Introdução
Follow this guide to replace a broken or faulty left Joy Con sensor rail on the Nintendo Switch game console.
The Switch uses JIS screws, but you can use a Phillips screwdriver in a pinch. Be very careful not to strip the screws. iFixit's Phillips bits are designed to be cross-compatible with JIS-style screws.
Note: When you remove the shield plate, you’ll need to replace the thermal compound between the plate and the heatsink. Since normal thermal paste isn’t designed to bridge large gaps, the closest replacement is K5 Pro viscous thermal paste.
Note: This guide, and the part we sell, are compatible with the original Nintendo Switch model released in 2017, as well as the newer refreshed model released in 2019 (model numbers HAC-001 and HAC-001(-01), respectively).
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Press and hold down the small round button on the back of the Joy Con controller.
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While you hold down the button, slide the controller upward.
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Continue sliding the Joy Con upward until it's completely removed from the console.
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Use a Y00 screwdriver to remove the four 6.3 mm-long screws securing the rear panel.
I think my screws are stripped, any way to get them out?
I hear that using a rubber band can help? Not 100% sure on that though.
Pifase -
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Use a JIS 000 driver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the following screws securing the rear panel:
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One 2.5 mm-long screw on the top edge of the device
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Two 2.5 mm-long screws on the bottom edge of the device
Hey guys, I tried removing the upper screw and it won't go out(neither will it go in) any tips how to fix this?
Thanks
The screw boss might be stripped out. Has the device been taken apart before? If you can unscrew it a little bit to get the screw to peek out, maybe try and grab it with some pliers as a last-ditch effort.
I have the same problem. The JIS 000 tool works great on the joy con rails per step 5 but refuses to turn the bottom two 2.5 mm screws as in step 4. These bottom screws are noticeably smaller than the screws as in step 5. The JIS 000 does not get down into these screws. Hopefully they haven’t been stripped by the wrong tool. So is there a JIS tool that is smaller than 000? I’m stuck at this point…
We used the JIS 3.0mm screwdriver for both top and bottom screws and it worked
Fun fact: these screw into little plastic tabs that stick out of the rear panel. Apparently those tabs are fragile and easy to just break off…
this screws are way too fragile and way too small so be careful when taking them off dont use much force and unscrew also one of them fell somewhere and spent 30 mins searching for it
PH000 will work if you don’t have JIS000. The large IFIXIT kit has both and I lost JIS000. Just be very careful as you can strip the heads when removing or inserting easier.
One thing that worked pretty well for me with the screws not coming out is slightly prying on the back cover to put them under some tension
Quick note, these screws are not magnetic. A magnetic screwdriver will hold onto any of the others safely, but you need to be careful not to drop these ones in particular.
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Use a JIS 000 screwdriver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the two 3.8 mm center screws on the sides of the device (one on each side).
I tried my JIS 000 on Step 5 and was unable to get the screw to budge. It’s partner from the other side came right out with no trouble. Don’t really want to narf up the screw, so I bailed out. Anyone else have this issue?
Could just be torqued down a bit more! I’d recommend making sure the driver bit seats nicely into the screw, apply some downward pressure, and slowly twist to try and back it out. Good luck!
Yeah I’m having this exact issue. Screw stripped and now I’m stuck. Wish I hadn’t even started.
What worked for me here was a Phillips 000, not a JIS 000
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Open the game card cartridge flap.
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Lift the rear panel up from the bottom of the device and remove it.
How to remove micro SD port?
Pull straight up, press back into place when closing back up.
This step is missing in this guide. Here are the steps from another guide:
Step 9) Nintendo Switch Right Joy Con Sensor Rail Replacement
Step 10) Nintendo Switch Right Joy Con Sensor Rail Replacement
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Use a JIS 000 screwdriver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the 3.1 mm screw securing the microSD card reader to the device.
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Use your fingers or a pair of tweezers to lift the microSD card reader straight up from the device to disconnect and remove it.
Yes. The reverse is not so simple- you can’t see what you’re doing when you attempt to reconnect and it only takes one small error to completely bend the contacts on the connector. Very delicate.
if you very gently remove the foam pad sticker, you can at least see better how it lines up and can feel your way to a degree… then you can stick the pad back in. The pad seems pretty critical in keeping things in place once reassembled.
Definitely agree about not sticking the foam pad back on until the new SD card slot is connected. Saved a lot of headache. Great walkthrough and easy repair!
Tried several times to replace this SD reader module. As mentioned above, the issue is aligning the connectors together. It appears the foam tape is being used to hold the connection in place. (assuming you can make a viable connection) I am rather surprised at this design. In my experience, mylar ribbon cables like this usually slide into a small PC mounted socket. It appears Nintendo went the cheap route here. This design is prone to failure since it does not enable a positive connection - at least from what I can see.
I found it easier to connect it without the black foam pad so I could see and than add the foam pad over it. It was super easy and I an I 33 Mom doing this for my son. Was well worth the money for the kit saved us almost 100 bucks
Had my son follow this guide to fix his own switch where the ad card reader didn't work. And he did. Great instructions!!!! Thanks a million!
The only difficult part of following this guide is connecting the new sd card reader into the poorly designed motherboard connector. Its quite possible the sd card reader that came in the console wasnt broken at all.
The repair kit works just as advertised and even comes with stickers.
I’m still getting error 2002-2054 even after replacing memory card reader module. Thanks, Nintendo!
My switch won’t read my microSD card after I reassembled it (error 2016-0641) please help!
