Topic: Technical Bug: 3DS Backlight Overload

[Boring exposition]So I've had my Aqua Blue 3DS since launch. Haven't had any problems with it until now. I've experienced the black screen of death error only once (which was quickly remedied with a firmware update). While I've opted to take super duper special care of the 3DS, I have fallen asleep with it on more than one occasion (and I've even fallen asleep on top of it -.- and it even survived falling on our timber flooring (suffering only a very minor scratch on the casing phew). Everything was fine and dandy until this morning. I had last played it for around 4 hours last night (pathetic, I know; I was trying to and succeeded to complete New Super Mario Bros. 2 100% yaay!), and there weren't any problems with the system then, but upon using the system this morning, I had noticed a rather troubling issue.[/Boring exposition]

Whenever I open the top screen to its maximum (when system is approximately at an 180 degree angle), the system shuts down completely (without exception to what software is being run). My 3DS works just fine as long as the system isn't positioned as far back as the top screen can be positioned. After much experimentation I had noticed that the top screen's brightness involuntarily increases to beyond its maximum factory level whenever the top screen is positioned at its maximum extent (regardless of the settings on the home menu). The 3DS will continue to work in that position only if I change the brightness setting to "1" and set power saving mode to on. Even with these settings, due to the involuntarily increased brightness prompted by the top screen being positioned at its limit, the screen is exceptionally bright, even more so than if the settings had been set to 5 with the charger inserted, and inserting the charger even when the brightness setting is set to "1" will prove too bright for the system to bear, thus prompting it to switch off completely again.

My hypothesis is that when the top screen is opened fully and the brightness level is involuntarily increased, any brightness level greater than "1" will increase the top screen's brightness level to what is beyond what has been permitted by the system, thus prompting the 3DS to switch off completely as a safety measure as the exceptionally high brightness level may permanently damage the top screens (and our eyes). The bottom screen is not at all affected by any of this and functions as originally intended. Only the top screen is affected.

Has anybody else experienced this? If I haven't explained myself well enough I would be happy to elaborate further.

I was wondering if this was a manufacturing defect or if this issue could possibly be fixed with a firmware update as this problem has inexplicably arisen only this morning. Could Nintendo Life possibly alert Nintendo of this issue?

Contact Nintendo yourself.

(in before the wack trolls) you need to buy a Vita

Sounds like a wiring or connection problem between the mainboard and the upper screen which means you need to do a good old-fashioned sending of your 3DS to Nintendo

You might as well just get an XL or buy my unused competition winning princess peach 3DS for $1000

Three options:

1. Don't bother doing anything and just avoid adjusting the screen to that position.

2. Contact Nintendo and send it in for repairs.

3. Trade it in the EB Games (as long as the system turns on they accept it, but I recommend not telling them anyway) then use the money towards an XL and do a system transfer while you're there.

I would recommended contacting Nintendo and asking them to repair it. Probably not best to try and fix anything yourself by taking the console apart.

I guess you could trade it in, but really, I think it'd be a bit silly to do so for a console you've had for more than a year.

I traded my broken launch system (two broken shoulder buttons and big scratches on the top screen) in for a Zelda model in perfect condition and I only had to pay an additional $76... seemed like a pretty good option to me.

Nintendo's website only includes details on contacting them regarding general customer service matters. I think that if this problem could be fixed via a firmware update, then it may prove to be more beneficial for Nintendo Life to contact Nintendo directly (considering their profile and influence) to bring this matter to their attention.

That I intend to do for the time being, though it's proving difficult for me as I'm used to playing many games in that position.

I have no idea how much this will cost me as my system is no longer under warranty and Nintendo Australia charges $35 up-front as a base fee. I don't want to wind up paying over $100 when I could just buy another system.

The 'ol devil on the shoulder whispered that one to me but it will be difficult to disguise the glitch as they'll almost certainly notice it.

I intended to buy an XL anyway but I'm holding out for either the Pikachu model (pipe dream, I know) or the Animal Crossing model to make it here (which won't be for another 5-6 months at least).

I'd love the Princess Peach 3DS though I don't know if I could bring myself to take that out in public (much less pay $1000 for it =P).

You contacting them personally will be much better than NintendoLife doing it.

Also, every issue that is on the Nintendo AUS site that refers to troubleshooting asks that if the problem persists, to contact customer service.

Nintendo Customer Service
Phone: (03) 9730 9822, Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm (EST).

Pretty sure it's not something that can just be fixed with a firmware update.
First time I've ever heard of this issue (so it's not a common thing that they need to find a fix for) and it pretty much sounds like there's some sort of loose wiring within your 3DS or something, so the only real solution would be to get it physically fixed.

Yeah, I was a bit worried about that when I was initially going to send my 3DS in for repairs, but considering my problem was the shoulder buttons, from what I'm told, they usually just fix that for free.
With your case though, who knows?

You should be able to trade it in (with EB at least).
From what they've told me, literally the only thing required to trade a 3DS in to them is for the system to turn on.
They all knew that my 3DS had two broken shoulder buttons and big scratches on the screen and everything before I traded it in, but it still turned on so that's all that mattered.

Go to Nintendo dot com and set up a repair. It's really quite that simple.

@bezerker99 Pretty sure you have to actually call them up down here in Australia...

Oh I paid absolutely zero attention to the locale of TC. Oops...

You need to buy a Vita.

^sorry Knux, your late.

I had a similar problem with my DS Lite. The wiring between the top screen and bottom screen was messed up. The top screen had brightness and colour problems. I dropped it one too many times and the hinge sort of half-broke and that's where all of the wiring is. I tried taking it apart at the hinge to see what was happening but it's impossible.

Nintendo is going to be the only place that can do anything about it. Good luck!