Anybody here had problems with your PS4 controller's bumpers not working with some games?

[YORGOS_PB 92]

First of all, I bought this controller not 8 months ago so it's in minty condition. 

So far this has only happened with Days Gone and recently TLoU2; at first I thought it was a problem with Days Gone, the game being clunky af (I wasn't able to get past one of the first parts where you learn how to melee and do such things because my R2 simply didn't work, can't remember what I did to workaround). I truly thought that the game was buggy and put it on standby. 
 

Now, I finished TLoU2 yesterday, and simply wasn't able to use the Rifle. It didn't fucking work, it was the only weapon that wouldn't shoot. 
I looked it up online and a bunch of people had the same problem, one of them said that the problem was their controller; I couldn't believe that, I mean my controller is almost new and not worn at all, why would that be it?
This person suggested to change the button bindings and that did the job, the only way to use the rifle was by doing that. 

 

Yesterday I also felt like going back to Days Gone and R2 literally doesn't work, it definitely is my controller and I'll buy a cheap one to get around this. 

 

Has anyone had a similar situation and were able to fix it?

[PermaFox 3,588]

Yes.  I've lost 3 controllers (R2 button) for GTAV.  The controllers work with the other games, but that button just doesn't work with GTAV.  I traded one in for a new controller at Gamestop, the other two are backups.  There is a fix to do with the bumpers, but friends who tried it destroyed the controller. So not worth it.

Edited November 16 by PermaFox

[YORGOS_PB 92]

Bloody hell, can you share this fix you mention?, just to see it. 
Not sure if it's related to the videos I find online that require you to open up the controller, as if it was worn out and needed fixing because of that. 

[LoveInHell 1,004]

My previous controller had this issue too. It was usually solved by 1. Removing dirt stuck under the R2 button and 2. press down really hard and it should work again (this is what I had to do the most) OR press in the opposite direction so not down but forward, it might be stuck.

 

Eventually I got a brand new controller after a solid 3 years of having “issues” with the previous one.

Edited November 16 by LoveInHell

[YORGOS_PB 92]

Yesterday, while playing TLoU2 NG+, I felt like trying different clicks with the R2 and to my surprise it worked. 

Basically instead or normally clicking R2 I clicked from the very top of the bumper in direction to the center-interior, and it actually worked. That means that there is indeed something going on with the components inside of the bumper, I think. 

 

I still am not sure if I want to open it up, I really thought it could be a matter of "updating"the controller but apparently that's not a thing. 

[SuperSmexy500 264]

I haven't had this specific issue, but I have had quite a few issues with stick drift with the Dualshock 4. I had one start drifting after just 6-7 months of buying it, brand new. I've had issues with the Dualshock 2 previously, they seem to eventually just die or develop issues, but I've never had so many issues with controllers less than a year  or two old than I have with the damn Dualshock 4. I can forgive a 10 year old PS2 controller getting worn out more than I can a brand new £40-50 controller.

 

It might be worth blowing into the triggers, if you can. Either just use your breath or a compressed air can. I've managed to temporarily fix my stick drift issues by doing this, but it always eventually comes back some months later. I've resorted to covering my controllers with microfiber cloths now when not in use, since I have to assume dust or something is getting into the sticks, causing this issue. Dunno why it would be fixed for the next few months after blowing into them otherwise.

[BlackSquirrell1 1,278]

I ALWAYS lose controllers with the R2 button and GTAV.  You can do anything else, but not shot the gun, so that makes playing the game pretty worthless.  Only fixes are opening up the controller, unfortunately.  This is the time to pick up a new controller with the sales that will be starting soon.  Or, like @PermaFox says, visit your local GameStop and trade it in.

[GUDGER666 706]

Yep, every pad I've had has developed a fault with the triggers. Really poor quality controllers imo. I've had the same Dualshock 3 for over 10 years, no issues. 

[VigilantCrow 432]

If the controller buttons no longer works, then there's no real risk if you damage it further by opening it up.

I've had a few buttons triggers that needed the springs replaced. It takes some patience but it's not too difficult, once you get into the guts of the controller. Follow a guide online and take pictures before removing anything (to document where things reattach to) and you'll be fine. 