Tip: Keep the old SD reader piece loosely attached while you line up and gently press the new SD component into the connector on the motherboard. Once the new piece is snug, then carefully remove the old piece keeping the sticky foam in place.
I am a middle-aged mom with absolutely no special tech skills and I easily followed the directions and successfully fixed the broken SD drive. ifixit is the best!
Ah good! i have more confidence now in doing it once you said you're a middle age mom with no experience
I missed this bit about reconnecting the SD card reader under the foam pad and didn’t realise until my son pointed out a data storage problem?. All fixed in about 5 minutes taking advice from the replacing the SD card reader fix, especially removing the foam pad from the connector to better see and feel what you’re doing. All sorted!
Awesome guide! Very easy to do with the supplied kit
Tank you very much, and by tank I mean M1 Abrams, jokes apart easy and simple to follow
Thanks for the guide, I was struggling to find a solution, replaced more sd cards, before I stumbled upon this post. The Switch of my children works flawless again!
This helped me to reseat my SD card reader ribbon cable. I was getting the 2016-0641 error and no card work. A drop had dislodged the cable partially. And yes remove the foam pad gently to properly connect the cable. You can reuse the foam pad.
For anyone who ends up bending the pins like I did while trying to reseat the microSD card reader…
I suggest gently placing very thin tweezers (like the curved ones in the Pro Tool Kit) in the gap and very, very gently pressing them back into alignment. Took a little effort but I was able to realign them enough to sit it in place and have it later working after reassembling the console.
When reassembling, note the alignment pins in the left and bottom notches before tightening the screw
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Use a JIS 000 screwdriver or an official iFixit PH 000 driver to remove the six 3 mm screws securing the shield plate to the device.
Some models have a small board in the lower left beneath the kickstand which accepts SD cards. This will have to be carefully removed with its connections popped out, then replaced after.
Yeah, that “small board” is the microSD Card reader chip, which was covered literally one step ago. All models have a microSD Card reader, that’s how game data is stored…
nin10doh -
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Use your fingers or a pair of tweezers to peel back the piece of foam on the top edge of the device near the fan exhaust port.
My Switch (bought about two weeks after launch) seems to be missing this foam piece… Was it added later, similar to the foam piece in the left joy-con (to improve connectivity)?
It’s possible it was added to newer units! Nintendo slightly updated the internals of the Switch not too long ago.
My launch Switch also does not have this piece of foam, so it was most likely added later.
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Insert a spudger underneath the shield plate along the edge of the device.
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Pry up to lift the shield plate and remove it from the device.
How do you know if the thermal paste needs to be replaced?
Once you remove a heatsink you must always replace thermal paste even if you had just applied it ( or add a little more) . The reason is that once heat sink is fitted, paste splits around because of pressure and only needed amount will remain. If you remove the heatsink then some paste will move so when installed again there will be spots without paste. Hope this is clear enough. In any case cost of paste is very small compared to work time and value of your equipment…..
MacTek -
When your switch starts to lag and drop FPS, if you play breath of the wild and it starts to slow down in heavy areas like the forest where you get the master sword, can i use artic mx 4 insted of the pink compound?
I’d like to know as well if a cpu thermal compound like arctic mx-4 can be used to replace the pink compound
No you shouldn't . It will spill around because it is not viscous enough and then there will be no heat transfer. As suggested by author K5 PRO is the most appropriate compound for such cases.
MacTek -
Arctic is generally only supposed to be used on bigger heat sinks like a personal computer. Its not nearly as thick or gummy compared to K5 PRO, and you should always use something that’s thicker for smaller project like a Switch/phone/tablet.
Why was this not included in the tools/equipment list? Getting to this step and now I will have to reverse and wait for yet another order to arrive. ? Very frustrated
Hi Amanda,
Thanks for bringing this up. Sorry! We inadvertently left that part out during the guide refresh. I’ll add the necessary info into the step.
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Use the point of a spudger to pry the battery connector straight up and out of its socket on the motherboard.
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Use an opening tool, spudger, or your fingernail to flip up the small, hinged locking flap on the Joy Con rail data cable's ZIF connector.
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Remove the left Joy Con sensor rail from the device.
Is the silver section on the ribbon of the rail, close to where it locks in, important? My replacement part I bought doesn't have one, and I can't find anything specified about it anywhere.
Hello, Angel! That silver section has the adhesive to hold the ribbon cable in place, but it’s not a crucial component. If you can plug in the ribbon cable and the rail works just fine, then that’s probably good enough!
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Compare your new replacement part to the original part. You may need to transfer remaining components or remove adhesive backings from the new part before installing.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Nintendo Switch Answers community for help.
Compare your new replacement part to the original part. You may need to transfer remaining components or remove adhesive backings from the new part before installing.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Nintendo Switch Answers community for help.
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If this was a neon Switch, this would be the rail that gets attached with the blue or the red joy con?
it would be the Blue joy con
I completed this guide, but the left joy con is still not being detected after the sensor rail was replaced with a sensor rail purchased on this site. The joy con in question will attach and sync with another console, so that leads me to believe it is a fault with the switch console itself. Is there something else that I can replace that would fix this issue?
Depending on where you get your replacement rail, it may not have the silver on the ribbon cable. No worries, as I did this repair 3 months ago (Jan) and had no issues at all.
To get the ribbon cable in place, I recommend first getting the battery wires out of the way, then slightly bending it and sliding it under that section of the Motherboard. If you do it right, the end of the ribbon cable will pop up and that can be slid into place. Took some fiddling but I eventually got it to work!
No matter what, never crease your ribbon cables!
