After almost 12 years...... I finally know why the buttons' color never fade away

Saved me a headache with those shoulder buttons, great tip to put them in AFTER assembling the housing!

I remember that when I was 10 I had disassembled my ps one controller because the triangle button didn't worked properly. The conductive rubber was a little off (thanks to hours and hours of tomb raider and tekken 3). I'm still amazed that I didn't broke anything back then and that I was able to put it together on my first try D:

After watching a number of videos on cleaning up my PS2 controller, this one is the best. Good clear instructions and you could actually see everything (some of the others missed key steps and you couldn't see properly). Well done that was a great tutorial. Cheers

you are truly a lifesaver mate. i have been struggling with the shoulder buttons for a while now and thanks to you i have reassembled my controller from 2007

I kinda knew how to take apart controllers already, but i played your video as insurance to prevent errors. Thanks for the shoulder button tip! Didnt know they just clicked in. Thats sooo much easier than putting them in and assemble the housing.

Ah thank you, I needed to clean out around the R1 and R2 buttons in a used controller since they were sticking, glad to see it won't be too difficult to do.

I had problems with l2 and r2 buttons. Trying to close the controller having them insde is annoying. This way is a lot easier.

Finally a video that shows how to assemble correctly the R2 and L2 buttons. Thank you!

You are full of good info, easy to scan thru your video and find what area I need as you keep the visual directly over, top down , Thanks!

I was having difficulty getting my controller back together because of the D-pad brace, this video was very helpful. Thank you!

YES My problem was specially with the pressure strip!! The tidbit about the L2/R2 was especially helpful too, thanks!!

Thanks for the great video! My issue was a sticky analog stick so I sprayed some white lithium grease into it. The hardest part by far, was getting the controller back together. After several attempts, much patience, and lots of curse words... Success! It works great now.

mixed a black and silver controller together... so top is silver and botton is black :P both had some problems so had to trow one out anyways...

This video is amazing. Thanks to you I cleaned my ps2 controllers out - one works perfectly and the other is a bit spazzy but that's better than before when both didn't work! Years ago I had lent my ps2 to a 'friend' who, when he returned the console, accidentally swapped his old controllers for my new ones. Yes I was mad but never got the good ones back and the old ones worked ok until I'd recently taken them out of storage to sell the console. I have to say the gunk and dirt in those was grim! As they are silver it was really easy to see and quite easy to clean. After seeing your video I felt confident to have a go and really enjoyed it! I actually now understand why these things are expensive new with the moulded buttons and so many small parts. Btw my 2 are dual shock 2's made in China, and both had 4 spindle retainers, both had the fixed ribbon on the board too. The silver colour has worn quite badly on one and I was wondering if you have ever resprayed a casing? What would be ok to use? Also one cable is damaged and has electrical tape on it and I've seen your cable repair vid but just wondered if you will be doing a complete cable repair video soon at all for cut wires? Thanks once again!

I just bought 3 PSone color ser through controllers and they needed to be cleaned up. Youe video helped me out immensely. Thanks

This must be one of the best guide/tutorial for disassembling and reassembling a dual shock ps2 controller

For anyone curious, I opened up multiple ps2 controllers recently and the d pad stabilizer bar was different in many of them. Some of them had a white bar with 4 legs, one was grey like the one in this video with 3 legs and another was grey with 3 1/2 legs, looking like the one in this video but it had a little half leg sticking out the 4th spot. Interesting design changes over the years.

This really help not brea my ps2 controller when I cleaned it. Thank you!!!

I wanted to clean my white PSX controller and this video was fantastic. Thanks!

thanks! now i don't have a hard time putting the shoulder buttons anymore! and the controller looks like new!

I bought a PS2 controller at a flee market. It was filthy from the inside Thanks your video helped me a lot

Nice one! Thank you for this easy-to-understand tutorial!

Very helpful, just bought a second PS2 after a few years of getting rid of my previous one and I painted the controller for the first time in red and it turned out pretty good for a first time except I messed up on the top right lol. But great video!

