts might be similar on the OP. Sigh... I never tore a DSi down yet.
 

constantgamer247

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Based on what I saw on Ifixit's teardown of DSi/XL and even the 3DS, it seems that these handhelds are not using the same kind of trigger switch found on the GBA family and DS phat and lite due to the appearance of the triggers. My guess is the trigger switch of DSi looks like the buttons of a mobile phone keypad which the metal discs of the buttons are being held by some sort of adhesive coating. I'm think that the way of cleaning the metal contacts might be similar on the OP. Sigh... I never tore a DSi down yet.

Hummm... interesting. I was wondering cuz my sister had a DS lite that she sold because the shoulder buttons were going. I have a DS phat and a DSi XL and have never had a problem with the shoulder buttons. I know when the DS lite came out it had a newer style of shoulder buttons than the gba+gba sp and DS phat had, but I lost track after the lite. I'm sure I could just look at tear downs and compair.

I didn't really spend a lot of time with the DS lite so I can't remember what it's shoulder buttons were like.
 

WoJjTeK

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Alright, after an 1 hour of struggling , I finally pulled this off. Man I didn't expect the trigger parts to be that small, it was pain in the ass to clean up that metal piece from it. But now my L Trigger works flawlessly, hopefully it will stay this way for a long time. Thank you very much for this tutorial :)
 
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darkunitzero

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i logged into gbatemp for the first time in years to say thanks. this saved the left shoulder button from a ds lite that i got wayyyyyyyy back when it was first released in japan.

thanks again!!!!
 
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Searinox

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Dear KipMudz,

Your amazing advice has helped me fix my DS' L shoulder button to the point where it feels brand new and even better than the R button. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Without your advice, I'd have ended up buying a new PCB or even console entirely. I hold my NDSL dear. Not only is it my most played console, but it was also a gift from someone. I was amazed at the fact that dirt even managed to get in there in the first place. o.=.O; That thing's pretty sealed up. Now I can keep holding on to my favorite console! ^<3^

*heart stamp*
 
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Ramis

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After lending my old DSL to a friend for over a year, it came back with non-functioning Shoulder buttons. No response at all, so I didn't have high hopes. After disassembling the DS, and playing around with a multimeter, it seemed the problem was the switch itself, since it didnt seem to conduct. Some googling on the problem brought me to this Guide, and after following the steps, the buttons feels brand new!
Thanks a lot!
 
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KipMudz

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Thanks guys for using this guide to fix the L/R buttons of your dear DSLites!

Sigh. I also want to include the guides on how to open the L/R button switches of other Nintendo handhelds but I don't have a GB Micro, DSPhat, DSi/XL and 3DSXL. No photos for them at this moment. I'm too lazy to upload the photos for GBA/SP and 3DS.
 

zaide_chris

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Just fixed my DS Lite using this method, I used a old magnext and it held the disc quite well, while I cleaned up the inside of it. Only issue I had is the disc became charged and was sticking to all of my metal tools. So I had to find pair of plastic tweezers to get the disc back in.
 
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invaderyoyo

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Hey, this worked great. My DS Lite's L button works fine now, so thanks. I would also like to add that the shoulder buttons in the DSi are, in fact, the same. I had bought some replacement buttons for a DSi and when I was doing this fix I compared the buttons and yup, they are the same. This fix would work for the DSi, too.
 
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WarioWaffles

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Thank god for this thread.

Recently got 2 busted NDSL dirt cheap and the first one had a ruined motherboard so I used its top screen to fix the second one but the second one had a right trigger button that would not work.

I removed the rubber top and I tried compressed air, 91% alcohol, blowing air into it but nothing worked. Was about to go through incredibly frustrating task of replacing the trigger assembly with the first NDSL, the idea of doing that was so daunting I searched around and found this guide.

I regret not taking pictures the button it had three rings of of brown rust, oddly enough the rest of the trigger assembly was shiny and clean.
 
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Bobman32x

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Thank you so much, man. I just got a DS Lite from a friend of mine for more or less free (part of a large trade of various items) and I was bummed when the triggers werent working. They were kind of working if I pressed them down REALLYYYYY hard, but nothing to actually use gameplay wise. I tried compressed air, I tried rubbing alcohol, nothing worked. Then I found this. Dude, worked perfectly.

FYI everyone else who doesnt know if they should do it or not or nervous, this wasnt even that hard. I open things up frequently, and sad to say 90% of the time when i open something, its a last ditch effort in trying to fix something, and I usually end up breaking it completely by way of messing something up. But this one wasnt bad at all. Just take your time and go slow. The only hard part is using a pin to open the button casing, and its not even hard, just requires a steady hand. Thank you so much!
 
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