PlayStation 5 gamer shares easy fix for potentially fatal hardware error

One PlayStation 5 owner shared their concern after their console kept powering down for seemingly no good reason, potentially causing a fatal hardware error. Thankfully, there is an easy fix.

Taking care of our tech is of the utmost importance whether it's PCs, TVs or accessories. The PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch are no exception. What’s more, despite the best efforts of console manufacturers, sometimes our consoles fall victim to unforeseen errors.

Check out the Venom PS5 cleaning kit trailer below!

Sometimes the technical demands of a new release can play a huge part in a console powering down such as the intense boss battles of Final Fantasy XVI. Luckily, it seems that the issue has long since been fixed and you should be able to enjoy Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XVI and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth without potentially killing your PlayStation 5.

One of the best ways to look after your consoles is by giving them a good spring clean every month or so. No matter where you place your console, sometimes it can overheat and dust will clog up the machine at some point. It might be ok to give it a quick clean on the outside to remove dust but it's often best practice, at least on PlayStation 5, to remove the plates for a proper inside clean, as discovered by Reddit user DukesOfSafety.

“My PS5 is shutting down mid-game with no warning,” shared the concerned Reddit user. “Has anyone had this issue before? I've only experienced this playing The Finals and Helldivers 2, every other game has been fine. When I first experienced it with The Finals, I bought this cover off Amazon and I even took the fan out and cleaned the inside with a can of air.”

They continued: “Lately, the problem came back with Helldivers 2. Last night, I put the PS5 into safe mode, cleared the cache and rebuilt the database and still no luck. Should I send it in to Sony? I’ve also had this PS5 for almost three years now if that helps.” The Reddit thread was full of helpful tips to easily fix the issue without having to buy new covers or having to send the console back to Sony.

“Try cleaning it again, clean it deeper and also check if the power supply has anything blocking air from going in it. If it's just shutting off without any sound or any display then it's probably the power supply overheating,” explained bepi_s.

Reddit user DukesOfSafety also chimed in on the purchased console cover from Amazon: “These side plates with vents are the dumbest thing. There is a reason Sony didn't put vents in the side. The console is designed to draft air through certain passageways. These plates are advertised as having better cooling, but that's far from the truth."

“Now all the air is coming to the side instead of the vents like it's supposed to. There is a negative pressure that pulls air through the motherboard area over VRAM and everything else. All these vents do is cause less draft.” I can confirm that I once purchased a similar cover from Amazon and I soon realised how pointless it was.

As mentioned, the best way to clean the PlayStation 5 is with a deep clean and it’s easy to do, certainly an easier process than it was with the PlayStation 4. Even after a month, you’d be surprised how much dust builds up around the fan and power supply.

So please, make it a habit, to at least give your PlayStation 5 a spring clean every month or two, it’s much easier to do than you might expect and it can save you a lot of trouble.