In Escape from Tarkov, weapon malfunctions add an extra layer of realism and challenge to combat. These malfunctions can strike at the worst possible moment, making knowledge of their causes, fixes, and prevention crucial for survival. This article covers the different types of malfunctions, when they occur, how to fix them, and the benefits of the Troubleshooting skill.
Weapon malfunctions happen due to poor weapon condition or improper handling. A gun with low durability is more prone to failure, and overheating from excessive firing can also lead to jams and other issues. Understanding these risks is key to preventing malfunctions before they occur.
Weapon malfunctions in Escape from Tarkov are caused by two main factors:
Low durability
Overheating
Mechanical Malfunctions
First of all remember that mechanical malfunctions do not occur in weapons with a durability of greater than 93%.
These issues stem from the technical condition of the weapon and can occur under various circumstances:
Misfires – When the trigger is pulled, but the weapon fails to fire, often due to worn-out components.
Failure to Eject – The spent cartridge fails to exit the ejection port, potentially caused by poor weapon condition or overheating.
Failure to Feed – The weapon fails to load a new round into the chamber, commonly caused by faulty magazines (especially high-capacity and drum mags), overheating, or a damaged weapon.
Jammed Bolt – The bolt becomes stuck after firing. This can be either a normal or hard jam, with the latter taking longer to fix. Bolt jams result from overheating or extremely low weapon durability (5% or lower).
Overheating
Weapons heat up with each shot, and sustained fire accelerates the process.
The heating rate for each shot depends on components of the weapon such as the cartridge, barrel and other (receivers, muzzle devices, handguards, etc.).
The extent of overheating can be assessed by observing the visual condition of the barrel and muzzle devices.
Different levels of overheating introduce different performance penalties.
Slight Overheating – The weapon becomes heated but shows no visible changes (no reddening of the barrel and muzzle devices). Effects: heated parts are visible in thermal scopes and possible mirage (heat haze) effects from the barrel and muzzle device.
Medium Overheating – The barrel and muzzle devices start glowing red. Effects: decreased accuracy, increased malfunction risk, higher durability wear, and a reduction in maximum durability.
Severe Overheating – The barrel and muzzle devices are sizzling hot. Effects: rate of fire changes and potential for cooking off (rounds firing unintentionally due to heat).
Maximum Overheating – At this point, a malfunction occurs: the bolt gets jammed, requiring immediate troubleshooting.
To manage overheating, allow the weapon to cool down between bursts and use attachments that improve heat dissipation.
How to Fix Weapon Malfunctions
When a malfunction happens, a red flashing appears in the bottom-right corner of the screen along with a notification message (the latter needs to be activated in the game settings). To identify the issue, players must inspect their weapon by pressing the Inspect Weapon key. This will reveal the exact nature of the malfunction and the necessary steps to clear it.
Once a malfunction is identified, players can clear it using the Fix Malfunction key. Different malfunctions take varying amounts of time to resolve, depending on the issue and the player’s Troubleshooting skill level.
IMPORTANT: don't forget to use the method explained in the Keybinds Guide, here on The Tarkov Central, which will allow you to use the same key both to inspect the malfunctioning weapon and identify the issue, as well as to fix the malfunction.
Secondary weapon switch speed boost
If the malfunction occurs in the middle of a firefight and a secondary weapon is available, players receive a 5-second weapon swap speed boost, allowing them to switch quickly and stay in the fight.
The Troubleshooting Skill: A Lifesaver in Combat
The Troubleshooting skill improves a player's ability to diagnose and fix weapon malfunctions efficiently. Here’s what it offers:
Faster troubleshooting – Increases troubleshooting speed by 0.5% per level, up to a 25% speed boost at Elite Level.
Elite Level Perks:
No need to inspect the weapon before clearing malfunctions.
After fixing a malfunction caused by a specific issue (e.g., faulty magazine, low durability, or bad ammo), the chance of another malfunction from the same source is reduced by 50%.
This skill is invaluable for players who frequently engage in prolonged firefights or use worn-down weapons. To level it up you need to fix weapons malfunctions: 1.58 points for each malfunction fix, with diminishing gains after the first troubleshooting per raid.
Exceptions!
There are some guns in Escape from Tarkov that never malfunction:
This is important information to keep in mind both for the maintenance of these weapons and as a possible strategy against the boss Kollontay, who, as we know, has an ability that causes the weapon we are using to malfunction. This ability does not work with the weapons listed here!
My Take
I usually try to solve the problem at its root by avoiding the use of weapons with less than 93% durability. This means I don't bring weapons into a raid if they have less than 95-96% durability, considering that during the raid, shooting will reduce it, and I want to prevent it from dropping below 93%. When using particularly expensive kits, I usually enter a raid with no less than 99% durability.
Regarding PvE mode, you generally fire much more than in PvP due to the difference in the number of encounters. In PvP, players tend to be more cautious and conservative in their playstyle, using stealth and avoiding firefights more often. In contrast, in PvE, it's easier to encounter both AI PMCs and AI Scavs, leading to a more aggressive playstyle. This makes it much easier for weapon durability to drop to low levels. For this reason, I almost always enter a PvE raid with a sidearm or secondary weapon to switch to in case of malfunctions—usually my trusty FN Five-seveN MK2 5.7x28 pistol loaded with 5.7x28mm SS190 ammo.
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