 

 

 

[YORGOS_PB 92]

I ordered some replacement parts to fix my original PS4 controller, and after doing so I'll open up the new one and simply reposition (or something) the bumpers. 
Hopefully that'll work

[NERVergoproxy 4,821]

The PS4 controllers had been the worse controller experience I ever had in my life. I have DS4 generation 1-3 and they all have issues. Not gonna waste money on the generation 4 ones.

[YORGOS_PB 92]

Got some replacement parts and fixed my first controller, now everything works as intended and the controller feels brand new. 

 

Will have to check the new one later, what a disgrace of these controllers that can make games unplayable. Although I have to admit that in all these years it's the first time that I actually have problems with them

[MatThaRiPP3R84 126]

if your R2 trigger breaks it's because there is a spring inside the r2 trigger no bigger then a paper clip you can buy a new one and replace it yourself, it costs very little and replacing it is quite easy, i absolutely killed a controller playing the crew once, on a previous acc excessive use heats the spring and it bends.

 

there was a firmware update a while back and i noticed strange things like my dude running around in the wrong direction, like the analogue controlls were inverted, since we're in this pandemic my household is using more wireless devices and that can interfere.

 

however none of those things sound like your problem, so it could just be the game bugging. because it's hard to kill a r2 button if your not playing a game that uses it nearly all the time, shooters u tend to pulse the trigger etc.

[Pottercito_ 87]

I have never had this problem. Will it happen to me in the future?

And what is that of "controls generations"? Generation 1/2/3. What is that?

[alanhoutman2 32]

Also happend to me with 2 controllers over the past 5 years and it is really annoying. In GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2 I wasn't able to shoot properly and in most racing games I could not get to full speed. I just bought new controllers because I'm not really good at replacing all these things. Hopefully this doesn't happen with the Dualsense controllers.

[Quink666 982]

I need to get 2 controllers a year and i take great care of them. Always wash my hands before playing, cleaning it regularly and never handle it forcefully. I always have the same issue. When pushing  forward to the max my character walks instead of running. This is most noteable in DBD. Even if i press the Run button which is  my character still only walks. Couldn't get through certain chase sequences in different games since i was forced to walk and could not run.

 

Never had any issues with the bumpers only the  issue. It happened on over 6 controllers. Hopefully PS5 controllers aren't dog shit when it comes to longevity.

[xDerErnst 207]

15 minutes ago, Quink666 said:

I need to get 2 controllers a year and i take great care of them. Always wash my hands before playing, cleaning it regularly and never handle it forcefully. I always have the same issue. When pushing  forward to the max my character walks instead of running. This is most noteable in DBD. Even if i press the Run button which is  my character still only walks. Couldn't get through certain chase sequences in different games since i was forced to walk and could not run.

 

Never had any issues with the bumpers only the  issue. It happened on over 6 controllers. Hopefully PS5 controllers aren't dog shit when it comes to longevity.

Same here, I'm currently waiting until I can buy a new one because every game I try has been absolutely unplayable for me the last 2 weeks. My Xbox 360 controller on pc I have for over 7 years now never once had an issue like this. Neither did my ps3 or ps2 controllers back in the day. The ps4 controller are the only ones I've ever had an issue with. And the Razer raiju but that one's a piece of garbage anyway.

Edited November 22 by xDerErnst

[scemopagliaccioh 582]

Woah, I don't want to fanboy over Sony, but the PS4 controller is wonderful, outside the fact it has a low battery life, I'm even using it on ps3 because it has a better trigger input  than the DS3, and I never had them break, not the ps4 one for 4 years, nor the ps3 one for 5 years, it feels strange reading all these posts about broken controllers.

Edited November 22 by scemopagliaccioh

[dieselmanchild 467]

Have you considered the possibility that you just suck at gaming in general?

[A_Tennis_Giraffe 144]

I've got one controller with a slight R2 problem where it doesn't seem to fully accelerate properly on racing games so I'm usually going slower than I should be. I had another with the same problem but traded it in and got a new one. That new one soon got a problem with the left stick. It not only drifts but it also doesn't register properly when pushing it to the right. So it's useless on Motorbike games and causes issues on side scrolling platform games. I have another controller with no issues so far, but I'm just waiting for something to eventually go wrong with that too  I look after my belongings really well too, so these issues aren't from misuse or because I haven't treated them well.

