Driving Force Pro Pedal Problems

Arwin · May 28, 2004

A good few DF Pro users come across a common problem where the wheel starts braking slightly or the gas loses full-throttle. It happened to me after about four months, and after people who aren't as gentle as I tested the wheel :argh :lol Fortunately, despite my lack of technical insight, I managed to fix it myself. Here's what you do:

Open the base by taking the nine screws out that are nearest to the pedals. Follow the wires to their white connection plugs, and make sure that under them the little black balls hang into their holders. Pull a little more wire into the base, as this will prevent the problem from occuring again. Then put everything back together.

It's as simple as that, but the tricky part is to get everything back together properly. The pedals and their springs fall out easily. It's not too hard to put them back together - just have to pay good attention to where the springs should go and be careful everything is in the right place while putting the lid back on the base - but you may need a few attempts. I had some trouble with this the first few tries.

After I did this, the problem didn't return, and a few others have solved this problem the same way since. It's a shame it happens, but it's easily fixed and as a bonus I'm happy to see most parts in the wheel are easily replaced.

If someone happens to try this and have a digicam handy, please make some closeup shots for others, as it seems a very common problem that happens to most people sooner or later.

EDIT: check here, it describes the pedal base for the black MoMo, but this one is nearly identical as far as I can tell: http://web.axelero.hu/mozso/momo_e1.html

T5-R · May 28, 2004

Hmmm technical wheel faults already...

Can't say I find that very impressive

guess thats just confirmed my old DF a home for some time along with my DS2

vat_man · May 28, 2004

Thanks for the tip. I'll have a little go at this tomorrow, take some photos, and report back.

BAZZ · May 28, 2004

Hmm. All that i do is to unplug and plug it back from the wheel itself..
I must say i am a bit dissapointed with the wheel, feels like its some "hardware beta".

Arwin · May 28, 2004

Ok, thanks to a tip from FlyBuyF1 I noticed that the pedal base is almost identical to that of the black MoMo (Racing Force), and he knew a site that describes all sorts of fixes, including the one needed here:

http://web.axelero.hu/mozso/momo_e1.html

ZeroDrifter · Mar 1, 2005

I know this is old but does the Logitech Dring Force Feedback for gt3 have the problem?

ppith · Mar 1, 2005

Arwin
If someone happens to try this and have a digicam handy, please make some closeup shots for others, as it seems a very common problem that happens to most people sooner or later.

Hey, I'm having the SAME exact problem! I'm so glad Polyphony decided to include the brake and gas indicators in the game because one thing you MUST notice when the problem occurs is that there will be a tiny red bar in the brake indicator when you are NOT touching the brake pedal! This happens intermittently and it's really frustrating as it causes you to not be able to accelerate quickly beyond a certain speed (and to have all the cars you were beating by 15 seconds pass you on a straight). I have a digital camera and I was thinking about just buying a new set of pedals. But it's time to fix it once and for all rather than to just have the new set of pedals break down a few months later. I'll take some shots after I take it apart and hopefully put it back together correctly.

supergoop · Mar 1, 2005

ppith
Hey, I'm having the SAME exact problem! I'm so glad Polyphony decided to include the brake and gas indicators in the game because one thing you MUST notice when the problem occurs is that there will be a tiny red bar in the brake indicator when you are NOT touching the brake pedal! This happens intermittently and it's really frustrating as it causes you to not be able to accelerate quickly beyond a certain speed (and to have all the cars you were beating by 15 seconds pass you on a straight). I have a digital camera and I was thinking about just buying a new set of pedals. But it's time to fix it once and for all rather than to just have the new set of pedals break down a few months later. I'll take some shots after I take it apart and hopefully put it back together correctly.

Yes, please take some DETAILED CLOSEUP shots once you take it apart. The pictures I've seen so far (mostly for the Momo wheel) were not that clear. They were kinda small and difficult to see the wiring, plug, etc. If your repair goes well, a brief write-up of what you did to fix it, tips and pitfalls, along with some pictures would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Now that you mentioned it, you are right! Those brake and gas indicators are very useful for troubleshooting pedal defects. Good point 👍

ppith · Mar 2, 2005

supergoop
Yes, please take some DETAILED CLOSEUP shots once you take it apart. The pictures I've seen so far (mostly for the Momo wheel) were not that clear. They were kinda small and difficult to see the wiring, plug, etc. If your repair goes well, a brief write-up of what you did to fix it, tips and pitfalls, along with some pictures would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Now that you mentioned it, you are right! Those brake and gas indicators are very useful for troubleshooting pedal defects. Good point 👍

Okay, I managed to do it tonight! But I am hoping some of you can maybe find a better solution than me when it comes to securing the acceleration/brake devices so they don't cause problems. Please download the zip files so you can refer to pictures. I basically did everything the original author of this post told me to do. However, once I opened the back panel there were no little ball weights!!! I wonder if logitech took this out in later models or introduced it later. Anyway, I fired up GT4 and started messing around with the pedals trying to figure out how the internals worked. I finally figured out that the wires coming out of the round metal devices needed to be taped down so that the devices would remain still while the pedals rotated around them. Perhaps some kind of glue that wouldn't melt the wires would work better, I may try that if it happens again as it's not too hard to put back together.

