Fanatec CSL Elite Racing Wheel Thread- officially licensed for PS4

  • Thread starter PzR Slim
  • 2,901 comments
  • 395,642 views
good morning. everyone complains about the csl well, and I throw my discontent. bought csl elite ps4 + pedals lc. month all is well and then the problems started. food and a knock on the steering wheel and as if the measures strongly pulls in the right direction. not possible to go. then knock the steering wheel and again everything is fine. but a day later two calibrations fail and it is not possible to turn on the steering wheel passes update, driver installation does not help. It takes a week turn on the wheel works. food race after 15 minutes again, the situation is sad. Fanatek gave me the form to send it for repair or replacement. I'm already fed up.
 
So, I am going to break up this pity party and say......love my CSL elite PS4. No issues at all. Have been on GTSport for over 10 hours now. My previous T300RS took a dump (power supply......obviously LOL).
 
04MCS
So, I am going to break up this pity party and say......love my CSL elite PS4. No issues at all. Have been on GTSport for over 10 hours now. My previous T300RS took a dump (power supply......obviously LOL).
Click to expand...
Ditto to that. Love my Fanatec CSL Elite PS4 myself and never have had any problems with it. It's smooth as silk, mechanically sound and looks and feels like a premium product.

Prior to that I went through two Logitech G29 wheels with no end of horrors and the comparison is like chalk and cheese.
 
Guys, how can you compare Logitech St. Fanatek ?! how does your tongue turn to say it! This is a completely different product. you do not compare the Lexus wolcwagen
 
Jeka_djonik
Guys, how can you compare Logitech St. Fanatek ?! how does your tongue turn to say it! This is a completely different product. you do not compare the Lexus wolcwagen
Click to expand...
Long and short of it is my Fanatec CSL Elite PS4 has been working famously and never had any problems with it.
 
Hi guys, been away from sim racing and sold all my gear a couple of years ago.
Got the bug again, can someone get me up to speed on the csl elite/ps4.
I've a set of V2 pedals will they work, do I need PS/2 RJ12 cable?
Are there any issues with the base?
How good is it in comparison to the csw v1/v1.5 etc?
I appreciate that the information is probably already in the thread, I just don't have time to read the whole thread.
Many thanks.
 
Hey. Tomorrow I will send the steering wheel under warranty do it the first time. Can anyone deal with shipping? and ready to share with me I will be grateful. I ship goods from Vilnius. Technical support asked me the address from where I will send and gave me a file that I have to show in the mail and it should be attached to the parcel. I worry as the first time and I do not want to do bad business :))) I will be grateful for any information.
 
Hey, haven't had much time for sim racing lately, but tried to fire up AC the other day, and my CSL Elite wouldn't turn on. Purchased at the end of 2017, and it's shown no signs of anything being wrong with it up to this point. It's worked flawlessly every time I've used it up to this point, but now it's just suddenly dead. It hasn't been used much since I bought it, and was never pushed hard or for long. I've actually been very gentle with it.

Contacted Fanatec support, and they tell me since it's out of warranty, it'll cost $70 per hour of their time to inspect and repair it, plus replacement parts, plus shipping. A ridiculous and extortionate amount to pay for an item which should last a lot longer than this. Very disappointed this product is faulty. No reasonable person would spend $700 on a sim wheel if they knew it would die a year and a half later.

A word of warning: This product can fail without warning, and when it does, Fanatec will try to get as much money out of you as possible, to repair a faulty item they should have built properly in the first place.
 
Mike_grpA
Hey, haven't had much time for sim racing lately, but tried to fire up AC the other day, and my CSL Elite wouldn't turn on. Purchased at the end of 2017, and it's shown no signs of anything being wrong with it up to this point. It's worked flawlessly every time I've used it up to this point, but now it's just suddenly dead. It hasn't been used much since I bought it, and was never pushed hard or for long. I've actually been very gentle with it.

Contacted Fanatec support, and they tell me since it's out of warranty, it'll cost $70 per hour of their time to inspect and repair it, plus replacement parts, plus shipping. A ridiculous and extortionate amount to pay for an item which should last a lot longer than this. Very disappointed this product is faulty. No reasonable person would spend $700 on a sim wheel if they knew it would die a year and a half later.

A word of warning: This product can fail without warning, and when it does, Fanatec will try to get as much money out of you as possible, to repair a faulty item they should have built properly in the first place.
Click to expand...

yes that's it. I, too, for no reason the wheel began to rage and the problem is a problem. very upset me Fanatek. I thought it would work better than the trasmaster, but it turned out the opposite. Now my wheel at Fanatek company I sent it for repair. if after that the problem does not disappear, I cannot even imagine what I will do to him. but just buy myself a TrustMaster
 
MIKE. I'll give you a couple of tips. 1: remove all drivers. 2: install everything on a new update base. reboot the PC update the drivers themselves. maybe the problem will disappear.
 
