Topic: 3DS Repair Gone Wrong...

So I'm an avid gamer. Being so, I picked up a Nintendo 3DS System. I had great fun with it. Then, one day, my A button started to act faulty. This happened shortly before the release of New Super Mario Bros. 2. Without the assistance of my A button, how was I going to leap over pitfalls and avoid dangerous foes? Logically, I called Nintendo and set up a repair. Although my screens were scratched to hell, I only wanted my button in full, functioning order. Sent it out, got it back in two weeks and the repair was free thanks to the warranty. Great service.

Fast forward to Spring of this year. After enjoying my 3DS, and now Wii U, for many, months now, I go to play a game in 3D. Suddenly, the 3D Depth Slider goes funky and in a matter of minutes, the 3D won't turn off. I went into the Parental Controls and turned off 3D for good to stop wasting my battery life. For a few months, I went on like this. I finally got the money to do the repair two weeks ago and sent it out. Upon my system's return, I read the invoice and noticed they fixed more than my broken depth slider. My 3DS had also been fitted with a new top screen, touch screen, and speakers. Great once more... Until I heard a bit of sqeaking on the system's casing. I always had a bit of a sqeak, but this time it was worse... I ignored it since the rest of the system worked and decided I would go and buy a case tomorrow.

I am here now. At 1:12 am EST on Thursday the 25th of June 2013. My 3DS's sqeak was actually the casing of the system not being completely closed together on the front of the system. As a result, there is some issue with my SD Card Slot that won't allow it to recognize when there is an SD Card and when it does, it claims the SD Card has Write Protection on it.

I am sad. I only have $70 in my pocket and cannot afford another repair. Also, the site to set up repairs is still dealing with something to do with my serial number and I cannot set one up anyway.

I am planning on going to a GameStop to see if I can purchase a new, or refurbished, 3DS System and doing a System Transfer in the store. I see this as my only viable option seeing as this is the second time I've sent out my 3DS for repair and 1) My warranty is most likely up by now 2) I've already been without my 3DS for two weeks, a month would be far too long and 3) Why not start "anew?"

Any other suggestions would be welcome or just leave a response to others in a similar boat.

Thanks for the support in advance!

I would contact Nintendo and tell them about the squeak that happened when you received the 3DS from them.

Before you do that, get in contact with Nintendo. See if you can arrange for them to repair it for free, and pay for postage.

If you are polite (and don't do the storytelling like you did in here), you'll have a much greater chance.

Yur system was not properly repaired. so any repair to remedy that will not be coming out of your pocket. Call up whatever the Nintendo repair line is and explain it to them. They will certainly repair the system for free as they should have originally.

I'm pretty sure repairs give you another year warranty on your system (that's how it was with the DSi, anyway), so you should be good to go — it's their fault it wasn't fixed properly. get in touch with them to explain the situation.

I've sent in systems for repairs before. You get a warranty after EVERY repair (I think 3 months to a full year?), so if you send it in for a faulty casing, they can repair it to for free. Contact Nintendo and set up another repair.

I don't think you should even bother contacting nintendo. It's obvious you've but so much into this 3ds you could have already gotten a new one.

Just send it in again like everyone here is suggesting. The warranty gets renewed for another year every time Nintendo has to handle a product.

If you have a club Nintendo acount, but haven't gotten the warranty ypu can get a free 90 day warranty.

So he should then spend even more money now and buy a new one? That makes no sense whatsoever.

well @willobee, i'm pretty sure that his 3ds will break again. Did you read what was wrong with it? if i was him, i'd take that 70$ and look for something on amazon or ebay. gamestop won't sell him one for that much, but i'm sure he can find one online.

I've taken the majority of the advice given to me. I'm sending it out for repair again today.

If it comes back and is broken yet again or doesn't make it several months like the A button repair, I'll start saving for a new 3DS System.

Sigh... I'm starting to freak out a bit though... When it comes back, I'll have gone a full month without my 3DS and I'll only have a week to enjoy it fully before I go off to college...

I'm still sad..

Anything broken can be fixed. It's not like his 3DS is hopeless. If Nintendo deems it not worth fixing, then it won't cost him a penny and he can buy a replacement at that time.

Advice for college: Moderation will make you happier than all or none

^ Yeah if you don't have time to play your 3DS... Well I dunno; for me that portable convenience is a definite boon.
There were some pretty long and boring times between classes, where I would indulge in some Pokemon Black.

And I could amass Play coins, like a nerrrd haha

I thought that if Nintendo can't fix it, they will replace it entirely anyway. That's what they always tell me anyway. It's pretty rare they can't fix it, because they replace parts that are unable to be repaired.
Even if the thing started on fire, they give you a new one and that counts as a repair/replacement which is the entire point of doing the service to begin with.

The only products I've ever heard being dangerous(regarding the fire comment) are i devices from Apple, though. Some lady in China died because of iPhone 5.

Quite the tangent.

I was just making it clear Nintendo will make sure you get a working system. It's pretty much guaranteed that they won't mess up twice.

The fire comment derived from Apple products.

Okay, my 3DS has returned and guess what?

Nintendo has pulled through. My system is 100% intact and it's still my system! I was surprised considering it was only at the repair facility for a day... And not even a full 24 hours. The system's casing is intact and there is no squeak. And to put the icing on the cake, Nintendo even sent me an apology letter since it had to go back to repair immediately after it came back to me.

Things like this are why I love Nintendo. Sure, other companies would (and should) do the same, but still. I love Nintendo!

i'm happy everything worked out!