Hardware 3rd left joycon with same issue

[positive-]

I got a Switch about 9 months ago and have the same issue with my joycons. The first pair stopped working after around six months (left stick drifts to left, doesn't accept other inputs), so I used my 2nd pair. My 2nd left joycon has drift after 5 days. After a week, the 2nd left joycon stick does not respond. The joycon pair just went out of warranty. Nintendo offers free repair for the 1st, 30 dollars repair for the second. I just go buy a third pair. This is about 6 months in. Just like clockwork, 3 months later, my 3rd left joycon starts drifting. I have a feeling it will stop working again. My warranty just ran up. Nintendo won't repair unless I cough up 30 dollars for a repair that might not keep it from happening again. I have 3 that need to be repaired, but I refuse to give them 60 for something they are doing wrong and not correcting. I've had most of their products from the Color to the Wii U. I have never had an issue with any controller or console except the screen and volume switch on the 3DS, which never bothered me as it doesn't have an effect on playability. This has got to be the worst issue I've run across as a consumer, and there's nothing you can do about it. I thought about posting on Reddit, but they're elitist about it and practically make fun of you. Nintendo support won't do a thing except ask for money I already gave them for working controllers. I need a way to fix this issue for the two out of warranty, and buying parts to take the controller apart and fix them doesn't seem like a good fix unless I absolutely have to. I'll try getting compressed air, but I don't know if that's really going to fix it. The first two are completely unresponsive and compressed air may or may not help the third. I feel like I'm being forced to buy a new pair of joycons every three months. Anyone know what the issue is? I honestly don't play enough to justify it, and I don't play rough and go out of my way to be light on the sticks because the 1st one broke. This is just kind of getting old. I seem to be really unlucky.

 

[Illuminaticy]

It's a very common flaw of the joycons, every pair I have had/has drift. People on Reddit are dipshits, and cover Nintendo's ass like it's their company. People on here/everywhere else acknowledge the issue though.

According to Nintendo, it's dust/other crap getting in the stick. People have opened them and they're completely clean.
The ones I've opened have been 100% clean as well.

It seems there's nothing you can do to fix it yourself. Compressed air, isopropyl alcohol, WD 40 (electronics one), hitting, nothing fixes it.

I guess replacing the stick fixes it, but obviously that's ridiculous.
The 3 Nintendo reps I've spoken to (my 3 joycon repairs) have admitted that it is an extremely common issue they see.

PS: Do not take off the thumbstick cap. It is impossible to put it back on yourself. Nintendo must have a special tool, because you literally can not get it back on normal ever again.

 

[TheZoc]

Hello @positive- ,

First, an advice about posting: Try to break down your posts in phrases and paragraphs. It almost scared me away, I'm sure it will scare other people away. It's hard to read text like that

Now for the real help:

The real fix there would be buying the joycon stick part and replace it. It's not hard, but requires a lot of patience, so be careful if you plan to do that and you should be good

As for palliative suggestions (might improve the situation):
- Compressed air can (You know that already, low chance of success)
- If the compressed air don't work, you might want to try with Isopropyl alcohol. Use it with the controller powered down AND ONLY ATTEMPT TO USE IT AFTER IT IS FULLY DRY! I"m not sure if the joycons have internal lubrication, if they have, might work initially and run into issues again. (Maybe someone can confirm this or further research might help).

Questions that might help identify the issue:
- Do you throw your switch into a backpack or something that has *any* chance of putting pressure on your joycon? Even a tight case might cause issues here
- Do you have a lot of sweat on your hands while playing? This might allow dust and body grease (not sure if this translates correctly) to get easily inside the joycon
- Do you tend to eat and play? If so, this can have an impact on the life of your joycon.

One thing I didn't understand from your post is: Are they just drifting to the side or completely broken? There's a calibration utility inside the switch that might help with that (If the stick is off center), but if it's not accepting any other input, that might not help at all.


Now for the poor part:
- If you're considering throwing away your broken joycons... Maybe consider donating to someone poorer (me? hahaha )


I hope those help! Good luck mate!

 

[menadwen]

I stopped using joy cons. Start there drift around 3rd month after 2 repairs.

 

[codyjo]

Learn to use paragraphs...

 

[Paulsar99]

Joycons does suck and this is already my second set that's drifting in just a span of 10 months of me owning a switch, meanwhile my ps4 controller of 4 years still works great up to this day. For 80 bucks the quality of the joycon is pretty disappointing and I wish they would make a better revision of joycons this or next year.