Bought another used controller, i tried this again and its completely working, just to be careful with cables and the main board. Enjoying MGS how was made to be played ! With dualshock vibrations.

thank you for the R2 L2 trick!! makes it so much easier

Nice video, very good tips, I just cleaned my PS One Controller. I also cleaned the membrane with isopropyl alcohol and contact cleaner.

Thank you very much, you're a genious, at first I didn't know what that piece was (the one you first find on the reverse of the controller, the one that's used for pressure) so after I cleaned my controller, and ensambled it, it didn't work because of that Little piece was missing, and I didn't know where to place it. Your video helped me a lot, thank you very much :)

thank you so much amazing instructional video really helped me a lot. I liked and subbed! thanks !!

Great Video. Helped me out re assembly my controller. 👍🏿

Thanks so much! Your tip about the trigger buttons saved me some grief

This really helped me out, thanks!

Great video Collin!

Information is super clear !

If you're just cleaning buttons on the outside,you easily use an old toothbrush. If that doesn't help, then you should probably disassemble the controller and clean each individual part.

Great useful video mate.

Thank you so much for this video. Helped a lot on how to clean, and where to put things back. Although, the button to enable analog doesn't work. And I've no idea why. lol

Another tip I learned when disassembling and reassembling ps2 controllers is to leave the trigger buttons off until the controller is fully assembled. The trigger buttons pop right into place afterwards, just a bit of force.

thank you very much! your video helped me a lot :)

I have the exact model with the foam, opened, cleaned and added some vaseline (petrol jelly) in the left analog stick mechanism, it was sticking in the upper position, warmed the vaseline with a hairdryer so that it went everywhere, moved the analog a bunch of times and it was unstuck. The royal pain in the butt was when I closed it back up, there's no latch for the ribbon, so the foam has to match exactly or all the buttons will be pressed, I was ready to give up, but then stuck a small piece of double-sided tape to the back of the foam to keep it in place to the back of the controller, closed up and everything worked fine again, but man what a pain that was, been using that controller since 2004 and it still works p.s the cross in my controller has also a 3 legged bracer, not broken it's the design

very helpful video cheers bro

For me I go into a game like Doom (PS1) that lets me assign any button to anything to test it. But thanks for the video the shoulder button idea is great :) for me its always the worst part about putting them back together

This video helped me thanks

Thanks I just thought older games were looser and now it feels much tighter

Thank you, you were wery helpfoul!! thanx

Great vid, very helpfull! If you want to remove rust from screws, put them in white vinegar for 30-60min, then you can remove the rust just by rubbing the screws with a piece of toilett paper.

Had my ps3 controller rubber COMPLETELY smooth, had 2 ps2 crap controllers and their thumb stick were prestine, and i opened both controllers and swapped them

excellent video,I personally hate opening up PS2 controlelrs, tehres a high probability of the controller getting damaged because the membranes are all loose

I'm guessing the model you have, the chinese one, is more recent, given that the PS3 DS3 controller uses the same pressure-fitted flat ribbon system.

this guy should have more subs

this relay helped me

Thanks, I watched this video and I clean up my DualShock2 controller. And now they are like new, I retired a little piece of plastic that was broken and making noise inside and now all button when I prees them sounds and feels like new! Now I will buy a PS2 Controller adapter to USB for use them in PC. A lot better than buy a cheap strange Chinese imitation with horrible symbols. And actually a adapter to PC is a lot cheaper than buy a new PS4 or XboxOne controller for PC.

Thanks man this really helped me out, Do you think you can do a tutorial on how to clean a GameCube controller? :)

I love how these videos show how to take apart and clean them but what they never show is the controller working afterwards,must have broken 2 of these taking them apart,put back together without any problem but for some reason the buttons wont work afterwards.

I have my PS2 flat it still works great sometime i need to clean heads

lol. I have taken apart and put together about ten ps2 controllers. All of them, I did not snap the shoulder buttons in like you did. It was literally a juggling act trying to put the controller together with those buttons constantly falling out! It sucked! Anyway thanks for the tip.

