Top 7 Mistakes When Tearing Down A PS5

It can be easy to make mistakes when fixing consoles, especially since they have so many tiny, intricate parts. Thankfully you can avoid many mistakes by knowing what not to do. Below we will be discussing what things to look out for when taking apart a PS5. Let’s get started!

Most Common PS5 Teardown Mistakes

Here are the most common mistakes we’ve seen people make when taking apart a PS5 And these apply no matter which PS5 you have.

Taking the Plates Off Incorrectly

The first thing you do when disassembling a PS5 is remove the front and back plates, and this can be a little bit confusing if you don’t know exactly how to do it. When you’re taking the plates off, you have to pull up on the correct corner in order to be able to slide them off, and if you don’t you can accidentally break the plastic pieces that keep them in place. 

Watch the video below to see how to take the one-piece plates on the original PlayStation 5 off, as well as how to put them back on, without damaging the hooks that keep the plates on.

Damaging the Fan Connector

When disconnecting the fan you have to be very careful to not break the fan connector. The fan connector is soldered to the motherboard and can be accidentally ripped off if you pull on it. If you break it off, it’ll have to be soldered back so this is something you really want to avoid.

When disconnecting the fan, gently pull up on the connector - that the fan wires go into, not the connector that’s soldered to the motherboard - by wiggling it from side to side with your fingers or some needle nose pliers. But it's very important to pull on the right part of the connector.

No matter which PS5 you have, the fan side connector will be white. If you have a PS5 original, the connector on the motherboard will be off white (see photo below). If you have a PS5 Slim or Pro, the connector on the motherboard will be black. So when you go to disconnect the fan, pull on the white connector that the wire go into - not the off white or black connector.

If you feel uncomfortable with that, another option is to use your fingers to gentle pull up on the wires, holding just above the connector while rocking it side to side. While this makes it unlikely that you will pull the connector off the motherboard, It’s worth noting that you might accidentally pull the wires out of the fan-side connector doing it this way. Either way you choose to remove it, do it slowly and carefully to prevent damage.

Making a Mess with the Liquid Metal

The liquid metal in PS5 consoles is used to transfer heat from the APU to the heat sink and to keep the APU cooler. But, unlike it's predecessor, thermal paste, thermal paste can flow or spill into other areas of the console which can cause problems. 

If the liquid metal gets onto the motherboard, or other circuit boards, it can bridge electrical components and cause components to short out. So, when you are repairing a PS5, it's important to not get liquid metal on any other parts of the PS5. If you do, make sure to clean it off completely. We typically use isopropyl alcohol and cotton swabs to clean it off. 

Not Keeping Track of Screws

When you’re doing a repair, one of the easiest things to misplace are screws. And PS5s use a variety of different screws so not keeping track of which screws go where is just as problematic. Using the wrong replacement screw because you lost one or putting a screw in the wrong place can both cause damage to your console. We've seen consoles with motherboard damage due to the wrong screw being used so this can end up being a costly mistake. 

All that is why it's important to have a plan for keeping track of screws. There a bunch of different ways to keep track of your screws, including: 

• Taking photos or video of the screws and where they go as you tear down your console.
•  Using a teardown guide that has detailed information on screw placement.
• Having a way to organize screws as you remove them. We recommend using a screw organizer like the iFixit Anti-Static Project Tray (paid Amazon link).
  

Going Too Fast

It can be easy to rush when working on your PS5. Or to keep going even if something isn't coming apart as expected and just try to force things apart. But you'll end up costing yourself more time if your hurry results in your making mistakes and accidentally breaking delicate parts.

We recommend setting aside more time than you think you'll need to do the repair so you don't feel rushed. And setting aside a much larger block of time than you need has a great upside - when you finish early, you can spend the rest of the time "testing" the console. 

Not Having the Correct Tools

The tools you need will depend on what you are doing and how far you will be tearing your console down, so look up the process and needed tools beforehand so you can have everything ready. Online repair guides, like the ones from iFixit.com, often have a list of the tools needed for the specific thing you're trying to do. 

You can also check out our TronicsFix PS5 Repair Products List on Amazon (paid link) and find the ones you need for your project.

Being Unrealistic About Your Skills

It’s easy to accidentally break parts when doing a console repair, so it’s good to know your limits so you don’t do something too far outside of your comfort zone. If you don't have much experience with working on game consoles, start with small, easy tasks and work your way up to the more complicated. You definitely want to have some experience with soldering before attempting to solder anything in a PS5.

Also, though you may have people online take apart and work on power supplies but because of the potential danger of shocking yourself, we recommend you do not attempt that yourself. If your PS5 is having power supply issue, the best option is to just replace the entire power supply.

If you don’t feel comfortable doing something, it is probably best to let someone else do it for you.

Additional Help

If you're looking for a place to ask questions of other people in the TronicsFix community who share a love for fixing, a great resource is one of our TronicsFix forums.

The OG TronicsFix Forum has been around for over 5 years and is a great resource for finding the answers to your questions.

We also have a new forum channel on our TronicsFix Discord server for repair questions and answers.

About the Author

Kirstyn Bahnmiller is a writer, graphic designer, and video editor for TronicsFix who loves to share her ideas and creativity with the world. In her off time you will find her working on various crafts, making digital art, taking photos, and cooking delicious recipes she found online.