How To Tell If PS5 Has Water Damage?

Getting any electronic equipment damaged by water, let alone your beloved gaming consoles, is one of the most hurtful experiences imaginable.

For starters, water damage is not covered by warranty in the vast majority of cases, and issues caused by water damage are almost permanent and can only be fixed by experts.

So if you happen to find yourself in this unfortunate situation with your PS5, the first question that may come to your mind is “How to tell if PS5 has water damage?”. I mean, it could be something else too right like shock or short circuit damage.

The telltale sign of water damage, of course, is finding moisture in or around your PS5 console.  

In the following text, I will talk more in detail about how to tell if your PS5 has undergone water damage and also touch base on what immediate measures to take if you suspect water damage to your console.

So How To Tell if PS5 Has Water Damage

The only way to conclusively tell if your PS5 has suffered water damage is if there are any visible signs of water, moisture or rust.

Let me enumerate these physical signs:

1. Moisture or Liquid Trails:

If there is a presence of liquid trails or droplets of moisture in and around your PS5, then it is a clear sign that it could have suffered water damage if the console is behaving erratically.

Even if there was no water spilled over the console, too much moisture content in the air can form droplets on the surface and inside the console resulting in water damage.

If the console was exposed to a steamy environment, or if you live in an area that is humid, then condensation is possible.

Condensation on the PS5 console can occur if you were to take it from a hot or humid environment to a cold and airconditioned environment quickly.

To check for moisture, pop open the white plates on either side of the console to look for liquid trails.

2. Corrosion or Rust

If upon physical inspection you notice the presence of rust or corrosion particularly to the screws, and the metallic parts of the console, then there is a high chance that water damage may have occurred over time.

Rust can be manifested as brown, green or white residue around the metal parts and ports of your PS5 such as the USB or Ethernet ports.

Rust is a sign that water damage to your console has taken happened over a long span of time and not immediately.

Console and System Errors Expected After Water Damage

While the physical signs are the best way to deduce if water damage has occurred to your PS5, there are also other errors that can confirm your hunch.

Know that the following issues are not just limited to water damage. They can occur due to shock, short circuits, or a combination of issues.

1. Unusual System Behavior

The biggest sign of damage occurring to your PS5 is that it will start acting erratically.

The most common of these is that the console will either fail to start to crash frequently.

In addition to that, the water can also seem into different chips of the console which can sometimes result in unresponsive or erratic controls.

So if your controller is behaving unusually and if the same happens when you try to connect a different controller, then you are likely facing damage to PS5’s chips

And finally, with a damaged console, you may find that your games lag and freeze randomly

Again, while this issue may also be indicative of a different issue if it happens right after suspected or confirmed water exposure, then water damage is certainly the most probable cause.

2. Error Messages

Sometimes your PS5 console will start just fine, but will start crashing randomly and will show you error messages.

The vast majority of the time these kinds of errors are software related. If it happens once in a blue moon then it isn’t cause for a concern.

However, if it happens all the time especially after you suspect that the console has been exposed to water, then it is a sign that water damage has occurred.

Inspection By an Expert

Of course, the most definitive way to figure out whether your console has suffered water damage is to send it to a local repair shop for an opinion.

You should always seek expert help if you do not have the technical skills to open up your console and check for physical signs of water damage to the mainboard and to the components of the console.

Implications of Water Damage on Your PS5 Warranty

I mentioned earlier that water damage is the worst predicament that you want to be in.

This is because water damage is NOT protected by warranty.

Water damage to the console is part of negligence on the part of the user and the company cannot be held responsible for that.

This rule isn’t just limited to PS5, it applies to almost all electronics.

Warranties DO NOT cover damage due to accidents, abuse, or negligence.

Immediate Measures to Take When Water Damage is Suspected

If you suspect water damage or exposure to any kind of water, then here the measures that you MUST take immediately to save from further damage.

1. Disconnect the Console From the Power Source!

You must do this IMMEDIATELY.

Water + electricity is the most disastrous recipe for any kind of electronics.

You do not want electricity to be running through the intricate circuits with water present as that would almost immediately fry the circuits.

As such, disconnecting PS5 from the power source immediately removes any further short circuit mishaps from happening.

2. Remove the Water

If the amount of water spilled on the console is a lot, then you must first attempt in removing all the water from it first.

You can do this with a small towel, preferably with a microfiber cloth.

Do NOT attempt this if you do not have the technical skills in opening up your console.

3. Dry Out the Console Completely

Even after you have done ALL you can to remove water with a dry towel, you still cannot be too certain about the residue in the nooks and crannies of the console.

To eliminate any water residue, it is recommended that you open the covers of the console completely, then either dry them all out.

Remember to disconnect all the plugs and ports from the mainboard and from the components because water can ingress into the slots and ports too.

To dry the console out completely some recommendations include using a blow dryer or putting your console and its parts in the sun.

Again, a thorough dry-out requires a complete disassembly of all of the PS5 internal components. Seek expert help on this if you have to.

4. Put the Console Back

Once you are certain to a good degree that all traces of water have been eliminated, put all the components back and plug your console to power.

Start it and check for any kind of smell or sound. If you do, turn your console off immediately.

If you don’t, go further through the console’s boot-up process and see if all is normal.

If the console does not start, does not play games, or glitches and lags, then there are high chances that permanent water damage may have occurred and that it is time for you to send it back to Sony for repairs.

Also Read: PS5 USB Power Output

Final Words

So the short and simple answer to the question “How to tell if PS5 has water damage?” is to look for physical signs of moisture, liquid trail, or rust.

If you have a hunch that water damage has occurred and it coincides with PS5 acting erratically, then there is a good chance that water can be the culprit.

In the end, never shy away from expert help. You may do more harm than good if you attempt to handle water damage to PS5 all by yourself.