what do I do about broken joycon?

[fallen haven]

I ask here instead of going to Nintendo first due to the fact this is just a really uncommon problem from what i see online. It's not a joycon drift problem, it's the fact the side of the joycon is literally detached from the rest of it (not just the shell either.) I'll leave pics below!

What should I do about this? Should I send it to nintendo or is there a way to fix this?? Can it be fixed? I have enough technical knowledge to do simple things but more complex things are things I'm unable to do.

[main pivot]

Your issue is actually very common.
The rail on the Switch often break of if there's any impact to the console with the joycon attached.

Depends on your level of skills, but if you know how to open the joycon up, then re-attaching this is simple.

However, the rail's ribbon cable may have broken already. I do not know what caused this issue so i can't guess.

[fallen haven]

I can unscrew it

[main pivot]

In the case it's broken, you can just buy a new rail.

[fallen haven]

I forgot to mention that What caused it was I knocked it off a table

While unplugging it, it fumbled out of my hand

[main pivot]

Haha most of the time it's from such drop incident

[fallen haven]

Yea yeah

[main pivot]

Here, look at the tag below, it has enough resources to help you

[fossil niche]

rail

FIX HANDHELD JOY-CON DISCONNECTING ISSUE

• Basic Troubleshooting
･ Reset the AC adapter by unplugging it from the wall for 30 seconds.
･ Make sure the Joy-Con is on by observing the LED lights on the rail.
･ After that, slide it into the Switch.
･ If there is a response on the screen, or a click sound, it means the rail is still working.
･ Go through Nintendo's trouble-shooting guide.
･ Remove all controllers pairing using this procedure.
･ Process to the cleaning instructions below if your Joy-con still have issue.

👉 Click here for cleaning instructions

§ If cleaning didn't work, you may need to repair the rail.

• DIY guides:
･ Tablet's right rail
･ Tablet's left rail (Very hard)
･ Joy-con's left rail
･ Joy-con's right rail is similar to the above.
･ Rail's button flex board: Left & Right

• Parts:
･ Console's slider rails
･ Joycon's slider rail
･ Joycon's rail's buttons flex board

Requested by BladeSpringSun#4133

[main pivot]

Look at the DIY guides

[fallen haven]

Okay! I'll take a look, it's late but tomorrow I'll attempt to fix the joycon

[main pivot]

Good luck then

[fallen haven]

(God save us all this is my first time doing such a diy)

[main pivot]

Attach it back first then see if it can work

if not, buy new rail

[main pivot]

Then eh, I'd be very cautious if I were you

watch/read guide to understand what need to be done

And be careful with stripping screws

Use the right screwdriver type and size, do not "wing it"

Otherwise you will have to deal with issue bigger than a broken rail

[fallen haven]

Okay! Sorry to be late I was asleep

[fallen haven]

I posted this to reddit and somebody said that the housing is broken, is that really true or is it really just the rail?

[main pivot]

It's possible but I can't see very well from the blurry image 😅

You can compare it to pictures elsewhere, from the guide for replacing rail for example.