ASUS has revealed the source of the 53 code errors that plagued its ROG Maximus Z690 HERO motherboards, with some even catching fire. The problem was caused by the erroneous placement of one memory capacitor, according to the Taiwanese manufacturer, which is giving a free replacement to all consumers who have been affected.
According to Buildzoid of Actually Hardcore Overclocking, one of the memory capacitors on the ROG Maximus Z690 HERO motherboard was inverted on all of the models that were impacted by the ‘Error 53’ bug. ASUS has since issued a statement stating that it was correct and that all people affected will be offered a replacement.
All ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 HERO motherboards with the component number 90MB18E0-MVAAY0 and serial numbers beginning with MA, MB, or MC appear to be affected. The labels are provided on the box, and all of these units were manufactured in 2021. So, if you have one of the impacted models, you may get a replacement by following the steps ASUS has outlined.
To our valued ASUS Customers,
ASUS is committed to producing the highest quality products and we take every incident report from our valued customers very seriously. We have recently received incident reports regarding the ROG Maximus Z690 Hero motherboard. In our ongoing investigation, we have preliminarily identified a potential reversed memory capacitor issue in the production process from one of the production lines that may cause debug error code 53, no post, or motherboard components damage. The issue potentially affects units manufactured in 2021 with the part number 90MB18E0-MVAAY0 and serial number starting with MA, MB, or MC.
You can identify your part number by referring to the product packaging: Please reference the attached image
As of December 28, 2021, there have been a few incidents reported in North America. Going forward, we are continuing our thorough inspection with our suppliers and customers to identify all possible affected ROG Maximus Z690 Hero motherboards in the market and will be working with relevant government agencies on a replacement program.
Thank you so much to everyone for your patience and support while we are working through the replacement program.
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact ASUS customer service.
Contact options
- ASUS Support Website – https://www.asus.com/us/support/
- ASUS Online Chat – https://icr-am.asus.com/webchat/icr.html…
- ASUS MyASUS App – You can use via Windows or Android or iOS
https://www.asus.com/us/support/MyASUS-deeplink/
Best regards,
The ASUS Team
While the burns are caused by the two MOSFETs, the memory capacitor labeled ‘150’ is the underlying cause. The memory capacitor on the concerned motherboards is positioned in the wrong direction, as shown in the image above. It’s a good thing ASUS caught the problem early, and credit Bullzoid for his speedy investigation, which aided other people who were planning to purchase the Z690 HERO for new installations.
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