Calling all T500 rs owners.

  • Thread starter Thread starter KyleR
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KyleR

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MarMoSet
Just got mine today, well, about 14 hours ago it was all set up with my new rig. Anyway, after a few hours of playing, I was about to start a new race and the wheel stopped working. The mode light started flashing and the wheel was kind of jerking slowly, little by little to the left. I tried turning it lock to lock to centre, unplugging the USB and turning off the power. After switching it back on again it kept doing the same thing by I could smell burning coming from the wheel. Almost as if the motors were burnt out already.

I tried the TM site and they have no trouble shooting at all, atleast for this wheel. After trying to google for a bit and then wasting some time while I tried to think of how to fix it by adjusting the pedals to see what angle etc I prefer, I again tried the whole off/on/unplug thing and started up GT again. The wheel still wouldn't calibrate, but then when I turned it full left lock it started working again. Talk about relieved!

Anyway, has anyone else experienced this and/or know what causes it or how to fix it if it happens again in the future?

Thanks.
 
Sounds like the electronics are burning up(the motors should not be the problem since they did work). You should really send a message to TM(to get their advice on the problem) about this and explain everything that happened.
 
Yeah, you can't troubleshoot burning. Time to warranty that one out. Sorry about your trouble.
 
These wheel seems to have some troubles. As with any new piece of ambitious hardware.

I hope you can get the problem checked out. It's a big investment and I'd hate to see someone just lose out on it.

How do you like the wheel besides the fact though? Shifter paddle configuration ok to you?

I tried it as CES and then again recently at Fry's Electronics and I just could not get over the stationery paddles. Maybe there's a way to change them from being fixed to floating?

Anyway, good luck you have an awesome wheel!
 
Wardez
These wheel seems to have some troubles. As with any new piece of ambitious hardware.

I hope you can get the problem checked out. It's a big investment and I'd hate to see someone just lose out on it.

How do you like the wheel besides the fact though? Shifter paddle configuration ok to you?

I tried it as CES and then again recently at Fry's Electronics and I just could not get over the stationery paddles. Maybe there's a way to change them from being fixed to floating?

Anyway, good luck you have an awesome wheel!
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I love it, i'm by no means an expert in wheels, haven't used one in about 12-14 years, but it feels very good and responsive. Some complain about the pedals, I like the pedals just fine, they're sharp and the brake has pretty good resistance with the mod in.



I've been using the wheel flat out for about 8 hours today and no problems at all, hopefully it was just a fluke or something I did.
 
This sounds like my DFGT when it overheated, could smell motor burning and it wouldn't calibrate - it would just jerk to the left then slowly spin till it reached full lock where it would stop.

Even if it appears to work fine now i'd be emailing TM about a possible replacement. Best of luck with it in future you lucky bastard.
 
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Picked up mine today at a FRY's. -Couldn't believe it.
 
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Gunstar
Wow, that thing dominates your VRC! Pretty cool man.
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Yeah, I just finished racing online for the better half of the day, and it went really well. The wheel stand on the VRC is just a wee bit wobbly with the T500, but not much worse than my old DFGT. I didn't notice. The pedals mounted up surprisingly well (not really mounted though). I initially though I'd have to fabricate or drill on some adapter to reduce the steep angle of the VRC base, but instead, I just set the pedals down, found the angle I liked, and used plastic PVC tubes I had from an old plastic stack shelf, and tapped em up with duct tape on the top n bottom of the VRC plate, to prevent it from sliding down off angle. It's solid as a rock. The base on the T500 pedals is the sole reason why it was so easy. That thing is heavy duty.

I emailed Bob Earl Racing my pics, as I'm sure the question about mounting a T500 will eventually pop up.
 
T500rs has been ordered on this day Friday, Feb 4th 2011 from Amazon. The newly added listing shows it is "not in stock". I have been tracking this product since it's launch, at least they finally posted a listing. When it does come in, I will have it next day for 4 bucks!

Ordered a Buttkicker today too ;). Free shipping from Buttkicker and it's on sale!
 
Hi KyleR and others

I got the same problem today.

My auto calibrate will not auto calibrate....

The wheel keeps on rotating 1080 deg. clockwise and anti clockwise and will not stop....
Anybody got a solution ?

Very very bad !!!!
 
