Chosen Solution
On my original PS4 controller (got another one when I upgraded to PS4 Pro), the up, down, left and right buttons just one day decided they didn’t want to work anymore. I’ve tried resetting the controller, a number of times, with the same result, which leads me to believe it’s not the signal to the PS4 but rather something within the controller itself. I’m not too keen on opening it up and it could not be the buttons themselves anyway but maybe a cable that goes from that area to the rest of the controller? Does anyone have any DIY advice before I break down and pay a bench fee?
it is possible that the button connections on the circuit board have worn down but can be replenished by using a pencil on those points because of the graphite from it, obviously you would have to take it apart and use ifixit’s guide.
I don’t know if its an issue with PS4 pads generally but I have bought pads that some of the buttons will stop working after some weeks of playing FIFA. I think the flex of PS4 pads have been designed to be soo fragile. Any strain of dust or liquid will make it to stop responding. PS3 pads were not like this. Why PS4? It’s really not fair Sony…
Only the down on my d- pad is effected. sometimes it would other times it wouldn’t. I gave it a shake and it worked again. Must be something loose in there
I tried the pencil trick on the contacts, but didn’t work. Finally I bought the conductive film replacement and it’s all back to life. I had a hard time finding some in stock in the usual Chinese websites (like being informed two months after the purchase that there was none in stock and I’d be getting a refund). Finally I found one, allegedly shipped from the UK, on a website called fruugo. Attached are the photos of the product. Note: this specific SKU in the photo is for the DS4 v1. Pay attention to which model you have (v2 shows the LED through the TouchPad)
Try buying a new DPAD kit for it or replacing the whole motherboard to it. Nothing much you can do other than that, you have cleaned, took it apart, and put it back… etc etc. Nobody else could tell you do something that would fix it. DualShock 4 Controller Motherboard and Midframe Assembly (JDM-011)
You need to replace the contacts for the d pad on the board it self its real easy to do and is just like a round piece of tape with the contacts on, So just a case of peal of and replace.
I posted a quick video where I test the continuity between the traces on the film that holds the button contacts. It would seem Sony’s manufacturing process might even be faulty here, as there is no visible break between the contact and the trace, but no continuity or very low (mega ohms of resistance) continuity happens between pads. This is wrong.
Here is the video where you can see me test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zGn2A3D…
Brandon, I had this exact same problem, here’s a video of me fixing my controller step by step. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fGV8_6K… I wish you good luck :)
I don’t have a PS4 controller but I’ve been fixing unreliable PS3 controller pads not by using pencil but eraser. I’m not sure if it is about some oxidation or other residue but that seems to clean up the contacts.
It’s a bad trace I lost all d pad directions except down. When I did a continuity test I discovered the common path that’s in series on each direction stopped after down. When I looked closely with the microscope I could see the next direction left had material rubbed away right near the pad I will try to upload a photo. As for fixing I have a pen for fixing traces I’m going to try to draw a new path there and then probably mask the edge with a little tape so that it can’t rub there anymore. I expected this to be something related to a trace, when repairing things you got to look at probability and statistics. Was not going to lose three my direction pads instantly so it was most likely not a worn down pad. Or any grime or build up that kind of stuff does not happen instantly. my controllers never had water or other things dumped on them.
