Brand New Wheel...cant use it!

Shamrock

After having a G25 for like 8 years. Bought a Thrustmaster T500RS today, and its useless.

Installed drivers, connected usb, did firmware 43, and then the wheel flies to the left, and stays there. Wont calibrate AT ALL. I fought it to the middle, fired up rf2, and it has like a 60 degree deadzone. I let go of wheel, and it goes 100% left.

I tried slow calibrating (connect usb while holding mode), and also tried re-centering (press start, select, and mode simultaneously). Continues to go left.

Already started a support ticket. But I was excited. Now deflated. :(
 
Sounds odd to get a brick right out of the box. You sure you followed the instructions properly, dl'd the proper firmware?
 
Yep, suppose to install drivers, and do nothing until drivers ask to connect usb, then update firmware, then click ok after done, then reboot.

Using firmware 43 and driver 2.8.20.0.
 
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Did you first install it then run through setup menu before Firmware.
 
I did as instructed. It pre installs the drivers, then prompts you for firmware, then you are supposed to reboot. After reboot, it finishes installing drivers.

Dont worry about drivers, I have uninstalled them and re installed them once already. It appears like it never finishes calibrating.
 
I recently bought a new one as well (my 2011 bought T500 suddenly failed - pcb board likely culprit) and it too has been playing up. Mine came with the firmware already at v43, and I already had the latest drivers installed. I just plugged it in and it worked 100%, went racing for a few hours.

Next day I plugged it in to the same usb port (usb2) and it turned left and stayed there. Opened the control panel and tried turning the wheel and pressing pedals and there was no response, BUT the middle tab with the FFB tests - they all worked correctly.

I then tried plugging it into different usb ports, third one was the go - but this is a usb3 port. The only thing that had changed on my PC was a bunch of windows updates.

My new wheel does not like the usb2 ports on my PC, but works flawlessly with the usb3 instead.

I'm chasing up Tm for a replacement pcb board for the old wheel - hopefully that is fixable. be nice to have a good spare on hand.
 
Ive tried usb 2, usb 3, in 5 different ports, and my ps3. Its not even recognizing on ps3
 
Maybe try changing 'Force Strength=1000' to 'Force Strength=-1000' , sounds like the force-feedback is reversed .
 
Uhh, not in rf2, it wont recognize in the thrustmaster control panel!
 
It really sounds like the wheel is faulty to me. Especially if it won't work on a PS3 which is literally just plug and play. Have you contacted Thrustmaster customer support to see if they can help you, or send you a replacement wheel?
 
Yes, I emailed them on July 29, still nothing. Just saying they are swamped because Win10.

In process of returning it. Then will buy a t300 and f1 wheel. Current best wheel they sell (t500 is discontinued). And is compatible with f1 addon. Brushless motor too. Just not as strong. Good really, the 500 is too strong.
 
Not at all. Have you tried everything @ 100%? I cant turn it with one hand. And when it went left, it went with everything it had.

Im not concerned as long as I get that f1 wheel. I've had a steering wheel with 2 buttons for too long.
 
I bought a t500 not too long ago and had the exact same issue when i would try to update the firmware. Halfway thru the supposed firmware update the wheel would crank over to the right and lock up. Even after reboot it would be a brick...totallly locked up. I had to unplug...uninstall all thrustmaster software...then reboot and run the drivers first....then plug the wheel in when asked too. Not before. And DONT update the firmware. Anyway it fixed it right up and it fine now. I thought that running the drivers alone would install the latest firmware anyway... maybe not. Tried to update the firmware on my sons computer with the same lock up results.

About the wheel being too strong....you should run the wheel at its 60% overall strength...1oo constant....100 periodic... 0 spring...0damper.

If you still have issues....if possible, install it on another computer and dont update the firmware. That should fix it up........ Now that i think about it, My bud had the same issue we had and he HAD to install it on another sys to straighten it out. And then once that was done..he put it back on his sys and it was fine.
Hope this helps. :D
 
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You couldnt run it at 60% strength, because Windows wouldnt recognize it. Whenever it freak out to the left, it was all it had, and slammed and stayed there.

I installed on 2 PCs and PS3 and got nothing. No matter, its already back at the place I bought it. Will be buying t300 rs within the week.
 
What a bunch of bullcrap. Now in the possession of a t300rs and it arrives dead, nothing AT ALL! All I get is the green light at the bottom, after I install drivers. It says "USB device not recognized". I had to use the bootloader method to upgrade firmware (wouldn't recognoze to upgrade), and still dead. I swear. I do love that f1 wheel, though.

Also tried my ps3 (in ps3 mode), nothing. I thought it might be my usb ports, tried plugging in my mouse, keyboard, and printer all of my various ports, works great.

Piece a crap. Im going Fanatec.
 
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Very sorry to hear that. Nothings worse than getting a new "toy" and it being borked....let alone 2 in a row. :(
 
What a bunch of bullcrap. Now in the possession of a t300rs and it arrives dead, nothing AT ALL! All I get is the green light at the bottom, after I install drivers. It says "USB device not recognized". I had to use the bootloader method to upgrade firmware (wouldn't recognoze to upgrade), and still dead. I swear. I do love that f1 wheel, though.

Also tried my ps3 (in ps3 mode), nothing. I thought it might be my usb ports, tried plugging in my mouse, keyboard, and printer all of my various ports, works great.

Piece a crap. Im going Fanatec.

One question about USB port you did connect this on.
Front USB ports or USB ports on back and mother board?

Front USB ports are "relayed" by wiring inside PC box and notable for slow througput and even errors.
Try to plug directly to a USB port on your mother board instead.
I have seen this solve other issues for friends.

Just my two eurocents.
Hope it helps.
 
I had 6 usb on the back of the mobo. But that wasnt the problem. Sent it off to Thrustmaster, and they repaired it free.

All is well, with Fanatec pedals, even. :D
 

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