PS2 Controller Tester Homebrew definitive tool to test ps1 and ps2 controller on the ps2

A notation I'd suggest putting up is to not touch the contacts for the connector for the front and back panel like you did in the video. I'd suggest if you did touch them, that you would clean them with alcohol since your skin oils will eventually corrode at the contacts.

Hey, I was hoping you could help me with this: I have a ps1 original grey controller and I want to clean it. However, 2 of the screws that hold the casing is kept in tight and does not loosen up. I tried the rubber band technique to get some friction between the screw and screwdriver but it does not budge. Any tips?

Hey, I am having difficulties with the back of the screws on my PS2 controller, they don't seem to take it off, even if I used the right screwdriver. Please help me out!

Hey Colin, love your videos. I recently bought a used ps2 controller but it doesn't really work. When I tested it the system didn't recognized it. When I used the controller to play Gta vice city none of the buttons worked and the character just ran in circles but when i was in the games menu, the joystick was fine but nothing else works. I also cleaned the insides. I don't know what else to do. Any suggestions?

Hello Collin, nice video as always. Do you intend on doing a ps3 controller fix? Mine if you press the left analogue down, it just press random buttons, especially triangle and L1. It's very annoying. While there is some fixes on YT, nothing is as good and clean as you. Thanks! :)

My question is Will a Slim PSone buttons on the controller fit on a PS3 controller say if want to fix it and need replacement will that work?

I did this cleaning and reassembled but now the dpad and face buttons take way more force and pressure to register in game. I understand cleaning the gunk might cause some of that, but I feel what I'm experiencing is not normal. Any idea why this is happening? thanks for the video tutorial edit: I did use a qtip+isopropyl to gently wipe the green membrane (3:11) that the buttons press onto, could that have ruined it?

I have a perfectly good PSOne controller that has a sticky R2 button. I unfortunately cannot get the controller open as two of the screwdrivers in the back have gotten so rusted that they are completely stripped. Any suggestions?

just bought a used ps2 with 2 controllers. both controllers have random buttons that dont work. any ideas what might be wrong? like the left dpad only goes right on one and the other doesnt work at all. One has square and x work but not o or triangle. the other nothing works but the triggers??

I recently picked up 4 ps2 controllers from amazon. I have to say L1 L2 R1 R2 buttons are very very sticky and heavier than mine. it's night and day. I am playing with mine for 5 years, it is still like new. What happened here? Other buttons than the trigger buttons are in good shape. Square triangle x circle button have good touch feeling. But trigger buttons sucks. I also noticed that d-pad has more heavier discomfort feeling. The US pat nos 5551693 letter stamp behind the controller is missing. Mine controller has that stamp. I don't think it is an original controller. Although is almost identical. I had an original ps2 controller as a reference for testing purposes. Came in the box with ps2 console when I bought my playstation 2 console 5 years ago. Do you think they are fake?

my controller broke

A question. i cant take the L2 and R2 out like you. can you help me maybe? thank you :)

Thanks 👍

One of my PS2 Controllers that was brand new out of the box suffers from a Crazy Thumb stick, meaning that in game even if I don't touch the stick it moves all over the place. Do you have a solution for this? My controller model is SCPH-10010.

I did this with my PS3 controller. it's pretty similar.

Alright serious question how do I clean Wd40 off my PS2 Controller on the inside and outside? My dad sprayed it on my Controller to fix the stickiness of the R2 Button and now it broke all the buttons on the right side and stuck the X Circle R1 Triangle and Square permanently in place as well as WD40 inside my Controller as well on the right side. Any advice is helpful.