Solution here 👍:
http://ts.thrustmaster.com/eng/index.php?pg=view_files&gid=1&fid=2&pid=316&cid=6
http://ts.thrustmaster.com/download/accessories/Manuals/T500RS/T500RS_Manual_centering_ALL.pdf

CALIBRATING THE WHEEL AND THE WHEEL’S CENTRAL VALUE

If the wheel’s central value is not perfect in games or in the Control Panel:

* FIRMWARE UPDATE
1) Verify that the wheel’s firmware is up-to-date with the very latest version (version 33).
(Once the Force Feedback drivers have been installed, your wheel’s firmware version is displayed in
the upper right-hand corner of the Control Panel tabs.)
2) Update the wheel’s firmware if the version displayed is earlier than version 33.

* PROCEDURE TO PERFECTLY CENTER THE WHEEL
1) Once the wheel is connected (and after the wheel has calibrated itself), turn the wheel completely to the left and then completely to the right.
2) Next, move the wheel to its perfectly centered position.
3) Simultaneously press and then release the “START + SELECT + MODE” buttons.
4) The wheel’s new central value is automatically and permanently saved in the wheel’s internal Flash memory
(note: do not repeat this procedure each time you reconnect the wheel).
IMPORTANT: Be sure not to not use this procedure too often, since there are a limited number of times that changes can be written to the wheel’s internal Flash memory.
= This procedure must be used only to modify the factory setting of the wheel’s central value.
 
doublecheese
No this method is only working assuming that the Auto Calibration has been made !!!!

BUT , My Auto calibration never ends :

Check this video :

http://cid-a618a574df91512c.photos.live.com/self.aspx/THRUSTMASTER 2/My Movie.wmv

So any ideas ? KyleR do you have a solution ?
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No it's also improve auto-calibration:

V33 Firmware Changes:

- PEDALS: Improved Precision

- “MODE” BUTTON: Now necessary to press this button for one second to invert the pedal set position (to avoid unintended inversion during gameplay)

- FLASH MEMORY: Added protection to avoid potential flash corruption

PS: This firmware includes the previous changes = Wheel’s calibration optimization + Wheel’s central value detection optimization
 
Why don`t you understand ?

The V33 update was done before and the Thrustmaster was running OK !!!

Suddenly yesterday , it started to NOT TO auto Calibrate , I can not get passed the Auto Calibration process !!!! The wheel keeps on Turning and turning and turning.

Until it stops, I can not do anything else, I have also tried a firmware update, the wheel stops while the firmware update , when the update is finished starts to rotate never endingly again...
 
"IMPORTANT: Be sure not to not use this procedure too often, since there are a limited number of times that changes can be written to the wheel’s internal Flash memory."

Seems like they have chosen to use very bad quality flash memory
 
I have already contacted the Thrustmaster Technical Support

They are advising me to do this :

As for the steering wheel, there are 2 things you should try:

During the self-calibration phase, manually and physically help the steering wheel to turn all the way to the maximum left (until it reaches the physical limit), and then let go of it and see what happens.

If the first solution does not work, please unplug the USB connector and turn the steering wheel all the way to the left (until it reaches the physical limit - and not to the center position) before plugging it back in again.
Please tell us the results of these tests by replying to this email.

I am at work now and will try that in the evening when I go home. However something tells me that these will not help and I will have to send mine for a replacement .

The problem is, I live in Istanbul right now and I had to fly to Belgium to buy the T500RS as Belgium was one of the few countries where they still have a few in stock.....

Now probably I will have to send it back to Belgium and then fly back to Belgium to get the replacement unit back. The box is already too heavy and I am sure it will get stuck somewhere at the customs or something if I try to do it by post.
 
Sorry for not replying sooner, computer decided to break!

Anyway, after not having this problem since I made this thread, it's happened again today, only this time I can't seem to get it fixed. I tried looking for a contact email address, to no avail, except one to German Thrustmaster, which after I sent the mail, got a postmaster notification from Hotmail saying the address doesn't exist.

Has anyone got an email address for me that I may have missed? Really don't want to be phoning 0845 numbers.
 
doublecheese
Hi KyleR and others

I got the same problem today.

My auto calibrate will not auto calibrate....

The wheel keeps on rotating 1080 deg. clockwise and anti clockwise and will not stop....
Anybody got a solution ?

Very very bad !!!!
Click to expand...

@doublecheese...

I would try unplugging your USB from your PS3 and reconnect. This happens when the connection is lost due to unintended shut down of your PS3. Simply restart your PS3 without the Thrustmaster Wheel USB cord plugged in to your system. I had this happened once because my panamax voltage regulator shut down my TV and PS3 without warning.
 
I've come to the conclusion that this is either a power or motor problem, due to the buzzing happening in sequence with the mode light being illuminated and the blue light on the power brick dimming when the buzzing happens.

