What are the Xbox 360 three flashing lights?

It indicates that there is a general hardware malfunction with your console. The nickname for it (and yes, it happens often enough that the videogame community has a nickname for it), is the red ring of death.

When it happens, 3 of the 4 green lights around the power button go red and start to flash. The console stops working and it won’t let you play games, DVDs or perform any of the normal Xbox 360 console features.

There are several causes for the Xbox 360 three flashing lights, the most common one being the overheating of the console, which with time, will affect the performance of your Xbox 360. Always make sure your Xbox 360 is far from other heat sources (including your TV and other video game consoles), and has plenty of space so that its ventilation holes can work properly.

Another cause of the Xbox 360 three flashing lights is misuse or mishandling. Never drop your Xbox 360 or place it in a diagonal position, and never move it while it’s in operation. Doing so could damage your console or scratch your video game discs.

Needless to say, the Xbox 360 three flashing lights is one of the most annoying Xbox 360 technical problems you can have, as it prevents you from playing your favorite videogames.

You’d normally have to send your Xbox console to Microsoft to get it repaired. But the process takes 3 or 4 weeks, and it will only be a temporal solution. Due to the overheating nature of the Xbox 360, the problem will eventually rise again.

Another, much faster solution is to fix the problem yourself. Contrary to popular belief, fixing the Xbox 360 three flashing lights doesn’t require any special knowledge, extensive work or specialized tools. If you have a clear table, common household tools and an hour or two, you can do it yourself.

Sending to Microsoft is a long process, and it might not be available where you live. It might cost you money in shipping and handling and it will only frustrate you further when the problem happens again.