Hardware Switch Screen Doesn't Turn On Outside of Dock

[Tom Bombadildo]

K, I have a question/issue. I've had my Switch for a whole 4 days now, and all of the sudden this morning the LCD on the Switch itself won't turn on. It was working fine last night, I had it plugged in all night in the dock so I know for sure it's not dead, but this morning when I went to try and turn it on outside the dock nothing happens.

So I tried various troubleshooting tips with Nintendo's support site, doing a hard reset, checking the AC adapter etc etc, and found that it only works while docked, but as soon as I undock it the LCD just doesn't turn on.

Before I decide upon sending it in to Nintendo to have it "repaired", has anyone else come across this issue and managed to fix it themselves?

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

Are you sure the system was plugged it? Does it turn on when the system is docked? Try taking it out when you see it on tv, it usually turns on the screen automatically. Or maybe hold the power buttons to do a power cycle. Never had this issue,.

Only issue i had was once the dock didn't display on tv.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

Are you sure the system was plugged it? Does it turn on when the system is docked? Try taking it out when you see it on tv, it usually turns on the screen automatically. Or maybe hold the power buttons to do a power cycle. Never had this issue,.

Only issue i had was once the dock didn't display on tv.

I had it plugged in all night in the dock so I know for sure it's not dead,

So I tried various troubleshooting tips with Nintendo's support site, doing a hard reset, checking the AC adapter etc etc, and found that it only works while docked, but as soon as I undock it the LCD just doesn't turn on.

Before I decide upon sending it in to Nintendo to have it "repaired", has anyone else come across this issue and managed to fix it themselves?

 

[Jhnsn]

I'm not an expert, but can it be that just the screen somehow could be dead? Try by launching a game and then undocking. But you have to send it back I think.

 

[Saiyan Lusitano]

If it only works when it's docked then the screen seems to be faulty.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

That's what it's looking like, I was talking to Nintendo's customer support and they suggested the same.

Unfortunately, this Switch was bought from Europe so if I wanted to send it in for repairs I'd have to pay to have it shipped there and back and it would take "4-6 weeks" to process, repair/replace, and ship back to me if it would get fixed at all. Since that's a load of bullshit, I guess I'm stuck with a non-portable Switch.

 

[Saiyan Lusitano]

That sucks.

The Switch portable mode is a pretty awesome aspect it has going for it and I'll for sure be making more use of it from now on. Maybe with "Nintendo Switch 2" we'll get a glass screen on the Switch's successor (so that screen protectors become optional -- the plastic screen gets scuffed and scratched a bit too easily).

 

[Haymose]

I had something similar happen when I undocked it the screen wouldn't display anything but I could see that the backlight was on. Holding the power button for 10 seconds fixed it but I'm sure you've tried that already.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

Yeah, there's no backlight or anything on, it's totally blank as soon as I pull it from the dock. I can still move the cursor around when it's undocked, so I suppose the LCD screen just up and died over night for no reason.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

So upon further inspection, it looks like it's the backlight itself that shit out, not the entire LCD screen. So that's great. ._.

 

[PabloMK7]

Looks like you have "some" (all of them) dead pixels. That's common to LCD screens and shouldn't be considered a defect.

If you don't want to send it to nintendo, what about taking it apart and see if there are loose ribbon cables?

 

[WiiuGold]

Why did you get a EUR Switch?

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

Looks like you have "some" (all of them) dead pixels. That's common to LCD screens and shouldn't be considered a defect.

If you don't want to send it to nintendo, what about taking it apart and see if there are loose ribbon cables?

It's just the backlight, as I found out a little bit ago. I've been contemplating opening it myself, but I don't have the proper tools to remove the digitizer ATM so I can check the entire cable.

 

[wprpalmeida]

if you're really lucky, it might be just a case of reseating the backlight ribbon cable on the board, no need to change screens and whatnot

 

[linuxares]

That's what it's looking like, I was talking to Nintendo's customer support and they suggested the same.

Unfortunately, this Switch was bought from Europe so if I wanted to send it in for repairs I'd have to pay to have it shipped there and back and it would take "4-6 weeks" to process, repair/replace, and ship back to me if it would get fixed at all. Since that's a load of bullshit, I guess I'm stuck with a non-portable Switch.

Are you sure they don't have a worldwide support for this? Since it's the same hardware worldwide anyway.

 

[iAqua]

It's just the backlight, as I found out a little bit ago. I've been contemplating opening it myself, but I don't have the proper tools to remove the digitizer ATM so I can check the entire cable.

All you'll really need is a triwing screwdriver.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

Are you sure they don't have a worldwide support for this? Since it's the same hardware worldwide anyway.

100%. When you register your device for their "repair service", you have to choose a region and then enter in the serial number that corresponds to that region. Mine is for the EU, so they refuse to fix it in the US. Also called their customer support to see if they'd let me just send it in regardless, and they told me the shipping thing and the 4-6 week wait.

if you're really lucky, it might be just a case of reseating the backlight ribbon cable on the board, no need to change screens and whatnot

That's what I'm hoping.

All you'll really need is a triwing screwdriver.

I wouldn't be able to remove the entire screen without being able to pull the digitizer off. I could check the connection itself, but not the entire cable (or the other end) to see if it's damaged somewhere. To pull the digitizer off, I'd need a pry tool which I don't have at my house ATM.

 

[wprpalmeida]

100%. When you register your device for their "repair service", you have to choose a region and then enter in the serial number that corresponds to that region. Mine is for the EU, so they refuse to fix it in the US. Also called their customer support to see if they'd let me just send it in regardless, and they told me the shipping thing and the 4-6 week wait.


That's what I'm hoping.


I wouldn't be able to remove the entire screen without being able to pull the digitizer off. I could check the connection itself, but not the entire cable (or the other end) to see if it's damaged somewhere. To pull the digitizer off, I'd need a pry tool which I don't have at my house ATM.

pls post back whenever you try reseating your connector. LEDs just don't crap themselves like this out of nowhere. Do you a tri-wing screwdriver?

 

[linuxares]

100%. When you register your device for their "repair service", you have to choose a region and then enter in the serial number that corresponds to that region. Mine is for the EU, so they refuse to fix it in the US. Also called their customer support to see if they'd let me just send it in regardless, and they told me the shipping thing and the 4-6 week wait.


That's what I'm hoping.


I wouldn't be able to remove the entire screen without being able to pull the digitizer off. I could check the connection itself, but not the entire cable (or the other end) to see if it's damaged somewhere. To pull the digitizer off, I'd need a pry tool which I don't have at my house ATM.

Oh man That's terrible! One thing that was good with Asus (if they still have it) is that lets say you are in Australia studying and your US bought monitor breaks. They would accept it without question since you still bought an Asus product and repaired it where it was closest.

 

[iAqua]

I wouldn't be able to remove the entire screen without being able to pull the digitizer off. I could check the connection itself, but not the entire cable (or the other end) to see if it's damaged somewhere. To pull the digitizer off, I'd need a pry tool which I don't have at my house ATM.

This is a little crafty, but you can use a hair dryer and your fingernail? ;p