初期PlayStation 3版本主機出現故障時，情況是開機後先是綠燈，後出現紅燈閃爍，伴有B.B.B.響三聲，或者遊戲過程中突然死機黑屏，紅燈閃爍，觸碰電源鍵後'''閃現黃燈'''而又變回紅燈。「死亡黃燈」出現的主要原因與XBOX360類似，主要是由於主機過熱造成的主板變形、元件老化以及脫焊。<ref>In response to the televised report, Sony issued a document criticizing the program's accuracy and conclusions; specifically that the faults were evidence of a manufacturing defect. The document also complained that the report had been inappropriate in tone and might damage Sony's brand name.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8263063.stm |title=Sony rebuts BBC PlayStation claim |work=news.bbc.co.uk |publisher=BBC News |author= |date=2009-09-18 |accessdate= |archive-date=2020-07-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728095327/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8263063.stm |dead-url=no }}</ref>XBOX360的「三紅」屬於「急性」故障，因為一次或者幾次的驟冷驟熱直接就會導致「三紅」，PS3的「死亡黃燈」則屬於「慢性」的，隨著時間的積累而發作。而長時間連續遊戲的主機更易出現「死亡黃燈」。導致此問題的典型問題是將90NM製程的 RSX 晶片連接到基板以及將基板連接到主機板的 BGA/銲錫凸塊故障。發生這種情況的原因是晶片和基板底部填充膠之間的CTE（熱膨脹係數）不匹配，底部填充膠的玻璃化轉變溫度(Tg) 太低，在正常遊戲過程中因晶片與基板的熱變形程度不同，底部填充膠無法在高溫狀態下保持支撐度與硬度，使晶片熱點附近的銲錫凸塊因應力逐漸破裂，而這會加劇剩餘銲錫凸塊承受更大的電流與電遷移而在 BGA/銲錫凸塊中產生空隙。這些因素會導致焊料承受極大的應力，進而讓剩餘的焊料破裂使RSX晶產生故障。<ref>{{Cite web|title=PS3 - "Research/Experimental" - NEC/TOKIN Capacitors Replacement - YLOD|url=https://www.psx-place.com/threads/research-experimental-nec-tokin-capacitors-replacement-ylod.25260/|website=PSX-Place|language=en-US|access-date=2024-03-13}}</ref>部份「死亡黃燈」發生原因是超級電容器故障導致,初期的60GB以及20GB版本之首冠，老80GB與40GB次之。而最新批次的新80GB由於採用了雙65NM製程，BGA/銲錫凸塊故障問題改善與功耗與發熱大大降低，出現「死亡黃燈」的概率較低。<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8263063.stm |title=Sony rebuts BBC PlayStation claim |work=news.bbc.co.uk |publisher=BBC News |author= |date=2009-09-18 |accessdate= |archive-date=2020-07-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728095327/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8263063.stm |dead-url=no }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/sony-tackles-bbc-over-ps3-failure-report| title = Sony tackles BBC over 'PS3 failure' report| work = www.gamesindustry.biz| date = 2009-09-17| access-date = 2009-09-18| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090922183740/http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/sony-tackles-bbc-over-ps3-failure-report| archive-date = 2009-09-22| dead-url = no}}</ref>