Jeka_djonik
MIKE. I'll give you a couple of tips. 1: remove all drivers. 2: install everything on a new update base. reboot the PC update the drivers themselves. maybe the problem will disappear.
Click to expand...

I can't mate, the wheel base doesn't power on at all. It worked flawlessly until only a couple of days ago, I never had a single problem at all with it. But a couple of days ago I plug it in and press the power button and nothing happens. All of a sudden it's just dead.

If I can't organise a remedy with the supplier, I won't buy anything new from them again. Shame, since I was seriously considering one of their podium wheels soon. That won't be happening if they try to nickle-and-dime me to fix a faulty wheel base they should be repairing or replacing for free.
 
Last edited:
Mike_grpA
I can't mate, the wheel base doesn't power on at all. It worked flawlessly until only a couple of days ago, I never had a single problem at all with it. But a couple of days ago I plug it in and press the power button and nothing happens. All of a sudden it's just dead.
Click to expand...
Is the power supply bulb on?
 
Jeka_djonik
OK! unit worker hope. and the base light does not burn at all? completely off change usb ports or wires anything can be. It may be funny, but sometimes it works.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion mate but I've tried that. Ok, here's what it does in full:

The power brick light is on, so I assume that is working fine. when I press the power button on the base the red power indicator led lights up only as I press the button. A noise briefly comes out of the base, and then silence. If I hold the power button in, the noise (an electrical sounding buzzing or squeeking type sound) will continue and the led will stay on for as long as I hold the power button in. The fans even kick in while I hold the power button. But it doesn't try to calibrate, no rev leds on the base light up, and it won't be detected in either Windows or on the PS4. The moment I let go of the power button, it all shuts off again.

I tried multiple USB ports on my PC and PS4, and other peripherals work on those ports, so it's not the ports on my PC or PS4. I have an old Fanatec CSR wheel still, and have bolted that to my rig, and plugged it into my CSPs and into the PC using the same USB cable I was using with the CSL Elite, and the CSR works fine. So the USB cord is also fine.

So it seems to me it's dead. Though if anyone has any info or anything that may shed some light on what the issue is, I am all ears.
 
Wow. That is very strange. Did you or anyone else perhaps after using forget it on for a good while per chance?
And also, was there anyone else using it besides you that you know of or perhaps using it without you knowing?
 
Jeka_djonik
This is a familiar situation to me! Try to still remove all Fanatek drivers. through the device manager. Hidden / squared something look like this so you remove all the drivers from Fanatek. Then proceed to install the driver 292 https://www.fanatec.com/eu-en/suppo...net&utm_campaign=General+Links&a_aid=gtplanet
if the database starts, then try to update it to the new version. and then install the latest driver 328 seems.
Click to expand...

Deleting the drivers from my computer won't make a difference mate, it's not getting far enough for the computer to pick it up. As I said, I tried it plugged into the PS4 as well (since it's a PS4 Edition), and the same thing happened. It doesn't even attempt to calibrate or anything.


davidt33
Wow. That is very strange. Did you or anyone else perhaps after using forget it on for a good while per chance?
And also, was there anyone else using it besides you that you know of or perhaps using it without you knowing?
Click to expand...

Yeah strange is one way to put it haha. Certainly took me by surprise, since, as I said, it worked flawlessly for a year and a half before this happened. I only get the rig out when I want to jump on a sim, so it stays unplugged and put away in the corner of the room, under a sheet (to keep the dust out) when I'm not using it. So it's impossible for it to be left on after I'm done using it. And no, no one can use it without me knowing, and no one beside me has used it in close to 6 months. I've only used it perhaps 20 times in total this year. It's had a very easy life thus far, which is why I'm baffled. It is concerning that it's failed when it's been so well looked after.

Edit: I'll upload a video of the issue to my YouTube channel when I can find the time.
 
Had my CSL Elite PS4 for around 4 months now. it hasnt seen many hours, approx around 50..

After updating FW to 330 to be able to run the new F1 V2 wheel, I've noticed that when the wheel base is powered, and if F1 2018 PS4 game is paused, i can feel a slight knock/bump if I wiggle the wheel slightly at the centre point. Is this normal? The centre point noise is similar (maybe not as bad) as this



I don't remember feeling this in Firmware 311.. Any help or advice is appreciated. If its normal, keen to know if you guys have the same feel. When the base is not powered, its smooth as glass

Other than this, the wheel operates perfectly, nice n strong (although the FEI at 40-50 really does make that jack hammer FFB over kerbs)

Cheers
 
Corsa
I have the CSL (Xbox version) and have had no problems at all. *See below

In fact, coming from Thrustmaster it's night and day. So much smoother, whisper quiet with much improved ffb specifically with the subtle bits such as kerbs and understeer.

