How do you fix PS3 yellow light of doom?

Answer 1

You've got three ways to deal with this...

1) Attempt to fix it yourself. This includes vacuuming out dust from the vents, taking out and putting back in the HDD, and a reballing. This is when you replace the thermal compound found in the PS3 and then heat it up, which will only solve the problem if the original compound was not flowing. Reflowing is like reballing except you don't add new compound, you just heat the existing amount.

2) Send it to Sony for repair. I believe it costs about $150, and you will get a refurbished console (one that had been broken but was repaired by Sony, so you are not even getting your old one back I believe).

3) Get a new PS3. The new ones these days go at around $300, which seems pricey, but it is a lot less expensive than when they first came out.

I would try to get a new one, because #1 might work for you at first, but I doubt it is a permanent fix. Plus, you can screw up the PS3 even more if you don't know what you're doing. Sending in the PS3 for repair sounds great, but you have to remember that you are getting a PS3 that had been broken before, and you only have a 90 day warranty. You may want to go with #2 though if you have a game stuck in the console.

Hope I gave you some useful information, good luck with the PS3!