Left touch controller stick is very inconsistent

[woollygolf64]

Left stick when given any command foward backward (for movement in game) leaves me standing still anytime I move the joystick it is receiving a erratic signal any comments or potential fixes would be nice (quest 2 64 gb) 

[Occupunk]

There are official cleaning instructions somewhere on these forums. As I recall, it involved compressed air. I had good luck with the following. NOTE, DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK. This is not what meta advises and it might damage the controller. I did it because I figured at the time that I had nothing to lose.

• Remove the battery
• Dabble a litte rubbing alchohol around the base of the joystick
• Move the stick all around while clicking it for about 15 seconds or so.
• Wipe off any excess alchohol and wait about 15 minutes
• Replace battery

The above fixed mine from being "jittery'. When I went to the joystick calibration option in the settings, it used to show a circle with a dot, and the dot represented the position of the joystick. Mine used to bounce all over the place when I moved it, and the above helped quite a bit. Mine was not quite as bad as you decribed, but it did prevent me from "running" in some games because the joystick was always bouncing from "full forward" to "idle".

EDIT: Here is how meta replied to a similar question:

https://communityforums.atmeta.com/t5/Get-Help/Stick-drift-on-Pro-controller/m-p/1067127/highlight/t...

They specifically say not to use rubbing alchohol although I think they are mainly concerned about the lenses (not sure). Again, I didn't care if I ruined my controller or not. I looked up how do disassemble it on you tube, and knew it was something I would never attempt, so I did what I did.

[woollygolf64 · Accepted solution]

Yeah I had done that style multiple times but no good results had to pry off the top plate and applied directly to the joystick and even injected the alcohol down into the stick (with a syringe this has now worked and I'm back on going strong only issues is the stick now feels more clicky than the right stick somthing I'm willing to live with if I have to but if you have any suggestions to what that is let me know 

[MetaQuestSupport]

Hey there, @woollygolf64. Cleaning your controllers is always good to do regularly. Just like an artist cleaning their brushes, it's important to keep them in working order. We have some steps you can follow to make sure that your controllers are kept clean and ready to go.

Clean your Meta Quest headset and controllers.

• Use a dry microfiber cloth after each use. If you purchased a Meta Quest Pro headset, use the care cloth included in the box.
• To clean the headset lenses, start from the center of the lens and gently wipe the lens in a circular motion, moving outwards.
• To clean the facial interface, elastic headstraps, headpads, and silicone covers: wipe off surface debris with a microfiber cloth. For additional cleaning, remove the component(s) from the headset and hand wash with cool water and a mild liquid detergent. Rinse thoroughly to remove any soap residue. Do not submerge. Allow to air dry fully before reinstalling.
  • Do not use chemical cleansers.
  • Do not use alcohol.
  • For additional cleaning, you can slightly dampen the corner of the microfiber cloth to remove surface debris. Avoid getting any moisture onto your device.

We hope these tips are helpful for you. Please keep us updated on your progress. We hope to hear from you soon!

[Occupunk]

I would go up on youtube. I watched a really good video some time back. This is all from memory, so you should go back to the source, but as I recall, there are two tiny spings in the joystick (more like curved metal as I recall). They get compressed down over time, which is why I believe it becomes less clicky. In the video, the author was able to take the joystick apart and bend these spings back into shape by hand. That part look very easy to do, but then I tried watching a video on taking the joystick apart and I knew it was not for me. At the time the controllers were $75, and for that I figured I'd just try the alchohol. But needless to say, the alchohol does not turn it into a new joystick.

I also see joystick repair kits for sale on places like Amazon and eBay. It would be interesting to see the instructions for those. Again, my theshold for pain is pretty low when we are talking about $75, but it always feels good to be able to repair something yourself.

[Occupunk]

@MetaQuestSupport, I agree with all you said. I think it goes without saying that anything I have mentioned in this thread is for a controller that is beyond saving by conventional means. If you're about to throw it in the trash anyway, why not try something drastic? But we are agreed that the safer remedies should be attempted first.

[MetaQuestSupport]

Hi there, @Occupunk! We're happy to hear that you were able to use those methods to get it in better working condition. We love the ingenuity! Even though some of our users find some success using these methods, we do have to recommend against them, only because some of them may cause more damage to the controller itself. That would ultimately lead to voiding the warranty. But if it is working for you, that is what is most important. We want the world of VR to be fully accessible, controllers included! Please let us know if you have any further questions or concerns, and happy holidays!