We all love our Xbox 360 consoles. We all hate the idea of a $300 investment not working. Whether your console is new or older, the Xbox 360 three lights problem has become widespread and it taking a toll on gamers wallets. So the question is, how can you fix this problem?

This article will discuss a very common troubleshooting method to diagnose your console and then provide a quick walk through for exactly how to fix your Xbox 360 three lights problem.

Before we start talking about the ways to fix this problem, there are a few things you should know about the three red lights problem to help you better understand what causes it and how it can be fixed.

What Do Three Lights Mean?
Three lights on the front of your console is an error code that stands for "General Hardware Problem". This is a very vague description, because there are numerous causes for it. However, 9 times out of 10, the problem is heat.

First Thing You Should Try
If your console has recently started displaying three lights, there may be a way to help prevent problem before it damages anything inside the Xbox 360. Since heat is the main culprit behind this issue, you'll want to let your Xbox 360 cool off and make sure it stays cool.

The Xbox 360 has very poor ventilation so it's important to make sure it's not wedged in with other electronics or sitting on a hot mat of carpet so that it can properly "breathe".

It also might be a good idea to invest in a cooling unit or at least point a small fan on your console to help move cool air into the unit. Make sure you check the power brick too and see if it's getting excessively hot.

If That Doesn't Work
If that didn't work, then you've already had some damage internally. This means you'll have to open the console up and fix it.

I'll try to briefly explain the procedure, but it's best to follow a repair guide (with videos) so that you can see everything being done. Follow these steps:

1 - Take out the screws and pop the case off.

2 - Remove the DVD drive.

3 - Remove the Motherboard and GPU assembly. There are 2 X-clamps that hold the GPU on the main board. Take these 2 clamps off.

4 - You'll want to take some thin rubber washers and put it between the clamps and the boards in order to absorb the vibration from the clamps when they get too hot.

5 - Put the console back together and let it warm up. The console's own heat will re-melt the solder joints that were broken.