Fanatec GT3RS V2 wheel lost feedback strength, smells bad?

  • Thread starter Omamder5
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Omamder5

Omamder5

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My Fanatec GT3RS wheel seems to have lost its force feedback strength over time. I haven't even owned it that long, I bought it new this summer, so what's the problem? I set the feedback to 10, which is the max, and it definitely feels lighter than when I remember first using it. Also, and this worries me even more, it starts to emit an acrid smell of burnt rubber if I use it for even something like 20 to 30 minutes! I'm really worried it's going to break or something, what's wrong with it?

Also, my G25 pedals that I'm using have a really weird thing with the brake pedal. Basically, if I start a race and try to brake on the first corner, it locks up with the slightest pressure on the pedal. I have to pump it a few times to get it to work somewhat-properly, and even then that doesn't seem to work right every time. I'm really considering just caving and selling them to buy a good set of clubsports, because those are awesome and seem like they would have the really good brake feel I crave.

Any ideas about either of these things, guys?
 
It shouldn't emit any kind of smell like that at all. Are the fans coming on at all? It kinda sounds like the motor structure is overheating due to no cooling and typically once an electric motor has overheated enough to make it smell, loss of strength will follow. I would contact Fanatec support and you should be able to get a replacement as your wheel is still under warranty.

As for the G25 pedals it sounds like the potentiometer on the brake pedal is defective and needs replacing. Others would know better than me but Logitech could likely help you out with that. You could also buy replacement pots quite cheap as well as I've seen them on eBay. Theres another thread in this section whereva guy was having issues with his and how he fixed it. Theres likely other threads in here covering the subject as well as its a common part to fail. If you do sell them...please be cool about it and let potential buyers know the true condition of them if you sell them as is.

Lastly....the ClubSport pedals are a big step up in terms of build quality and feel over the G25 pedals. The G25s can be made to feel quite nice though with the Nixm mods.

http://www.nixim.com/index.php?pageid=brakemod
 
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I had a GT3 V.2 do the same thing a few months ago, they tend to run "warm".
You have to give them a rest when gaming, just can't run them straight for hours on end.
One or more of your fans may have failed causing the unit to over heat.
There are two internal fans, the main fan and the exhaust fan.

Make sure that the fans are configured to kick in when you power up the unit, not after it starts to heat up. Instructions for doing this are in the GT3 V.2 manual.

In my case, Fanatec had their Support Agent send me a replacement exhaust fan, but that did not rectify the issue.
I then had to send it to the Fanatec Support Agent who replaced it with a refurbished unit after his evaluation indicated my unit had failed.

I suggest you contact Fanatec tech support, send them all the information they request via their web site for reporting issues.

It will make the support experience go easier, they also have a number in Germany you can call (they speak English). I called via Skype.

The details for that are also on their web site, but they only answer the phone 2 hours a day.

If you do call, make sure you send the info they request via email first, (speaking from experience).
I am not affiliated with Fanatec in anyway.
 
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I think I will look into contacting Fanatec support. However, just so you guys know, I bought the wheel from another person (according to him, it was not used, and as far as I could tell, none of the bags or anything had been opened, so it appeared to be a new product). Does this affect anything with the warranty? I don't know if I've got any documentation for it or anything.

Did you buy the GT2 housing just so you could have the original if you want to put it back? The cooling fan idea actually sounds really groovy to me, but I don't know if I've got the skills to implement it correctly and effectively. Is there any specific place where there's some information on this; perhaps how to set up such a configuration? Sounds like a cool idea to me. Haha see what I did there...christ...

I would honestly prefer buying clubsport pedals to modifying my G25 set. I'm no brilliant handyman, nor am I inclined to find time to carry out extensive work on them. I'm sure they can be made better, but until I get some extra time on my hands and some help from my brother, I'd much prefer to get those aluminum bad boys. Besides, they look incredible.
 
Fanatec wheels have a two year warranty.

I would contact Fanatec, and provide the serial number so they can ascertain if the wheel is still under warranty.

For the money, the CSPs are probably the best you can get, in my opinion.
I have a set and really like them.
 
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JogoAsobi
I had a GT3 V.2 do the same thing a few months ago, they tend to run "warm".
You have to give them a rest when gaming, just can't run them straight for hours on end.
Click to expand...

I did the 4hrs of tskuba and the 200 miles of laguna seca back to back with my wheel as sort of a test since I kinda want a csr wheel and it didnt even trip or glitch once in about 7 hours of total racing with ffb on 100 and drift mode on 2 900 degree rotation. So sticking with the gt3 untill it breaks. I LOVE Fanatec products. But thats just me personally. I'm putting together a review of the new CSR Elite pedals. Using a g25 with my friend made me laugh afterwards there is such a big difference.
 
I definitely could Not do a long test lime that. Like I said, the feedback strength felt weak and the burning rubber smell was emenating from it just 20 or 30 minutes in, which basically makes the wheel unusable. I'm rather interested in this computer fan idea, but I have no idea how to implement. Off to google we go...
 
Wheel: Contact Fanatec and see what they say. What else can you do?

Pedals: I believe that you need to fully depress the pedal(s) at last once for it to properly calibrate at the start. If that is not the issue, then I have no idea. If you can connect them to a PC you can check in the controller panel to see if they are working properly.

But, yes, just buy the CSP once you have the wheel issue sorted out :)
 
This just happened with me, except on my CSR Elite. I went to go eat lunch so the wheel was left on, keep in mind I was in the menu's. A couple minutes ago I started smelling something similar to the smell that I would smell when i ran my electric trains as a kid. I go into my room, and it's really really bad here. I check the wheel, it's power is on but there's nothing indicating it's running. It's very very hot, and smells really bad. I turned it off for now, and put every fan in the room running. I believe it was a fan failure, but I'm not sure how it failed, since when I was running it earlier, it was blasting cool air in my face.
 
Most likely. Smelling burned electronics is never a good sign. Fanatec support it is.
I dunno if the electronics is visible through the 'hood' but can you see anything that looks burned or blown?

My once after changing a light switch and putting the power back on without turning off the computer blew his computer up. Boy it smelled, i'll never forget it... the whole house was smelling after it. Pretty much ever component decided to give way. (this was before the time of power surge protection in computer power supplies)
 
Jiggled the wheel and out came life! It seemed it was trying to calibrate when I turned it on, but the wheel was stiff. I jiggled it loose and it calibrated itself. Glad nothing's dead. I must've caught it at the right time before it turned really ugly. Burning electronics is a really bad smell though...
 
I encountered something similar, however, only on the back end of what you described. I didn't get smelliness or anything that serious, but just now I turned it on and I could hear it slightly humming like it does, and I could feel it vibrating. It wasn' calibrating on power on like it normally does, so I got worried. I tried to jiggle the wheel like you said, but that didn't do anything. Then I noticed the xbox button light was on. Upon inspection, I noticed the button was slightly stuck in. So I loosened the button, powered it off, then ... voila! Upon power up and calibrated and worked just fine.
 

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