A user was not paying attention and his Nintendo Switch ended up on the road. To his horror, a car subsequently ran over the console.
The gamer recounts that he placed his Switch on the dashboard of his car and then took a sharp turn with his vehicle. The Switch must have taken that opportunity and flew out the window. He immediately got out to retrieve his Switch, but then a car drove over his device (via reddit.com):
The next [car] however… ran over it on the road. I picked it [the Switch] up and it was pretty battered. The joysticks had popped off, the screen was broken. I thought that was it.
This is clearly visible in the pictures, the casing is pretty scratched and the Joycons are disassembled.
How did it turn out? At home, he removed the screen protector and found that the screen itself was still intact. And the Switch started up without any problems:
I just needed a few new Joycons, a new screen protector and a protective case, and the system is back in action.
However, he no longer used his Switch himself, but gave it to his children to play with and ordered the new Zelda edition of the Switch for himself.
Warnings about internal damage
Most are impressed, but some also issue warnings. Because the user cannot see whether and how severely the Switch is damaged internally (via reddit.com). This mainly concerns the built-in battery, which could quickly become a fire hazard. He should therefore not charge his console overnight in the dock until he is sure that the battery is not damaged.
Damaged batteries are a fire hazard: This applies not only to the Switch, but to all devices that contain a lithium-ion battery. If damaged, the battery can swell, which is already a clear warning sign. If your laptop or phone swells or suddenly looks very thick, you should no longer use the device and promptly have the battery replaced. If you want to do it yourself, make sure that the battery is discharged to less than 25%, as this reduces the risk.
The reason is that in some exceptions, such batteries can even explode, explains the site DieVersicherer.de. In certain cases, uncontrolled release of the stored energy can occur, which is referred to as “thermal runaway”: “Here, the lithium-ion cells in the battery block heat up. A cell can reach several hundred degrees Celsius and heat up other cells in turn – this leads to a chain reaction, and the battery explodes.”
Despite everything, the Switch is an exceptional talent when it comes to gaming portability. Because Nintendo’s console is slimmer and more compact than the rather bulky Steam Deck. One reason why MeinMMO editor Benedikt Schlotmann discovered it for himself in 2022:
I mocked it – Now the Nintendo Switch is my purchase of the year 2022
