Skip to main content

Gamepad Tester

AnsweredVerified By Gamepad TesterVerified By Gamepad Tester

Only One Side Of My Controller Vibrates In The Rumble Test, Is One Motor Dead?

Asked by Wiktoria Z.0 views

I ran your vibration test on my PS4 controller and with strong Rumble Test, only the left side really shakes. The right side feels like only a light buzz. Is the right motor broken? I want to buy a replacement motor if so. The controller is about 4 years old.

Only One Side Of My Controller Vibrates In The Rumble Test Is One Motor DeadOnly One Side Of My Controller Vibrates In The Rumble Test Is One Motor Dead
Brand
Sony
Model
DualShock 4 CUH-ZCT2
Connection
Micro USB
System
Windows 11
Browser
Chrome 153
Detected Controller
Wireless Controller
Buttons And Axes
18 buttons, 6 axes
Test used in this questionVibration TestTest both rumble motors and the haptic feedback patterns
Open Free Test
Short Answer

Probably not. The DualShock 4 uses two different motors on purpose: a heavy, strong one on the left and a light, fast one on the right. Test each motor on its own at full strength before deciding one is dead.

Verified By Gamepad TesterVerified By Gamepad Tester
Camila Ferreira
Camila FerreiraVerified Gamepad Tester team memberGamepad Tester Team
Haptics And Rumble Test Engineer · 38+ years experience · Answered Oct 21, 2026

What you describe is very likely the design rather than a fault. Like most dual-rumble controllers, the DualShock 4 has two motors with different jobs. The left one spins a heavier weight and produces the deep, strong rumble. The right one spins a lighter weight and produces a higher, buzzier vibration. With both at full power, the left dominates what you feel and the right can seem weak.

Browsers drive these two separately. The vibration test sends a strong magnitude to the heavy motor and a weak magnitude to the light one, which is how the Gamepad API describes them. So the useful check is to run each one alone.

Set strong to zero and weak to full. A healthy right motor gives a clear, fast buzz you can feel through the right grip. Then swap: strong full, weak zero. The left should give a deep shake.

Signs of a genuinely failing motor look different: no movement at all, a grinding or rattling noise, a motor that only starts after a tap, or one that cuts out after a second or two. Those point to a worn motor, a loose weight or a broken solder joint.

At four years old a tired right motor is possible, so the isolated test is worth doing before ordering parts. If it does fail, the motors can be replaced, though on a DualShock 4 they are soldered to the board.

Step By Step Fix
  1. Connect the controller by USB and open the vibration test in Chrome or Edge.
  2. Set the strong motor to 0 and the weak motor to 1.0, then play a 2 second pulse. Hold the right grip and feel for a fast buzz.
  3. Set strong to 1.0 and weak to 0 and repeat, holding the left grip.
  4. Listen for grinding or rattling, and note any motor that starts late or cuts out.
  5. If both motors run on their own, the controller is healthy and the difference you felt is by design.
  6. If one motor does nothing or rattles, plan a motor replacement or a repair shop visit.

Tested on: Applies to DualShock 4 CUH-ZCT1 and CUH-ZCT2 over USB on Windows 11 with Chrome or Edge. Strong and weak magnitudes per the dual-rumble effect in MDN's GamepadHapticActuator documentation.

Checked by Sneha Reddy on . How we verify answers

Did this fix your controller?
Was this answer helpful?
Share this guide

Community Replies 3

  • Accepted Solution
    Bartosz LewickiCommunity Member

    Same thing confused me. In the isolated test my right motor buzzes fine, it's just much lighter than the left.

  • Wiktoria ZielinskaCommunity Member

    Did the isolated test, the right motor buzzes normally. Not broken! Saved me buying parts.

  • Andile DlaminiCommunity Member

    Mine was the opposite, the right motor rattled when tested alone. The weight had come loose. Good test.

Add Your Reply

Add screenshots, a short recording or filesDrag here, paste a screenshot, or tap to choose. Up to 2 files, 8 MB each. JPG, JPEG, PNG, WEBP, GIF, TXT, LOG, PDF, JSON, MP4, WEBM
Camila Ferreira
Written and tested by

Camila FerreiraVerified Gamepad Tester team member

Haptics And Rumble Test Engineer at Gamepad Tester

Camila works on vibration and haptics, with a background in audio and signal work that transfers directly: a rumble motor is a frequency-and-amplitude problem, and the difference between a weak motor, a flat waveform and a browser that is not sending anything is audible and measurable before it is visible. She tests both motors independently, the DualSense haptic layer and the adaptive triggers, across the connections that support them and the ones that silently do not. On Gamepad Tester she owns the vibration test and the rumble faults topic.

Rumble motor testinghaptic feedback patternsadaptive triggersvibration over Bluetooth and USB
  • 6 answers on Gamepad Tester
  • 38+ years experience
  • Tests both rumble motors and the haptic layer independently to isolate which part of the chain has failed.
  • Reviewed by Sneha Reddy

The Team Behind These Answers

All 40 specialists

Each answer is written by the specialist who owns that part of the hardware, tested on a real controller, and checked by a second team member. How we verify answers

Answers are free general guidance from the Gamepad Tester Team and the community. Opening a controller or replacing a thumbstick module can void your warranty, so check the maker's support or warranty first. Battery and soldering work carries a real risk of damage or injury.

Free Controller Tests

Every test runs in your own browser with the Gamepad API. No sign up, no download, and your controller data never leaves your device.

All tools

Read Next On The Gamepad Tester Blog

All articles

Latest From The Community

The newest replies from players and the Gamepad Tester Team.

All guides