PlayStation Vita Directional Pad Replacement

Written By: Brittany McCrigler

Comments: 13

PlayStation Vita Directional Pad Replacement

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

20 - 30 minutes

Introduction

This guide takes you through installing the directional pad (D-Pad) on the PlayStation Vita.

Tools

Parts

PlayStation Vita Directional Pad Buttons

Step 1

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

Step 2

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.

Step 3

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

Step 4

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.

Step 5

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

One of the shoulder buttons fell out when I was doing this step, along with the piece holding it in place. They go back in just fine when reassembling but make sure that they are oriented properly, of course.

klung - 03/04/21

Step 6

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

Step 7

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

Any idea what type of pcb header is on the board for the battery? I have a motherboard with a broken header but I cant source a replacement

Jimbo Jones - 17/05/17

This is where I screwed up so I recommend extra caution for other newbies. Only the black part is supposed to come off. Don't be an idiot like me and pry off too much...

ylimakiminna - 22/06/17

Yea I messed up there too. Is there a way to fix it?

Alethia Henry - 08/08/17

This component was far more stubborn than the screen connector when it came to removal. I opted for a smaller tool than the spudger (small flat-head) and managed to disconnect it after determining the best bit size for the job. Screwdriver is metal, obviously, so being gentle helps to avoid damaging anything.

klung - 03/04/21

broke the white part

Benaya Miller -

Step 8

Separate the front and rear cases.

Step 9

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

Step 10

Remove the translucent, plastic left shoulder button cover.

Step 11

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).

broke the small black tab, what happens if I just go without it??

Nicolas Porfirio -

Step 12

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

This step is unneccesary.

Alexander Mayatsky - 16/12/16

Step 13

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.

Este paso NO es necesario si tu PSVita no tiene lector de tarjeta SIM. Ve directamente al paso 15.

Parappa The Rapper -

Step 14

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.

This board is not present in the Wifi only version, only the 3G/Wifi version.

dodo -

Step 15

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.

Step 16

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.

Step 17

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

This connector isn't present in the Wifi only version, just the 3G/Wifi version.

dodo -

Step 18

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.