Xbox 360 controller input "freezes"

[zemc77]

Hello everyone,

I have a problem with an Xbox 360 controller. It started about a month after I bought it.

At random periods of time, the input from the controller will kind of "freeze" or get stuck. By this I mean that if, for example, I am moving the left thumbstick to the left, the character in the game will keep moving to the left - as if I were holding the controller in that position. No other input will register once this happens. This also happens with buttons and triggers: like I said, the controller's input effectively gets frozen in whatever state it's in.

This will go on until I unplug the controller and plug it in again after a while. I can't just re-plug it in either, I have to wait a short time before doing so, otherwise the controller keeps on not working. I also get an "unrecognized USB device" warning if I re-plug it right away.

The time it takes for this problem to occur can range from hours to as soon as I start up a game.

I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling the drivers multiple times with no luck. I also use a PS3 controller with the Scarlet.Crush software with no problems whatsoever.

Could this be a faulty controller or something else?

EDIT: I should also mention that I have opened the controller to do the cardboard ring mod on it. I also sprayed a bit of WD-40 on the left thumbstick in an attempt to reduce its stiffness. I realize that was a waste of time, but could that really have damaged the whole controller?

 

[basroil]

EDIT: I should also mention that I have opened the controller to do the cardboard ring mod on it. I also sprayed a bit of WD-40 on the left thumbstick in an attempt to reduce its stiffness. I realize that was a waste of time, but could that really have damaged to the whole controller?

That would definitely do it. You should NEVER use harsh solvents like that for electronics. Try using a different USB cable first , but if that doesn't help then you might have just ruined your controller.

 

[zemc77]

EDIT: I should also mention that I have opened the controller to do the cardboard ring mod on it. I also sprayed a bit of WD-40 on the left thumbstick in an attempt to reduce its stiffness. I realize that was a waste of time, but could that really have damaged to the whole controller?

That would definitely do it. You should NEVER use harsh solvents like that for electronics. Try using a different USB cable first , but if that doesn't help then you might have just ruined your controller.

I also think that might be it but, wouldn't that have caused problems with the stick itself instead? I mean, the controller works perfect otherwise.

 

[zemc77]

I found out what it really was a while ago. Forgot to update this thread.

It turned out to be a false contact in the controller's cable, right in the area where it comes out of the shell. I cut and resoldered it, and now it works fine.