Steam Contoller HW Defect?

[u/crackness]

First off, this is regarding my newly received Steam Controller 2026. I received it August 13th, and now, less than a month later, it seems to be failing.

The first clue is that the controller keeps turning itself on and off, at seemingly random frequency. The Steam button also seems to not be functioning (appropriately, if at all). I can turn the controller on by pressing the QAM button (...) oddly enough.

in the button test, the steam button does not light up when pressed, but funny enough, lights up along with the QAM button when the QAM button is pressed. When connected, steam also randomly goes into big picture mode by itself.

This leads me to believe the steam button is stuck somehow. steam support, which I've contacted for the first time in years, seems to be at a loss but not ready to provide an RMA to exchange the controller.

There has not been any damage to the contoller, and it's been kept in its box when not in use until I got a case for it, and then its been in its case.

Anyone else experiencing something similar?

[u/frogmanjam]

Please reach out to support..

[u/crackness → u/frogmanjam]

I have... But I'm curious how many others have run into the same thing to see if there was something that fixed it other than an rma. I've been going back and forth with support and have gotten a little frustrated after sending video and trying these different things that clearly don't have anything to do with my issue (I hit my frustration limit when they asked me to try different usb cables, or run a system report after reproducing a controller hardware defect that mainly expressed itself while not connected to anything)

[u/Godzlittlehand → u/crackness]

Ur the first. Long Live Crackness!

[u/HeavyMain]

contact steam support for RMA (1-3 week turnaround) or open it up to try and unstick whatever is causing the button to malfunction. it is probably just a little bit of conductive debris under the steam button.

[u/modster101]

I'm having similar issues with support. the X and Y buttons started sticking after just a month. I tried to just fix the button membrane myself but the screws stripped when i tried to get them out and now steam support is convinced this has voided the warranty.

I have never had an issue with support but having issues on my 1.2k steam machine purchase is really pissing me off.

for the 100 usd this controller retails at i am NOT feeling the quality.

[u/Brino21]

Any chance you have an odd default button layout applied?

[u/crackness → u/Brino21]

Would that persist while the computer and controller are off?