A console that switches itself off has been too hot for a while
Thermal shutdown is the last line of defence, not the first sign of trouble. By the time your Xbox is doing that, the cooling path has been failing for weeks — and heat is what ages the processor and the solder holding it to the board. The cooling fix is one of the cheapest repairs on this page; the fault it prevents is one of the most expensive.
- Dried paste and a packed heatsink are what most of these turn out to be
- That is the cheapest row below, not the dearest one
- We will tell you when it is dust rather than a part, because there is no reason to charge you more
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3 business days
Typical turnaround
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Free assessment
Including the temperature log
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3-month warranty
Parts and labour
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C$80–C$180
Depending on console and fault
Priced by console and by fault
The same three faults on both generations of Xbox, at different prices because the consoles come apart differently and the Series consoles move more air through a smaller space.
| Fault | Xbox One, One S, One X | Series X, Series S |
|---|---|---|
| Clean the heatsink and vents Dust and debris removed from the cooling path | C$80 | C$90 |
| Renew the thermal paste The original paste has dried out and stopped transferring heat | C$110 | C$120 |
| Fan replacement The fan has stopped, grinds, or runs flat out | C$130 | C$150 |
| Board-level thermal fault Cooling is sound and it still overheats | C$160 | C$180 |
Most consoles stop at the first or second row. If the assessment finds nothing but dust, you pay the dust price — the dearest row is not a number we work towards.
How we diagnose it
"It gets hot" is not a measurement. These four steps turn it into one, and each one rules out a cheaper cause before the console is opened.
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Step 1:Check the airflow
Vents and intakes are inspected and the fan watched. On a Series X the intake is at the back and the exhaust at the top, so both ends matter and one is easy to cover without noticing.
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Step 2:Log the temperatures
The console is run under load and its temperatures and fan speeds recorded over time, so we can compare it against a healthy console of the same model rather than guessing.
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Step 3:Clean and re-paste
Dust is cleared from the heatsink, the dried paste is renewed, and a fan that has failed is replaced. Nothing gets replaced on suspicion — the measurements decide.
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Step 4:Run it hot again
The console goes back under load for long enough that a fault which only appears after twenty minutes has a chance to appear. A short test would prove nothing.
Where the console sits matters more than people expect
The Series X pulls air in at the back and pushes hot air out of the top. In a closed cabinet, or on a shelf with the top vent close to the wood above it, it is breathing its own exhaust — and a console that cannot get rid of heat will get louder and hotter no matter how healthy the inside is. Try it out in the open before booking anything.
- A Series X with its top vent covered will overheat even with clean internals
- Dust falls into the top vent and straight into the heatsink, so its position matters twice
- If it behaves in the open, the honest answer may be nothing needs repairing
Overheating questions
How much does it cost to fix an overheating Xbox?
Between C$80 and C$180, depending on whether it needs a clean, fresh paste, a new fan or board-level work. The assessment identifies which, and most consoles come in at the first or second row rather than the last.
My Xbox only gets hot inside a cabinet. Is that a fault?
Often not. Xbox consoles need a clear path for air in and out, and a closed cabinet takes that away. Try it standing in the open and see whether the fan and the temperature settle — if they do, nothing needs repairing and we would rather tell you that than take the job.
Can I sort this out myself with compressed air?
You can clear the outside of the vents, and it is worth doing. The dust that matters is packed into the heatsink inside the console, where air from outside cannot reach it. If blowing through the grille has not helped, it needs opening.
Will the console be quieter afterwards?
Yes, and that is usually the change people notice first. Most of the noise is the fan reacting to a heatsink it can no longer cool properly, so once the cooling path is restored the fan stops having to run flat out.
Is it worth repairing an original Xbox One?
It depends on which row it needs. A clean and a re-paste is inexpensive next to a replacement console; board-level work on an older One sometimes is not, and we will tell you that rather than take the job and hope. You will get the honest comparison either way.
How long will you have the console?
About three business days. Part of that is the second load test, because a heat fault is only proven by running the console long enough for it to reappear.
Tell us how long it runs before it complains
Ten minutes or an hour? Loud from the moment it wakes up, or only under a demanding game? Those answers tell us a lot before the console is even opened, and the assessment is free.
No Fix, No Fee. Walk in at our Oakville workshop during opening hours, or send it to us.