Hope for PS4 Error Code SU-42118-6...
Is Sony Finally Fixing One Of Their Biggest PS4 Errors?
Ever since we started covering the PS4 update issues on our #NewsSwarm segments there have been several unexplainable and pretty much unfixable issues brought to our attention in the comments sections of our videos.
One of the most prevalent and unfixable codes has been error code SU-42118-6. This code signifies an issue with the Blu Ray Disc Drive of a Playstation 4 Console, and generally speaking, there is no easy fix for this error code.
We have already done some pretty significant coverage of this error code and all the information associated with it on our YouTube Channel in this video:
For those that don’t have the time to watch this video I will summarize briefly here what we have learned about this error code.
Basically the PS4 Error Code SU-42118-6 has a few reasons why it could show up:
The Blu Ray Disk Drive Connector has gotten loose and requires being reseated.
The Hard Drive needs to be reformatted or replaced due to corrupted files.
The Blu Ray Disk Drive Chip has failed and cannot be fixed.
If your Blu Ray Disk Drive Chip has failed then you are pretty much out of luck, as only Sony has the tools to fix it. It comes down to the way Sony has set up the hardware to check for piracy and DRM. The Chip on the Blu Ray Disk Drive is paired at the Mother Board level to the PS4 it is installed in.
The purpose of the Chip on the Blu Ray Disk Drive is to maintain the most up to date Blu Ray DRM Firmware. If the Chip is failed (too many overwrites or burned up), then the PS4 assumes that the Blu Ray Disc Drive is illegitimate and that you are pirating your games or hacking the console. If this is detected you will be unable to upgrade the firmware on your PS4.
With a lot of these updates being mandatory to continue using the Playstation Network, this can lock you out of your digital games (and some, if not all, of your physical games) library.
Now this Chip is called the Renesas Chip, as that is the manufacturer / brand of the chip. The Renesas Chip uses early Blu Ray DRM checking and is made pretty cheaply and therefore can fail a lot easier than most PS4 owners would expect.
Playstation Support has treated this code, SU-42118-6, as if the user has caused the failure and forced most owners to pay for service to replace or repair their console when this code shows up.
If a PS4 fails outside of warranty and is caused by the consumer, the common quoted price for service is between $100 and $200. It seems like Sony should know that updating the Renesas DRM Chip could lead failure. If Sony has caused the failure via a mandatory firmware update, it shouldn’t matter whether the console is within its warranty period or not. I would expect in that case that Sony would repair or replace the console for free.
Unfortunately, this has not been the case. In fact there is a Change.org Petition to get Sony to recognize that this failure is their fault and that they should fix any console with this issue for free. You can find the petition here:
https://www.change.org/p/sony-playstation-sony-playstation-4-su-42118-6-hardware-check-fraud
A viewer of The CHRILLCAST from South America has been in contact with us documenting his journey of trying to get his PS4 repaired or replaced for free due to the SU-42118-6 error code. Since September of 2021, this viewer has had the SU-42118-6 error code present on their PS4.
Up until the end of May in 2022 both the viewer and ourselves at The CHRILLCAST assumed that Sony would just continue to ignore this issue, however we were wrong. The viewer will be kept name for anonymity, but we will provide some details as necessary.
After working with a lawyer, this particular viewer had received some tips that Sony was starting to recognize SU-42118-6 as potentially their fault and therefore was doing some repairs and replacements for free on an as-requested basis. Don’t forget though that this is in South America, so your mileage may vary elsewhere in the world.
After working with several Sony representatives, and calling multiple hotline numbers, the viewer got through to someone who could help them. They were told, over the phone, that Sony was going to “fix every PS4 with the SU-42118-6 Error Code” regardless of their warranty status, free of charge.
Apparently all they needed to start the repair / replacement process for the PS4 was a good contact email, a copy of the warranty policy, and if available a copy of the original receipt. Below is a copy of the email with the viewer’s personal information blanked out:
After submitting this information to Sony, the viewer received the shipping / courier information about how to send the console to Sony to receive the repair / replacement services.
They even told the viewer that if they are able to fix the console quickly there’s a small chance they would get their original console back, but in this case the viewer received a refurbished unit a few days later in perfect working condition.
If I had to take a guess, Sony is quietly trying to make this issue go away by fixing or replacing people’s console for free and taking a small loss on these repairs / replacements to prevent any legal action. Which in reality is unlikely to occur, but they are likely betting that by fixing or replacing these consoles, that people won’t seek any legal council.
To be honest, this is the course of action I would expect from Sony with an error they caused on an otherwise perfectly working PS4.
So if you happen to be someone with a PS4 sitting around with Error Code SU-42118-6, I would highly recommend you call Sony’s Playstation support hotline and see if they will fix it free of charge based on the experience our viewer had, but remember to keep in mind that different areas of the world may have completely different polices.
Please reach out and let us know if you have any success working with Sony to get this issue resolved!
Email us your experience and questions at “thechrillcast@gmail.com”
- Chris, Host of The CHRILLCAST