Nintendo Wii Turns On by Itself [Causes & Quick Fixes 2024]

Written By Shubrato

Nintendo Wii is the first home console from Nintendo which supports direct internet connectivity. With this console, you can not only play supported online games but also download media, games, and applications from Wii Shop Channel.

Wii console supports backward compatibility with GameCube. This console has a Wii remote with a built-in three-dimensional accelerometer and infrared detection sensor.

nintendo-wii-turns-on-by-itself

The Nintendo Wii console is almost the perfect game console. Why almost not fully perfect?

Because all the gadgets we love may run into glitches as we use them, such as Nintendo Wii turning on by itself. But don’t worry, you can easily fix it.

To know how to fix it, just read on till the end. So, without any further ado, let’s jump into the fixing part.

Why is the Nintendo Wii Turning on by Itself?

Nintendo Wii is turning on by itself due to the WiiConnect24 feature. This WiiConnect24 keeps your Wii console connected to the internet even after it’s turned off. Moreover, if you have babies or pets, they have pressed the On button by any chance.

WiiConnect24 is a great feature for the Wii console. It keeps the console connected to the internet for software upgrades. That’s why it keeps using the console all the time.

In addition, when it’s on, the console will receive messages and invitations from your friend.

It also receives a Nintendo upgrade notification when the device is off. So, for WiiConect24, your device may turn on by itself. If this feature is turned on, you will see a blue or orange light on the power button.

Sometimes, Nintendo doesn’t shut down properly due to malfunction or overheating problems. So, a lack of a proper shutdown may result in turning on the device.nintendo

You may also like to read about fix AirPods not working with Nintendo switch.

How to Fix Nintendo Wii Turns On by Itself

You can fix Nintendo Wii’s turning on itself issue by turning off the WiiConnect24 feature from the Wii console settings. Also, ensure to keep the remote out of reach of children to avoid accidentally pressing the On button. Removing the faulty fan will solve the problem if that’s the case.

Here are the methods to fix Nintendo Wii turning on by itself:

1. Turn off WiiConnect24

WiiConnect24 is a great feature of the Nintendo Wii. Even when the Wii console is turned off due to this feature, the Wii console remains connected to wireless internet and Nintendo. If you see a blue or orange light, it means either Nintendo or your friends have sent you a message.

WiiConnect24 lets your console update the new software or firmware or receive new messages from your buddies even after it’s turned off. But you can turn this feature off if it’s annoying you.

Here are the steps to turn off WiiConnect24:

  • Go to the Wii Menu first.
  • Click on the big round Wii button from the bottom left corner.
  • Click on the big square Wii Settings button.
  • Click on the small arrow icon on the right side of the screen from Wii System Settings 1.
  • Click on WiiConnect24, which is under Wii System Settings 2.
  • Click on the WiiConnect24 button.
  • Click on the Off button and then click on the Confirm button.

That’s it. Now you have turned off WiiConnect24. From now, you won’t see the blue or orange light again when the Nintendo Wii console is turned off.

2. Check Remote

You must check the remote first when you find out the Nintendo Wii is turned on and the light is green. If you have pets or babies, it is possible that they accidentally press the remote.

When you left the remote on the couch, it might have pressed when someone sat on it without knowing. So, the remote might be the reason behind your Nintendo turning on automatically.

If your neighbor has a Nintendo Wii and turns on the console with its remote, your console might have turned on at that time. Well, it may sound strange, but this happened to many people.

3. Look for Fan Problem

Another main factor is the fan problem with Nintendo Wii. When the WiiConnect24 and remote don’t turn on the console, it’s time to check for the fan inside the console.

If the fan stops spinning, the console will get overheated. First, check for the console’s overheating by touching the Side panel of the console.

Due to overheating, sometimes the console doesn’t shut down properly. For this, when it cools down, it turns on automatically. So. check for a fault fan if your console is turning on itself.

These are three main reasons behind Nintendo Wii turning on all by itself. I hope you have easily fixed the problem by now.

