Your PS3 Shut Off and You Keep Getting A Blinking Red Light - What To Do To Fix This Mess

So your PS3 shut off and you are seeing a blinking red light? You've been cursed with the red kiss of death, right? Your whole world is suddenly crashing down on you because you can't play Killzone 3 and its driving you crazy. Well before you take a baseball bat to your PS3, here are a few things you can try to solve the fact that your PS3 shut off and you are seeing a blinking red light.

1. First off, make sure your PS3 system is off. Now let it cool down for about 20 minutes or so. After the cool down, set it up in a more ventilated place and put it on a flat surface. If it was on the carpet, don't have it there anymore because carpets can block the vents on the unit and trap the heat, making it more likely to overheat.

2. Examine your system for dust in the vents. Airflow can become obstructed by dust and this can make the PS3 have to work harder to cool down properly, causing the PS3 the shut off and the blinking red lights. You can try using a dust vac or a shop vac to remove the dust from the vents. Be careful though if your going to use a shop vac because some of them are very powerful.

3. See if you can determine if anything is stuck in the fan or perhaps blocking it. Examine the fan for hair, bugs, dust, or any other obstructions.

After following the steps above, if your PS3 is still showing the blinking red lights and continues to shut off then you may have a more serious problem that is within the unit and not visibly seen. At this point you have two choices. (Actually three - you can choose to not play your PlayStation 3 anymore.) Assuming that you do want to play again you can either call Sony or try to repair the unit yourself.

If you call Sony they will tell you need to send in your system to them no matter what the problem is. Their service fee is quite hefty and you can say goodbye to your PS3 for 4 to 6 weeks.

The less expensive and faster way to fix your system is to do it yourself. It's actually easier than you might think and there are several do-it-yourself PS3 repair guides available to you on the internet. Just use common sense when reviewing these guides to make sure they have full step by step instructions and a customer support system in place.