I really want to take it apart to fix it, but that would surely void my warranty which will come in handy if I can't repair it myself.
 
KyleR
I've come to the conclusion that this is either a power or motor problem, due to the buzzing happening in sequence with the mode light being illuminated and the blue light on the power brick dimming when the buzzing happens.

I really want to take it apart to fix it, but that would surely void my warranty which will come in handy if I can't repair it myself.
Click to expand...

Same boat brother. Contact them via ts.thrustmaster.com then submit a tech. problem and you will get an verification referance number. Then call them to help speed things up. All the info is on the web site.
 
Just got off the phone to the useless call centre who ask you to install the firmware which everybody already has, try it on another computer which I have already tried it on 2 PC's and 2 PS3's then tell you to return it for exchange. Waste of time. If yours fails, just return it and save yourself some time.
 
Guys , I think Thrustmaster technical service is brilliant, I have never seen any technical service better than this. Believe me , I buy alot of things !!!! Some of them are very expensive, for example a Flir Thermal Camera, the camera is around 14.000 Euro but their technical support sucks !!!!

After talking to Tech Support in France, we tried to bring my Thrustmaster T500RS into life by trying alot of things together on the phone or written, they even called me in the night as they thought of solution, we tried it but it didn`t work ....

This turning wheel thing is not a FIRMWARE related, it`s hardware related and my T500 RS has been sent today to France for a replacement.

Here is the UPS guy picking up my box.....
imag0671.jpg


The good thing is , I live in Istanbul and there isn`t any authorised Thrustmaster dealers here yet, so I contacted Thrustmaster France directly and they helped me alot.

They even send me a PRE-PAID UPS waybill to send the product back to them from Istanbul and they will send me the replaced one pre-paid as well back to Istanbul....

But most of you guys have THRUSTMASTER dealers in your country and first you must get in touch with them .........

BTW, I bought another Thrustmaster T500RS anyway so I will not be delaying any GT5 gaming during the replacement period.
 
doublecheese
Guys , I think Thrustmaster technical service is brilliant, I have never seen any technical service better than this. Believe me , I buy alot of things !!!! Some of them are very expensive, for example a Flir Thermal Camera, the camera is around 14.000 Euro but their technical support sucks !!!!

After talking to Tech Support in France, we tried to bring my Thrustmaster T500RS into life by trying alot of things together on the phone or written, they even called me in the night as they thought of solution, we tried it but it didn`t work ....

This turning wheel thing is not a FIRMWARE related, it`s hardware related and my T500 RS has been sent today to France for a replacement.

Here is the UPS guy picking up my box.....
imag0671.jpg


The good thing is , I live in Istanbul and there isn`t any authorised Thrustmaster dealers here yet, so I contacted Thrustmaster France directly and they helped me alot.

They even send me a PRE-PAID UPS waybill to send the product back to them from Istanbul and they will send me the replaced one pre-paid as well back to Istanbul....

But most of you guys have THRUSTMASTER dealers in your country and first you must get in touch with them .........

BTW, I bought another Thrustmaster T500RS anyway so I will not be delaying any GT5 gaming during the replacement period.
Click to expand...

I concur. Exact same service here on my end in the states. Very detailed instructions and no stone unturned. Just don't know how long of a wait I'm in store for.
 
You guys are lucky that you got talking to someone who knows something. The girl on my end hadn't a clue and could only come up with the standard scripted answers such as firmware and try a different computer.

If I had gotten through to someone who actually worked for Thrustmaster rather than some Indian girl, I might have actually enjoyed the service, but seeing as no service was infact provided except a sharp "return it for replacement" once she knew I wasn't some techno noob, no real advice was given. Afterall, most people who are purchasing a wheel such as this are reasonably tech savvy and will have already tried all the basic fixes that her script suggested. I may actually try phoning again tomorrow to see if I get someone else who may actually know something and possibly get at the very least, an offer to return the wheel to them, rather than Amazon.
 
Wheel has started working again, we'll see for how long this time. FFB seems a bit off though when hitting rumble strips on the inside edge of corners, ie - there is no FFB, it's fine for outside though.
 
KyleR
Wheel has started working again, we'll see for how long this time. FFB seems a bit off though when hitting rumble strips on the inside edge of corners, ie - there is no FFB, it's fine for outside though.
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Sounds like hardware related rather than software.....
 
doublecheese
Sounds like hardware related rather than software.....
Click to expand...

Without a doubt it's hardware, however there is a nre v34 firmware update coming out in the next week, was supposed to be out today, but it's delayed for some reason, probably because of all our excessive emails lol
 

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