Out of Nowhere: PS3 YLOD Warning Signs?

Too often, when a gamer experiences the PS3 YLOD, they feel like they were blindsided and never saw the problem coming.  While this may be true, and probably is, there are some warning signs that should tip off most people once you know what to look for.

The most common sign for an impending PS3 YLOD is that there will be an extremely loud whirring type of sound coming from the PS3.  In general, a PS3 is fairly quiet and low volume to run.  After a long period of time, if the console is heading towards a malfunction, it may become a bit louder to the point that you would definitely notice this.

Considering that many of the hardware failures for the PS3 have to do with solder coming loose, the one common culprit is overheating.  Some of the loud noises coming from the PS3 could very well be the fans kicking into high gear to help compensate for the overheating.  It is unclear whether this type of intelligence is built into the PS3′s components and operating system, but typically there will also be a significant increase in heat coming off of the console as well.

A good idea here, and really every time you are looking at your console, is to check to see if there is dust build up.  Cleaning around the vents, without opening the console or taking anything apart is probably a good idea to ensure that airflow is unimpeded and that the exhaust can perform optimally.

Another sign that you may be headed for the PS3 YLOD is that the games may begin to slow down a bit.  If you have spent any time on forums looking at this sort of information, then you probably have noticed some gamers concerns that their games begin to hang and act a little “choppy” at times.  It could just be a console that is acting up a bit and that the PS3 YLOD is never going to happen, but it is something to be aware of.

If you have felt the PS3 to see just how hot the console has been getting, and you notice a high amount of humidity around the vents and on the console, this is likely cause for alarm.  Humidity around electronics is not a good thing in most cases.  This would be a good time to refer back to the point a few paragraphs up about dust around the vents.  Getting one of those pressurized air cans to blow the dust out may be a good idea.  Be aware though that the high veolcity of the air could blow a piece that is already barely being held together could knock something loose.  This is certainly something you should only do at your own discretion.

Finally, if all of these signs have shown themselves, and the PS3 YLOD has finally arrived, you may want to look into a repair guide.  You could spend $150-$200 to get the console fixed, but that is 4-5x times more than even the best guides around the internet.

Be aware though that these guides usually require that you take your console and open it up.  Doing so voids a warranty, so be sure you are ready to use a guide.

The advantages have been covered on the site before, but if you use a guide, you stand a great chance to fix the PS3, save your games, get your game disc back, and be up and running in an hour or two with a PS3 working as good as new.

The folks at have a great PS3 YLOD repair guide that you should check out.