Oh No, Your XBox 360 Has The Red Ring Of Death. Now What?

 Photo by Ryan Glenn 

Are you reading this because you have an XBox 360 with the red ring of death? Don't feel all alone, it is estimated that 35% of all XBox owners will experience the red ring of death. The important thing now is to get it fixed. There are several options to do this.

First, let's talk about what could be causing your 3 flashing red lights.

The 3 red lights on the power ring of your Xbox 360 usually mean that your console has suffered from a "general hardware failure" and will not operate. One red light usually means a hard drive or disk failure, two red lights generally mean that your console is overheated. A full 4 red lights is an indication that there is a loose or bad cable, usually a video cable. In this article we will be dealing with the 3 red lights commonly referred to as the "red ring of death" or RROD.

During the manufacturing process, Microsoft failed to remove some foil on the heat sink. This foil interferes with the transfer of heat by not allowing the proper functioning of the thermal compound. The result is that excess heat is allowed to build up inside your console. This excess heat can cause your Xbox to malfunction and shut down. This left over foil is one of the most common causes of the red ring of death.

The best option if you still have warranty left on your Xbox is to send it back to Microsoft for repair. This repair will generally be free. If your console is already out of warranty or you have opened the case yourself, there are other options available.


There is a very important thing you should know. According to Microsoft, the warranty to repair the red ring of death is being extended to three years. If your console is still under warranty, you will void the warranty if you open the case yourself.

You can still send it back to Microsoft for repair. If the warranty is void or expired, it will probably cost you around $140.00 plus shipping for repair. You should also plan on being without your Xbox for somewhere between 6 to 8 weeks. You could also take your console to a local repair shop. This option will be faster but possibly more expensive.

Another option is to repair your Xbox 360 red ring of death yourself. Should you choose this option, make sure that you have the proper information to do the job right or this could end up being the most expensive option of all.