⟐ Marked as duplicate April 01, 2026 at 7:44 MST

⟐ Commented October 05, 2025 at 12:04 MST

This problem happens with all the Wii remotes I’ve tried and I’ve replaced the batteries and powered the console on and off to no avail, the buttons are clean and are not sticking

⟐ Commented September 04, 2025 at 23:18 MST

⟐ Commented November 17, 2023 at 15:50 MST

⟐ Edited September 27, 2023 at 11:18 MST

Hope this is in the right place, I couldn't find a teardown or anything for the MotionPlus.

Once reassembled, the Wii Remote can remain closed with one of these tabs broken. However, the two halves are held weakly in place, and it's possible to bend and pry the plastic apart using your bare hands. The remote is useable, but clearly damaged.

According to the iFixit instructions,

Next use a flathead screwdriver or maybe even your finger nails to pry apart the two pieces. There is a clip on either side of the d-pad which require the base piece to be squeezed inwards.

Despite my best attempts to do this, both times I was unable to open the remote without damaging one of the tabs. Even once the two halves are already separated, the tabs don't appear moveable. As far as I can tell, they're solid, brittle pieces of plastic that do not bend or yield at all.

I've watched several teardown videos on YouTube, and these seem to have the same issue. From what I can tell, the tabs are either already broken, or broken in the process of opening them.

This page suggests that opening the remote without breaking the tabs is possible:

Once the four screws are removed, two plastic cantilever tabs are what keep the top and bottom from coming apart. To disengage these clips, the tabs must be pushed inward.

Disengaging these clips in the original controller proved quite difficult without the help of a pry tool. Both the thickness of the tabs and their hidden placement are great design choices that ultimately make it difficult for young users to access the internal electronics unless truly necessary.

Can someone please explain how to do this? I want to repair more Wii Remotes, but I want to do so safely in a way that doesn't permanently break the tabs.

⟐ Commented April 11, 2022 at 23:53 MST

I got a used Wiimote with motion plus included. First it did not turn on. I inspected the inside and saw some corrosion on the battery connection. I used some IPA and vinegar and I think I took most of it off. Then it turned on and could work with the Wii.

I was happy and came back to it a few hours later and again it did not turn on. So I inspected the inside again but did not see anything that was strange to me. I cleaned it again and it turned on. But after a few minutes it did not anymore. So I cleaned it again but it did not turn on at all. Now, sometimes it turns on, sometimes it does not. And I have no idea why. I saw that the corrosion ate some of the test points away, but I don’t think it matters.

Above is the main part I had to clean.

Am I missing something or is it a more complex repair ?

⟐ Edited by author March 24, 2021 at 13:39 MST

Both new nunchucks worked great on my white Wiimote, no more issues. But my Motion Plus isn't responding to either.

Is there any way I could repair it? Or clean it even without ruining the port further?

Thanks.

⟐ Commented April 11, 2019 at 18:37 MST

⟐ Edited July 13, 2016 at 7:50 MST