How do I know it's YLOD?
If you turn your system on, and the power LED starts green, then flashes quickly yellow, then blinks red, you have YLOD.
The yellow light of death almost certainly means there was overheating at some point. Overheating could mean there was zero or little ventilation or maybe the fan died.
There are numerous reasons but the above sequence of LED flashes means that something went wrong internally and it has to be serviced to work again.
Should I call SONY?
Yes. I recommend calling them to report the issue whether you are in warranty or not.
Sony Computer Entertainment America
M-SAT 6:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. PST
Sunday 7:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m
800-345-7669 (800-345-SONY)
How much is it for SONY to service it?
There is a flat repair fee of $149 plus applicable tax. Sony does pay for shipping both ways so all you pay for is the repair fee.
ALSO: SONY does not charge your credit card until the system is fixed or a replacement is ready to ship. If it is an in-warranty repair, there is no cost but you do need Proof of Purchase.
SONY Rep said it will take up to 5 business days to receive my box to ship the PS3, is there a faster way? Yes, fill out the Online Service Request at and this will shave off 2 business days in the process.
You will need the Serial Number and Model number from the back of your PS3.
https://service1.us.playstation.com/rma.htm?_flowExecutionKey=_c9
65E2EED-0CE5-8742-FFAE-DF20FF77D3BE_k66FBCCD5-1C80-F976-9980-67B9
C5396997 What do I send in when I get the shipping box?
Make sure you read the instructions that will be emailed to you after filling out the Online Service Request, also there should be instructions when the box comes.
All you need to send back is the PS3 w/ hard drive (original one if you have it).
Do not send power cord, video or audio cables, remotes, keyboards, controllers or any accessories. If you do send in any additional, unrequested items, there is a good chance you will never see them again. How long will it take to receive the PS3 back from SONY?
It will take 7 to 10 business days from the time SONY receives the PS3 at their service center. I do not think this includes the time to ship it back to you.
I had media in the console, what's going to happen to it?
When filling out the Online Service Request, you can indicate what game, cd, dvd or bd is stuck in the disc.
Be sure to include this in the request or else there is a good chance you will not see that media again.
I have upgraded my harddrive, what should I do?
Hopefully you kept the Seagate HDD that came with your PS3, I would recommend removing your newer hard drive and putting the factory Seagate hard drive in the system before shipping it to SONY. If you leave your 80, 160, 250, 320 or 500GB in the PS3, there is a good chance you will get a 60GB Seagate when they return it to you.
If they can't fix it, will I get a different model than I sent in?
No, even if they are not manufacturing the model anymore, if you send in a
60GB, that's what you will get back. It will either be your fixed one or a replacement of the same model.
Should I try replacing the cord, or cleaning it or opening the PS3 to try to fix it myself?
If you want to try replacing the power outlet or changing hard drives, those are easy things to try but will probably only work for about 1% of the YLOD cases in my opinion.
After speaking with an another SONY Rep today, it was clarified to me that 'breaking the seal' in itself does not mean they will not fix it, it does of course void the warranty as stated. However, if the service center can see that you tampered with the inside of the PS3 in anyway they can and most likely will return your PS3 to you as is, broken. So, you can opt to open it up if you want to peak inside, but again, I do not recommend breaking the seal on the PS3.
