Top Xbox One Controller Problems

The more Xbox One controllers that I work on, the more problems I find. Here is a list of the most common issues that I have seen:

1. Stick Drift – This causes your on-screen character to move on their own. It is most common in the vertical axis. Repair requires replacement of either the bad potentiometer or the whole thumb stick.
2. Bad USB Port – This prevents the controller from getting power from a USB plug. It is the result of lifted or broken connection on the surface mount USB connector. This can be very difficult to repair as the pads are very small and halfway under the USB connector.
3. Right Button Not Working – There is no response when the RB is pressed. It is most often the result of a broken connection on the right pin on the circuit board. It can be repaired by exposing some of the copper trace near the pin and resoldering. In some cases, the RB switch has failed and needs to be replaced.
4. Broken Thumb Stick – The thumb stick is not centered and has either come off the center post or the center post is broken. If the center post is broken the thumb stick assembly will need to be replaced.
5. Sticky ABXY Buttons – This can be repaired by disassembling the controller and cleaning around the buttons. This is something that I do on every controller that I repair.
6. No Battery Power – This can be caused by the battery terminals not making good contact with the batteries. Simply bending the terminals on the controller can restore contact. Otherwise, it could be a component failure on the circuit board, which can be more difficult to diagnose.
7. Clicking Sound on RT/LF Buttons – The RB/LB makes a plastic clicking sound when pressed. This is the result of excessive wear. You can sometimes improve the situation by placing double face tape under the plastic clip that holds the RB/LB buttons in place.
8. No Trigger Response – Nothing happens when you press a trigger. This is often the result of a broken magnet retainer, and the magnet is no longer in the correct position. The broken retainer needs to be removed and replaced. This requires removing the trigger retaining pin, which can be difficult.

A less common problem is a cracked circuit board. This can happen when a controller is dropped and lands thumb stick side down. A cracked controller housing can also result from being dropped. Sometimes the damage is only noticeable when you try to disassemble the controller. Luckly, circuit boards and external parts are interchangeable if you are working with a specific model number. The number of controllers that I have repaired and sold so far is 29 with a total of 8 so far in 2025.