[xDerErnst 207]

3 hours ago, scemopagliaccioh said:

Woah, I don't want to fanboy over Sony, but the PS4 controller is wonderful, outside the fact it has a low battery life, I'm even using it on ps3 because it has a better trigger input  than the DS3, and I never had them break, not the ps4 one for 4 years, nor the ps3 one for 5 years, it feels strange reading all these posts about broken controllers.

I do like the controller itself but I can't ignore all the problems I had with them. I had about 5 now and all had minor or major issues near the end like stick drift, trigger problems, battery not charging so I was forced to play wired and currently I can't even run properly anymore because the controller just stops when I press r3. All problems I've never experienced on any controller before. I admire you for not having those problems because according to YouTube countless people have. Wish I was that lucky 

[PsychoticLight 142]

I had the issue with being unable to progress in Detroit: Become Human because my R2 trigger wasn't working properly. After downloading a program for Windows and checking my controller's inputs, it showed that fully pressing down R2 only translated to it being about halfway down in the output. So games with different functions for a partially-pressed VS fully-pressed R2 wouldn't work properly.

 

Opened up the controller and put a small piece of paper behind the R2 button. Now when I push it down, it feels like it's impeded by something, but the output actually shows R2 being pressed fully.

[Rally-Vincent--- 811]

I had that problem with a controller where R2 was working with some games, but not with others. As I read it, the shoulder buttons can register different levels of pressure, and some games require a higher pressure than others. If the button is worn out, it might register with some games, while other don't recognize it.

[baboon_overlord 81]

On 11/16/2020 at 7:55 PM, YORGOS_PB said:

 

 

Has anyone had a similar situation and were able to fix it?

Are you using a USB storage extender? My controller started acting weird when I was playing Assassin's Creed Odyssey. I thought my controller was broken so bought a new one. Then the new one did the same thing.

 

It turns out that the USB cable for the USB storage can interfere with the Bluetooth, so I bought a shielded cable to replace the one that came with the USB device. I also make sure it's as far away from the PS4 as possible.

 

I don't think this is the problem you are having, but it's worth checking anyway as part of troubleshooting.

11 hours ago, YORGOS_PB said:

Got some replacement parts and fixed my first controller, now everything works as intended and the controller feels brand new. 

 

Will have to check the new one later, what a disgrace of these controllers that can make games unplayable. Although I have to admit that in all these years it's the first time that I actually have problems with them

Sorry, missed that. Glad you got it fixed.

[Elvick_ 5,223]

9 hours ago, Quink666 said:

I need to get 2 controllers a year and i take great care of them. Always wash my hands before playing, cleaning it regularly and never handle it forcefully. I always have the same issue. When pushing  forward to the max my character walks instead of running. This is most noteable in DBD. Even if i press the Run button which is  my character still only walks. Couldn't get through certain chase sequences in different games since i was forced to walk and could not run.

 

Never had any issues with the bumpers only the  issue. It happened on over 6 controllers. Hopefully PS5 controllers aren't dog shit when it comes to longevity.

I had the same issue with two of my DS4 (one of which was a few months old, my purple one) use a can of compressed air. Spray it in the analog stick cracks as you rotate it in a circle and click it while doing so. Once you do it correctly it’ll be fine , it took me a few tries to fix it properly, but it works. 
 

there are vids on YouTube on how to fix it. 
 

DS4 is a turd. I still have my launch N64 controller ffs. And yet DS4 had the thumb sticks fall apart, the plastic when squeezed gives a little, the analog stick issue... and just the dumb lack of foresight to have a way to see the stupid light bar in the initial design. Mess. DualSense feels better, I just hope it has none of these goody issues, with so much going on inside it I’m a bit wary, 

9 hours ago, xDerErnst said:

Same here, I'm currently waiting until I can buy a new one because every game I try has been absolutely unplayable for me the last 2 weeks. My Xbox 360 controller on pc I have for over 7 years now never once had an issue like this. Neither did my ps3 or ps2 controllers back in the day. The ps4 controller are the only ones I've ever had an issue with. And the Razer raiju but that one's a piece of garbage anyway.

see above suggestion

Edited November 22 by Elvick_