How To Repair PS4 Overheating: Difference between revisions

How To Repair PS4 Overheating
Device	Playstation 4, Playstation 4 Pro, Playstation 4 Slim
Affects part(s)	Cooling Fan
Needs equipment	Screwdrivers, Prying Tools
Difficulty	◉◉◌◌ Medium
Type	Part Replacement"Part Replacement" is not in the list (Soldering, Teardown, Part replacement, Cleaning, Software, BGA, General) of allowed values for the "Repair Guide type" property.

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Latest revision as of 05:24, 30 November 2025

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Problem description

PS4 (all variants – Fat / Slim / Pro) overheats, becomes extremely loud, or shuts down with the message:

“The PS4 is too hot. Turn off the PS4 and wait until the temperature goes down.”

Most common causes:

Dust-clogged heatsink & vents
Fan not spinning (failed fan or power rail issue)
Dry or worn-out thermal paste
Obstructed airflow due to pet hair, smoke residues, or environmental buildup
Incorrect reassembly after previous repair

Symptoms

Loud jet-engine noise before shutdown
Immediate shutdown after launching a game
Overheating warning
No fan spin on boot
Random frame drops or lag (thermal throttling)
Hot bottom shell or rear grill
Fan oscillates or starts/ stops suddenly

Solution

Diagnostic Steps

1. External Inspection

Check air vents for dust buildup
Confirm console placement (not inside a closed cabinet)
Check for pet hair, cigarette tar, debris

2. Boot Test

Power on the PS4 while watching the fan:
- Spins at boot = Fan OK
- Clicks or hesitates/No spin = Worn bearings or mechanical fan fault

3. Thermal Paste Check

If PS4 has never been serviced:

Thermal paste is usually dry
Dust likely packed inside heatsink fins

4. Heatsink Airflow Check

Common issue: packed dust wall between fan and heatsink.

Repair Steps

1. Disassembly

(Varies by PS4 model)

Remove top cover
Remove power supply (PS4 Fat)
Disconnect fan connector
Remove motherboard
Extract entire cooling assembly

2. Cleaning (Critical Step)

Fan Cleaning

Use compressed air + soft brush
Spin fan manually to verify smooth rotation
If grinding noise → Replace fan

Vents & Shell

Clean rear vents and side inlets thoroughly
Remove dust mats (large clumps)

Heatsink Cleaning

Remove old dust “blanket” from heatsink fins
Flush with air from both directions

3. Thermal Paste Replacement

Remove old paste from APU and heatsink using isopropyl alcohol
Apply high-quality thermal paste (Arctic MX-4 / Arctic Silver / Noctua NT-H1)
Ensure full flat contact with even pressure

4. Reassemble the Cooling System

Reinstall heatsink securely
Ensure all screws (especially pressure screws) are tightened in X pattern
Reconnect fan carefully
Reassemble the rest of the console

5. Replace Fan (If Dead)

When to replace:

No spin at boot
Weak or intermittent spin
Noise from bearings
Burnt smell or discoloration

Part requirements:

Model-specific fan (PS4 Fat, Slim, Pro each use different connectors)

Replace fan → test again.

Verification

After reassembly:

Boot console → fan should spin immediately
Run a game for 20–30 minutes
No overheating message
Fan ramps gradually, not instantly
Rear exhaust warm (normal)
System stable under stress

