Hacking DS lite Directional Pad

[Sendoh]

My white DS lite has had a bit of a problem with the D-pad, in that it is really soft. When you press it down it doesn't really click back, although the game registers it just fine. It makes FPS games really hard to play, since you have to hold it down until your finger hurts (I don't know why, even though it registers fine). When you click it down, it's like pressing it against a sponge. I'm not sure how long this has lasted, or whether this is an actual feature of the DS lite hardware, but my friends with black DS lites have perfectly fine click-y D-pads, kind of like the kind you find in GBA SP. (As far as I remember, I'll ask them again.)

So my question is, is this a natural feature of the white DS lite/DS lite? Should I get a black DS lite? I'm thinking of buying a new DS, yeah, but no DSi... that thing doesn't play gba games.

Thanks in advance

 

[Brian117]

Sounds like the rubber pad under it came loose.

Or something got up under the D-PAD.

If you want to fix it, open up your DS carefully, lift up the circuit board, take out the DPAD and the rubber which supports it, clean the rubber pad with alcohol.

See if any dust or crumbs are under the DPAD button etc,

Put it back together and then try it.

That's just my two sense. Fell free to correct me anyone.

 

[Sendoh]

Actually, I'm not really sure, since there doesn't seem to be any problem with it other than the fact that it does not click. It may have been like that from the start. Does your D-pad click just fine?

 

[Brian117]

My DPAD is fine.

I don't think any DS's should be like yours.

Go take it back to where ever you bought it from. There should be a policy on returns.

But before you do that, like I said, see if you can fix it yourself before.

 

[Sendoh]

There is a policy for returns... too bad I bought my DS a few years ago. I guess I'll see if I can get a Tri-Wing screwdriver to open up my DS, or simply buy another DS lite. Thanks for the tips.

 

[Joey90]

After 2 years of playing my DSlite D-pad's rubber contact broke... there is a bit which pops in and out (which is how it 'clicks') that just sheared off, and it sounds like the exact same problem.

If this is the case you will need a whole new rubber pad. You can either thieve these from another DSlite or buy some from dealextreme.com