Chosen Solution
My DS Lite’s hinge cracked while I opened it normally with no forcing it open or any other previous damage done to it. I just opened it and it cracked.
well there are 2 things i did to solve the problem; 1: super glue the crack 2: get a same or different color backing, take the old cracked one off by using a thumb tak and get those little plastic screw covers off, next take the screws out and put them on a white pice of paper, then grab the front half with your thumbs on the smooth side and push up with your thumbs, then lift the back plate up and off the DS and TA-DA! you got the back off now get the new one and put it on the oppisite way you took it off.
Just a heads up for anyone new coming here looking for hope to get a free repair direct from Nintendo. as of 2.21.12 they do not and will not provide free repairs. It would be around $80 for the repair.
I have a launch DSLite. Mine suffered from the cracked hinges and I called up Nintendo before Christmas ‘09 wayyyy out of warranty. The support person I spoke with was fantastic and got the process started by sending me a shipping label via e-mail and actually had it shipped UPS RED back to me free of charge so I’d have it back before Christmas. It came back with the same serial number just a different top half If I’m not mistaken. I have to hand it to Nintendo for this one.
Both my boys’ DS Lites ended up with cracked housings at the hinge. The narrow plastic loop on the right side cracked. Nintendo wanted $50 each to repair them. I used JBWeld epoxy to glue the cracks after encircling the cracked housing with one loop of steel florist wire. The wire provided strength, and the epoxy held it. It’s been two years and they both held up fine.
use the ds flat, if it is used like a laptop, it flops down on itself.
I have the same issue. Local game store wanted $40 to fix it. I took some tape and folded it so it wouldn’t stick to anything, then I wrapped that in some more tape and stuck it between the top part and the bottom part and it works great! Image: https://imgur.com/a/8mtyGEv