*I did have a mild hiccup with the latest firmware however. After updating the base, it had a small amount of play and a clunky sound 4-5° right/left from center.

I reverted back to the beta firmware and it disappeared.
Click to expand...

Hey mate, which firmware did you revert back to??
 
cheetah2k
Other than this, the wheel operates perfectly, nice n strong (although the FEI at 40-50 really does make that jack hammer FFB over kerbs)

Cheers
Click to expand...

Just a tip on the FEI. Turning it down so much will smooth out all the FFB signals way too much. I found it best to turn down canned effects like Kerb rumble in the in-game menus themselves. That way you can keep the FEI high and get sharper FFB without suffering the noisy clunking too much. For example: I ran FEI at 80 in F1 2018, and didn't get a lot of clunking, simply by turning down the canned rumble effects (on track effects, off track effects, and rumble effects). Having those turned up is unrealistic anyway.

In Assetto Corsa I run a profile with FEI at 100, and due to my in-game settings I get absolutely no clunking.
 
Just my 2 cents - if you know someone else with a CSL, you could try their power supply on your wheel. That would tell you if the power supply is at fault or not.
 
Mike_grpA
Just a tip on the FEI. Turning it down so much will smooth out all the FFB signals way too much. I found it best to turn down canned effects like Kerb rumble in the in-game menus themselves. That way you can keep the FEI high and get sharper FFB without suffering the noisy clunking too much. For example: I ran FEI at 80 in F1 2018, and didn't get a lot of clunking, simply by turning down the canned rumble effects (on track effects, off track effects, and rumble effects). Having those turned up is unrealistic anyway.

In Assetto Corsa I run a profile with FEI at 100, and due to my in-game settings I get absolutely no clunking.
Click to expand...

Cool tip.. I dont think this will change the 4-5 deg each side of centre play and clunky feel though - the clunky feel is around that 4-5deg each side of centre FYI.. I think i might flash back to 311 as i never experienced any issues on that FW
 
Last edited:
gt_fan
Just my 2 cents - if you know someone else with a CSL, you could try their power supply on your wheel. That would tell you if the power supply is at fault or not.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately I don't know anyone personally with a CSL.

cheetah2k
Cool tip.. I dont think this will change the 4-5 deg each side of centre play and clunky feel though - the clunky feel is around that 4-5deg each side of centre FYI.. I think i might flash back to 311 as i never experienced any issues on that FW
Click to expand...

That doesn't sound like a firmware issue I'm afraid mate. My CSL was always up to date on firmware, and I never had any play at all. FFB tightness around centre was one of the defining things about the CSL for me. I would guess there's a hardware fault with yours if it has play around centre.
 
Corsa
v311.

328 is still causing a deadzone 5° left and right of center for me.

311 is tight.
Click to expand...

Indeed i tried both 311 and 328 - agree 100%. 311 is extremely good and smooth, but my F1 V2 wheel isnt recognised on that firmware, so I flashed 328. 328 is less tight, but has a notchy issue at the centre position, as well as a small deadzone at the centre position. Its kinda a halfway between 311 & 330/334.. I did plenty of laps on Monaco F1 2018 last night and I didnt notice the issue as much as 330/334 so I'll stick to 328 for the time being

Thanks again for your help @Corsa!

Mike_grpA
Unfortunately I don't know anyone personally with a CSL.

That doesn't sound like a firmware issue I'm afraid mate. My CSL was always up to date on firmware, and I never had any play at all. FFB tightness around centre was one of the defining things about the CSL for me. I would guess there's a hardware fault with yours if it has play around centre.
Click to expand...

Its definitely not hardware mate. Flashing back to 311 (which was always reliable for me) fixed the issue 100%. The only reason I changed FW was to support the F1 V2 rim...
 
I'm also back on 311 with appropriate firmwares. After a few evenings of testing I feel that this driver/FW combo has the most direct steering input on GT Sport, Project Cars 2 and Assetto Corsa (all on the PS4). 328 feels smoother but simply not as direct. So until this more direct feeling returns with later driver/firmware combos, I'll stick to good ol' 311. :)
 
I have over 300 hours on my csl elite.
So far the only Problem was a defective power brick unit at the beginning.
It just turned off when FFB kicked in "too strong".
Since then its flawless.
 

Latest Posts

Back