How to Fix Nintendo Wii Turns Off by Itself

Nintendo Wii turns off by itself is fixable by resolving the overheating issues due to major motherboard damage or faulty fans. A faulty AC adapter will invoke the Wii console to turn off itself. Change the AC adapter or remove any faulty plugged-in accessories in the Nintendo Wii console.

Here are the methods to fix Nintendo Wii turns off by itself:

1. Resolve Overheating Issue

Overheating can turn off the console to prevent it from major damage. When the Nintendo Wii gets overheated, it will shut down the console. After a sudden shutdown, turn on the console and hear the fan spinning sound.

If you don’t hear anything spinning, open the console and change the faulty fan. You can also take your console to Nintendo care to change the faulty fan.

In case the fan is okay, and the console is still overheating, clean the built-up dust. After cleaning up all the dust inside the console, I hope that Nintendo Wii won’t shut down again due to overheating.

Pro Tip: Always put your console in an open, ventilated space.

2. Look for AC Adapter Problems

Sometimes an AC adapter can cause your Nintendo Wii console to turn off on its own. You should reset the AC adapter to fix the issue when the adapter is flawed.

First, unplug both ends of the AC adapters from the socket and the console. Next, plug them in again after waiting a few minutes. Moreover, you should change a faulty adapter.

Pro Tip:  Look for any faulty plugged-in accessories with the console.  Simply look for it, and when found, unplug it and reset the AC adapter.

How to Fix Nintendo Wii Doesn’t Turn On

To fix the Nintendo Wii not turning on, you can change the faulty power supply adapter or repair it. Look for a wall socket problem because it might have lost the electric connection. Lastly, look for major problems with the motherboard and replace it with the original one when it’s unrepairable.

Here are the methods to fix Nintendo Wii doesn’t turn on:

1. Look for Damaged or Faulty Power Supply

When the power supply gets damaged due to malfunctioning electronic components, your Nintendo Wii won’t turn on. Try to see whether the power supply is okay or not.

Before changing the power supply, manage another power supply and check whether the Wii console turns on with it or not. It’s best to buy another power supply when it’s gone.

2. Check Outlet Socket Problem

Due to an outlet socket problem, Nintendo Wii won’t turn on. When the problem is with the main outlet socket, it is evident that it won’t turn on. Also, make sure the outlet switch is turned on.

Try plug in the power supply cord to another outlet socket and make sure it turns on. Change the outlet or fix the outlet with the help of a technician.

3. Change Malfunctioned Motherboard

The motherboard is the main for running the Nintendo Wii smoothly. Certainly, a faulty motherboard can’t run the Nintendo console. Sometimes the Bluetooth or wifi card in the Nintendo gets damaged too.

For this reason, the Wii console shuts down too. So, check for major issues in the motherboard that can cause the Wii not to turn on.

Replace the motherboard when it gets damaged.

How to Fix No Audio or Video When Using Nintendo Wii

Make sure the Nintendo hasn’t muted accidentally from the remote. Press the mute button again to unmute the Wii console. Check for both ends of the audio input and output cable. Moreover, check that the AV cable is fully functional and replace it in case it’s not working at all.

Getting no audio while playing on your Nintendo Wii will make your gameplay boring.

You must hear the sound to get the immersive gameplay experience. Some Nintendo users reported having no audio problem while using their Nintendo Wii.

As you know, the Wii comes with AV cables to plug in with the TV. Check if the AV port is inserted into the correct AV port of the TV. Some users use AV to HDMI converters, which are prone to damage. So, use a reliable converter, not a cheaper one.

Finally, purchase another one from the market when you find the AV cables are entirely torn out.

How to Fix Nintendo Wii Won’t Take or Read Discs

When Nintendo Wii doesn’t take or read discs, replug the drive’s loose ZIF or 24-pin power connector. Fix the overheating problem and clean the DVD drive’s lens if it gets dirty. Change the DVD laser when it gets fully damaged. Change the entire DVD when it isn’t working at all.