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 |Needs equipment=Screwdrivers, Prying Tools
 |Type=Part Replacement
-|Difficulty=2. Intermediate
+|Difficulty=2. Medium
 }}
 == Problem description ==
-<!--
+PS4 (all variants – Fat / Slim / Pro) overheats, becomes extremely loud, or shuts down with the message:<blockquote>“The PS4 is too hot. Turn off the PS4 and wait until the temperature goes down.”</blockquote>Most common causes:
-Provide a concise description of the issue here. Be  as specific as possible to help readers quickly determine whether or not this is the exact problem they are facing.
- -->
+* Dust-clogged heatsink & vents
+* Fan not spinning (failed fan or power rail issue)
+* Dry or worn-out thermal paste
+* Obstructed airflow due to pet hair, smoke residues, or environmental buildup
+* Incorrect reassembly after previous repair
+[[File:Ps4-overheat-warning.jpg|thumb|PS4 Overheating Warning]]
+[[File:PS4 FAN.png|thumb|Playstation 4 Cooling FAN]]
-[[File:Placeholder image.jpg|thumb|Example image (Figure 1) -- No image yet. Help expand this page by uploading it!]]
 == Symptoms ==
-<!--
-Detail all measurable or observable symptoms in this section.
+* Loud jet-engine noise before shutdown
--->
+* Immediate shutdown after launching a game
-* Symptom 1 (Figure 1)
+* Overheating warning
-* Symptom 2
+* No fan spin on boot
+* Random frame drops or lag (thermal throttling)
+* Hot bottom shell or rear grill
+* Fan oscillates or starts/ stops suddenly
+[[File:PSE4 DRY THERMAL.png|thumb|Playstation 4 Dry Thermal Paste]]
 == Solution ==
-<!--
+[[File:PS4 HEATSINK.png|thumb|Playstation 4 Heatsink]]
-If the issue has a single, specific solution, provide it in this section and delete the sub-headers below. Otherwise, if there are multiple potential causes for the problem, outline the process of identifying the root cause and offer corresponding solutions below.
+=== Diagnostic Steps ===
+==== 1. External Inspection ====
+* Check air vents for dust buildup
+* Confirm console placement (not inside a closed cabinet)
+* Check for pet hair, cigarette tar, debris
+----
+==== 2. Boot Test ====
+* Power on the PS4 while watching the fan:
+** Spins at boot = Fan OK
+** Clicks or hesitates/No spin = Worn bearings or mechanical fan fault
--->
+----
+==== 3. Thermal Paste Check ====
+If PS4 has never been serviced:
+* Thermal paste is usually dry
+* Dust likely packed inside heatsink fins
-=== Diagnostic Steps ===
+----
+==== 4. Heatsink Airflow Check ====
+Common issue: packed dust wall between fan and heatsink.
 === Repair Steps ===
+==== 1. Disassembly ====
+(Varies by PS4 model)
+* Remove top cover
+* Remove power supply (PS4 Fat)
+* Disconnect fan connector
+* Remove motherboard
+* Extract entire cooling assembly
+----
+==== 2. Cleaning (Critical Step) ====
+===== Fan Cleaning =====
+* Use compressed air + soft brush
+* Spin fan manually to verify smooth rotation
+* If grinding noise → Replace fan
+===== Vents & Shell =====
+* Clean rear vents and side inlets thoroughly
+* Remove dust mats (large clumps)
+===== Heatsink Cleaning =====
+* Remove old dust “blanket” from heatsink fins
+* Flush with air from both directions
+----
+==== 3. Thermal Paste Replacement ====
+* Remove old paste from APU and heatsink using isopropyl alcohol
+* Apply high-quality thermal paste (Arctic MX-4 / Arctic Silver / Noctua NT-H1)
+* Ensure full flat contact with even pressure
+----
+==== 4. Reassemble the Cooling System ====
+* Reinstall heatsink securely
+* Ensure all screws (especially pressure screws) are tightened in X pattern
+* Reconnect fan carefully
+* Reassemble the rest of the console
+----
+=== 5. Replace Fan (If Dead) ===
+==== When to replace: ====
+* No spin at boot
+* Weak or intermittent spin
+* Noise from bearings
+* Burnt smell or discoloration
+==== Part requirements: ====
+* Model-specific fan (PS4 Fat, Slim, Pro each use different connectors)
+Replace fan → test again.
+----
+==== Verification ====
+After reassembly:
+* Boot console → fan should spin immediately
+* Run a game for 20–30 minutes
+* No overheating message
+* Fan ramps gradually, not instantly
+* Rear exhaust warm (normal)
+* System stable under stress