How To Clean Ps Vita Analog Sticks

Introduction

This guide takes you through the process of installing the left joystick on the PlayStation Vita.

Power off and remove the memory card. Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the four 6.4mm screws on the back casing.

Power off and remove the memory card.
Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the four 6.4mm screws on the back casing.

Using your fingernail or a spudger, pry open the accessory port cover on the top of the device. Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the two 5.4mm screws hidden beneath the accessory port cover.

Using your fingernail or a spudger, pry open the accessory port cover on the top of the device.
Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the two 5.4mm screws hidden beneath the accessory port cover.

Remove the two 5.4mm Phillips #00 screws on the bottom of the device near the charging port.

Remove the two 5.4mm Phillips #00 screws on the bottom of the device near the charging port.

Beginning at the sides of the device, use a plastic opening tool to separate the front and rear cases. Continue working your way around the device gently prying it open. There are still wires holding the front and rear cases together. You may damage the connections if you yank the cases completely apart.

Beginning at the sides of the device, use a plastic opening tool to separate the front and rear cases.
Continue working your way around the device gently prying it open.
There are still wires holding the front and rear cases together. You may damage the connections if you yank the cases completely apart.

Gently separate the two cases, minding the battery and the touch screen controller connectors holding the two cases together.

Gently separate the two cases, minding the battery and the touch screen controller connectors holding the two cases together.

Using a spudger, free the touch screen controller flex cable by gently prying up the connection.

Using a spudger, free the touch screen controller flex cable by gently prying up the connection.

Free the battery cable by gently prying up on the connection with a spudger.

Free the battery cable by gently prying up on the connection with a spudger.

Separate the front and rear cases.

Separate the front and rear cases.

Pry up the left shoulder button casing with a spudger. Remove the left shoulder button casing.

Pry up the left shoulder button casing with a spudger.
Remove the left shoulder button casing.

Remove the translucent, plastic left shoulder button cover.

Remove the translucent, plastic left shoulder button cover.

Release the left shoulder button flex cable socket by using a spudger to pry open the tab. Be careful to not break off this small black tab! Using tweezers, slide the flex cable out of the socket. Do not pull on the black tab! Instead, pull the thin flex cable away from the connector (to the left in this image).

Release the left shoulder button flex cable socket by using a spudger to pry open the tab.
Be careful to not break off this small black tab!
Using tweezers, slide the flex cable out of the socket. Do not pull on the black tab! Instead, pull the thin flex cable away from the connector (to the left in this image).

Using a spudger, gently peel up the left shoulder button from the light adhesive connecting it to casing.

Using a spudger, gently peel up the left shoulder button from the light adhesive connecting it to casing.

Using a spudger, lift and release the tab on the ZIF socket sitting on the SIM card reader. Carefully pull the flex cable out of the ZIF socket, and rest it out of the way.

Using a spudger, lift and release the tab on the ZIF socket sitting on the SIM card reader.
Carefully pull the flex cable out of the ZIF socket, and rest it out of the way.

Use a spudger to release the tab between the SIM card reader and the back casing assembly. Lift the SIM card reader off the back casing assembly.

Use a spudger to release the tab between the SIM card reader and the back casing assembly.
Lift the SIM card reader off the back casing assembly.

Release the plastic tab on the small flex cable socket by prying it up with a spudger. Using tweezers, gently remove the small flex cable from the socket, and rest it out of the way.

Release the plastic tab on the small flex cable socket by prying it up with a spudger.
Using tweezers, gently remove the small flex cable from the socket, and rest it out of the way.

Use a spudger to lift up the tab on the large ZIF socket. Gently pull the flex cable out of the ZIF socket, and rest it out of the way.

Use a spudger to lift up the tab on the large ZIF socket.
Gently pull the flex cable out of the ZIF socket, and rest it out of the way.

Disconnect the white Wi-Fi antenna cable with a spudger. Remove the Wi-Fi antenna cable.

Disconnect the white Wi-Fi antenna cable with a spudger.
Remove the Wi-Fi antenna cable.

Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the six screws on the two metal brackets: Two 5.0mm, blue screws on the L-bracket securing the upper left button board to the motherboard. Four 5.0mm, blue screws on the square bracket securing the lower left button board to the motherboard.

Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the six screws on the two metal brackets:
Two 5.0mm, blue screws on the L-bracket securing the upper left button board to the motherboard.
Four 5.0mm, blue screws on the square bracket securing the lower left button board to the motherboard.