Here are the methods to fix Nintendo Wii won’t take or read discs:

1. Look for Damaged Cable Connection

The DVD drive is connected to the console’s motherboard with a ZIF data cable and a 12-pin power connector. When any one of them gets disconnected, the console probably won’t take or read the disk.

So, look for the damaged or disconnected cables of the DVD drive and change the connector ribbons assuming those gets damaged.

2. Fix Overheating Issue

When your console is running and overheating too much, you should resolve it immediately. First, touch the side panel of the console and check for overheating.

Overheating can halt the disk reading process. When the console is overly hot and has a disk reading problem, turn off the console and wait for it to cool down.

After that, turn on the Wii console. After the disk reading is fixed, look for the fan problem.

Replacing the fan, provided it’s not spinning or cleaning the layers of dust, will improve proper hit dissipation. Always place your Nintendo Wii console in a ventilated open space.

3. Clean Dirty Lens or Change Damaged Laser

In a DVD drive, a laser lens is responsible for reading data from the discs. When it gets dirty, it can’t read data, and it’s another reason behind your Wii console not reading disc data.

Open up the entire console and pull out the DVD drive. Locate the lens and clean it with soft lens cleaner fabric to clear out the dust.

When cleaning the lens didn’t solve the reading issue, it’s time to look for a damaged laser.

The DVD drive’s laser gets frequently damaged, which is common for a DVD-based game console. Immediately change the faulty laser to regain the gaming on Nintendo Wii.

4. Change Faulty DVD Drive & Motherboard

Check for the DVD drive’s functionality supposing the cables are plugged in and not damaged. For this, you will need to open all the side panels of the console. First, remove all the screws and open the panel.

Unplug all the connected cables from the DVD drive and pull out the drive. If possible, install that drive into another Wii console to check whether the DVD drive is okay or not.

Replace the drive with a new one when the current one is damaged. But you can always check the current one by installing it in another console. If it works fine, it’s time to look for the motherboard problem.

It’s hard to determine the actual motherboard problem. When the drive is okay, and the cables attached are not damaged, something has gone wrong with the motherboard.

Take your Nintendo Wii console to customer care or replace the motherboard with an original spare one.

How to Fix Nintendo Wii Remote Problems

On Nintendo Wii, you may face remote issues like the remote isn’t syncing with the console or the cursor isn’t moving. To fix this, you can reset the syncing for both the remote and the console. Look for sensor bar placement and its damaged cable to solve the remote’s cursor movement stuck problem.

To fix this Nintendo Wii remote problem, apply the below methods.

Here are the methods to fix Nintendo Wii remote problems:

1. Fix Nintendo Wii Remote Doesn’t Sync

The syncing problem happens a lot with the Wii console. You will need to reset the remote’s syncing process to fix this.

Here are the steps to fix the Nintendo Wii remote doesn’t sync or work:

  • Turn on the console and wait until the Health & Safety screen appears.
  • Don’t press the A button and open the small front flap of the console.
  • Press and hold the console’s red SYNC button for 15 seconds. It will clear out all the syncing devices.
  • Open the remote’s battery and wait for a few minutes.
  • Reinsert the batteries but don’t press any remotes button.
  • Press the remote’s red SYNC button beside the battery placement and the console’s red SYNC button.
  • Wait until the remote’s front LED lights start blinking.

Apply the same steps for the other remote too. Buying another remote when resetting the sync didn’t work for the remote.

2. Fix Nintendo Wii Cursor is Stuck

While playing, you may face the Wii console remote cursor getting stuck. Due to this problem, you won’t be able to move the character in the game. When the Nintendo Wii sensor bar is placed incorrectly, it can’t read the remote’s movement.

Here are steps to fix the Nintendo Wii cursor or character isn’t moving:

  • Place the sensor bar in an obstruction-free place.
  • Select the position (above or below) from the Wii sensor bar setting.
  • Look for the sensor bar’s damaged cable.
  • Check the sensor bar’s cable port is plugged in correctly.

When everything looks okay and the cursor isn’t moving, replace the sensor bar with a new one.

