Four Red Lights on Xbox 360 = Overheating — Immediate Fixes

Four flashing red lights (quadrants) = General Hardware Error: Overheating. (Distinct from 3 Red Lights = RRoD / General Hardware Failure.)

Immediate Actions

1. Power Off: Hold console power button 10 sec → full shutdown.
2. Cool Down: 30+ minutes. Do not restart hot.
3. Ventilation: 6+ inches clearance all sides. Vertical stand? Lay horizontal (better airflow).
4. Clean Vents: Compressed air through all grilles. Vacuum (static-safe) exterior.
5. Internal Cleaning (Advanced): Open case → remove dust from heatsink/fan → replace thermal paste (Arctic MX-6) on CPU/GPU. X-clamp replacement (bolt-through) recommended for Xenon/Zephyr.
6. Power Brick: Ensure it's not in a confined space; fan (if present) spins.

If It Recurs

• Reflow / Reball (professional) — temporary fix (months–years).
• Jasper/Slim motherboard swap — permanent but expensive.
• Consider Xbox Series X|S backward compatibility — plays 600+ 360 games enhanced.

Prevention

• Never stack consoles / put on carpet / enclose in cabinet.
• External USB fan (5V from rear port) blowing across vents.
• Play in cool room (<25°C / 77°F).

Four red lights = thermal protection. Respect it or lose the console.