The PS3 is the best console on the market right now and it is packed with a lot of features so it is normal that there are a few flaws and problems. When your PS3 controller does not work it is because there is a problem in the bluetooth syncing process.

How To Connect PS3 Controller To The PS3?

What you can do is plug in the usb in your PS3 as if you were going to charge. Then check if there are the flashing blue lights and then the connection. If this does not happen try doing the same thing but the other end of the usb cord should be in your computers port.

If nothing, the problem is within your PS3. It can be simply too much dust in the bluetooth section of the system or it can even be faulty wiring within the back of the PS3. It is possible that one controller connects but another does not. This is because the post number 2,3 or even 4 is blocked or something is interfering. So there is no need to buy a new controller.

What you have to do is open your PS3 at the right section and check for lose wires and chips. The chip will be blue and the wires coming out of it will be red or orange depending on what generation your PS3 is. What you will want to do is, push the wires inside the small box next to the blue chip and dust the wire going to the HDD. If not, then you should contact a repair shop for consoles or even gaming shops. The downfall is that they will charge you a big amount of money for something that will take them 20 minutes to fix.