Pro Tip: You can use your phone’s camera to check whether the sensor bar’s infrared light is working or not. Humans can see infrared light, and it’s only possible to see it through cameras.

How to Fix Nintendo Wii Games Freezing & Error Codes

To fix the Nintendo Wii games freezing problem, you can apply many procedures such as resetting the AC adapter, changing the game disk, checking the sensor bar connecting issue, etc. Plus, updating the older version of modchips or fixing the electronic console problem can resolve game freezing.

Sometimes you will get error codes while playing games on Nintendo Wii. Error codes are several types to identify the actual problem. You will see below error codes if you have hardware issues with your Nintendo Wii.

Here is the list of Error Codes when Nintendo Wii is facing hardware issues:

  • 110210
  • 110211
  • 110212
  • 110213

This error code identifies online connection errors with Nintendo Wii. If you have turned off WiiConnect24, you will see these error codes. Turn on the WiiConnect24 to resolve those error codes.

If you see the Wii error code: 206401, the problem is with invalid Nintendo account details such as username and password. Similarly, Wii error code: 208000 resembles a problem with selecting the wrong country. Just choosing the correct country will remove the error code.

Wii error code: 51331 identifies the wireless network connecting problem. Enter the valid password and check the security encryption type, such as WPA/WPA2, WPA3 – personal or WEP.

When you get Wii error codes: 52030 and 32002, it identifies the router issue. To fix this error, change the router’s channel from 1 to 11. Additionally, you can disable the Nintendo Wii console’s security temporarily and restart the console.

How to Fix Nintendo Wii’s Noise and Overheat issue

To fix Nintendo Wii’s noise issue, you can check whether its disk functionality is running okay or not. Sometimes bad DVD drives can make a lot of noise due to a malfunctioning motor. Check for the faulty fan because a defective fan will make noise; change the fan immediately.nintendo-hot

Dust will build up in the fan after spinning for a long time. You will hear a loud spinning sound when it is clogged up with dust. So, clean the dust or change the faulty fan to fix the noise issue.

Overheating issue while your Nintendo Wii is on standby mode is mainly caused by WiiConnect24.

When your WiiConnect24 feature is on, it keeps the console connected to the internet. For updating and receiving messages, it keeps the console on.

To fix this, you can turn off the WiiConnect24 feature completely or only when it is in standby mode.

FAQs

Why does my Nintendo Wii keep turning on and off?

Physical damage, torn up or fried wiring or overheating can make your Wii turn-off and on frequently. Sometimes a fault in the Nintendo Wii’s AC adapter or a problem in the wall socket can invoke this problem.

Why does the Wii glow blue when it is off?

Nintendo Wii will glow blue due to the WiiConnect24 feature when the console is off. This feature allows the console to connect to the internet for updating the console or receiving data.

Is the Nintendo Wii shutting down for sure?

There is no such official announcement from Nintendo yet that they’re shutting down Nintendo Wiis in 2023. Still, now it’s just a spreading rumor from an unknown source that all Nintendo Wii will stop working next year.

Why do my Nintendo Wii remotes keep flashing?

Your Nintendo Wii remotes keep flashing the lights because they couldn’t sync successfully with your Wii console.

Wrapping Up

If you are still using Nintendo Wii in 2022, you must be a die-hard fan of the Nintendo console. I know how it feels when your favorite game console falls into serious issues.

As a Nintendo fanboy, I came up with this article to fix the Nintendo Wii turn-on by itself. I have also covered fixes for other Nintendo Wii issues. I hope you read this article till the end and have already fixed your precious Nintendo Wii problems.

Feel free to knock me in the comment box for further assistance. See you at the next one. So, hit the Nintendo power button and smash the game!

About The Author
Shubrato is passionate about technology. From his core, he is a tech geek and can fix any tech-related issues through intensive research. He has an undergrad degree in Computer Science and Engineering. Besides being a tech enthusiast, Shubrato is passionate about capturing time in a frame and loves cycling.

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