I've got a couple that were made in Japan. There are so many dead controllers about, I decided to bid for a box of 15 faulty official Sony controllers which I got really cheap on ebay, how ever they are all very clean inside and look new but yet none of them work. I'd be grateful if anybody can do a fault finding video

my Ps2 Controller seems to Act on its own. is there a problem with the Insides? I've Cleaned it out Twice and it still doesn't work D:

Hey help me myps2 controller the buttons is not working and when i click analog button its gives alight and the buttons not work help pls

My controller came apart completely, the connector tape is off and I can't glue it back, I was very gentle about it but the damn thing just seperated from each other one by one.

I recently found my PS1 in my grandparents attic and cleaned it up as well as the controller, but here I am 3 hours later and cant get the controller back together, when all is said and done i have 2 gold screws as extra and the gray dividers where the L1 L2 buttons go, and the controller doesn't quite close correctly on one side, its ps1 dualshock scph-1200 and I'm at my witts end here, if you have one of these controllers could you please make a video on assembly of it, i dont want to buy a new one because ive got this one and no matter how many times ive tried it just won't go back together properly

Sorry if this was asked before, but do you know a solution for sticky thumbsticks other than buying replacements? Thanks!

thanks man my ps2 controller is working at

Did you ever open up a controller that had a number marked with thin pen on the motherboard for the control sticks? I'm only asking if I'm not the only one. It's a china controller btw.

where can I buy these retainers? I have been looking all over

I have a Dual Shock 2 where most of the buttons don't work at all. The analog sticks work fine, as do their buttons, but most of the other buttons don't work. What works; D-Pad right, X, Start, Select, Analog What doesn't work: Everything else. I took it apart and tried cleaning both the contacts on the flex circuit and the back of the rubber pads, but it didn't help. Mine has a socket for attaching the flex circuit, so I carefully opened that up and used alcohol to clean the contacts on the flex and in the socket (used a thin piece of cardboard), but that didn't help either. I can't see anything obviously wrong with it (loose wire, broken circuit, etc). It looks fine. For testing, I plugged it into a Super Joy Box 5 Pro adapter, which lets you plug it into a USB port on a computer. The drivers are similar to the Windows game controllers applet and show what functions are being pressed. It also lets you test the vibration and both motors responded. I know that the adapter works because I have another Dual Shock 2 that works perfectly with it. I also plugged this controller into a real console long before I ever got the adapter and the buttons were dead there too. So the adapter isn't to blame. Any ideas?

hallo .. . my controller is fix on his START button . how repair .. please help me..

6 YEARS LATE SQUAD WHERE YOU AT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

lucky me i got that exact same controller

Thank u that the problem I have

I'm having a hard time putting in L1 and R1 after the controller has been screwed back together

Odd, I've gotten the ps1, psOne, ps2 controllers used on amazon and they always looked brand new.

Yes, the D-Pad has a 3 armed brace, not 4.

Noiice bruh

help my L3 button does not wanna move smoothly like the right stick what can i do about this? maybe do some oil in the left stick? if this does no damage pls help

what size of screwdriver are you using

I did this and my strong vibrator stopped working, the weak one vibrates fine but the strong one completely stopped at all. I tried this function with Metal Gear Solid on the options menu, i will never open a controller again, i will have to buy a used ps2 controller tomorrow, at least it will be cheaper than i thought, anyway im sad because that controller was the first one i had with my ps2 in 2001...

why didnt you clean the contacts... thats the part that really needs attn. when disassembling any controller...

When I try to do this I kill my ps2 controller.

I managed to get 4 official PS2 controllers for about $8.43 each. that's gonna be a lot of dust to clean off XD

Him: "...the analog sticks only go on one way so they won't spin" Me: //sitting here struggling to play games, especially racing games, with my only working ps2 controller with a left analog stick that spins around its own axis...// "Mh... Is my controller special or just broken for good now...?" (Btw tried to take the controller apart and see what's up but i can only get 2 out of the 6 screws out. Have a screwdriver that would fit perfectly for the screws, problem is just that i can't reach the screw cuz the screwdriver too wide /.-)

The sticks are supposed to feel sticky? All this time, I thought mine were just really gross/dirty. Huh.

you did not put the white part which protects the main thing