When you put it back together, make sure you push both springs to the right into their slots. You'll notice the brake pedal has a black spring and needs to be pushed to the LEFT to go into its slot. Then, use your feet to hold the pedal assembly together (or have a friend help, my gf was sick so she wasn't going to help) while you use your free hands to align the back panel to snap into place. I would recommend holding the back panel at a diagonal angle so you can align the spring with the hole circled in the pictures I've attached. Then push the panel back in place and drop in the screws one by one as you screw in the back panel again. Then enjoy the pedals again! The great thing is once you can do this you can fix the pedals yourself if they ever malfunction again. I'm not sure how long the tape will last, but if it ever breaks I'll try to come up with a more long term solution if no one else has on here. Let me know what you think about the pictures. I wore gloves for some parts because the inside is REALLY greasy and it was kind of distracting.

ppith · Mar 2, 2005

McLaren'sAngel · Mar 2, 2005

Hiya!

Meow! (='.'=)

Thanks Arwin and PPith for the infos! :embarrassed:

It will come in handy for everyone once we get this problem! :embarrassed:

ppith · Mar 2, 2005

I finally tested this fix by driving ten laps at Tskuba(sp?). Normally when I drive for around ten laps, the brake pedal will start acting up. I will definitely reply in this thread if the problem comes back soon. I play GT4 everyday so you'll know soon! I can't believe how simple the design is once you crack it open. It would increase the cost of the DFP, but I think it'd be worth it if Logitech would create something to prevent the potentiometers (or whatever they're called) from moving at all. These devices should be mounted in some kind of bracket or permanently infused with the plastic. There's no reason these need to move in any other direction other than rotational. Of course, due to manufacturing costs doing something like this would be really pricey since it's not part of the original design. But I think it would save a lot of us headaches of having to open RMAs to return pedal sets or fix the problem ourselves. And you all know that based on the current design, a new pedal set is bound to have the same problems someday. It's just a matter of time and how much you play driving games.

CFM · Mar 2, 2005

I bought my DFP a year ago and started having this problem. I had purchsed the 1 year free replacement warranty from EB games, since I knew it would be getting a lot of use. I took it back and got a new one. The new one's brake pedal is firmer (much nicer) and feels a bit tighter all around. I have seen on some websites that Logitech has corrected the problem with the pedal potentiometers with an updated version, which is what I must have gotten this time around.👍

If you have problems with your DFP, call Logitech before opening your DFP because from what I have seen around the web they have excellent customer service and will probably fix it for free, as it has a year warranty standard.

Ryosuke_Gumna · Mar 2, 2005

Thanks for the help! I had this problem about 5 months ago!

[SS]Ares · Mar 2, 2005

I just got of the phone with logitech benelux, after experiencing the same problem, and he is just sending me a new version! I dont even have to send the old one back!

very very good customer support

Symtex · Mar 2, 2005

[SS]Ares
I just got of the phone with logitech benelux, after experiencing the same problem, and he is just sending me a new version! I dont even have to send the old one back!

very very good customer support

I bought mine 3 weeks ago and I have the same problem. I will definetly call Logitech today.

neurokinetik · Mar 2, 2005

I've had mine apart already to fix the partially-on brake pedal. When it happened, it could be stopped by sticking your foot under the pedal and lifting it up. What I did is to open up all of the springs on both pedals. The problem has not recurred, and my pedals feel noticably stiffer than a stock set.

ppith · Mar 2, 2005

Sounds great everyone! I ordered my DFP last year so it looks like it could just be a problem with the older models. I also noticed that after I adjusted the springs that the pedals seem to be stiffer (like new!). But maybe that's just because I was playing around with the pedals for so long without resistance. Anyways, hopefully this thread will help everyone once your pedals are out of warranty.

Swift · Mar 2, 2005

I have the Driving Force and the pedal seemed to have been fixed by GT4. What I mean is they must've known about the problem and adjusted the input rates accordingly. I know this cause it's still not fully registering in GT3. Fantastic PD, thanks a lot!

I'm still going to get a DFP though.

CrackHoor · Mar 2, 2005

I had my new DFP pedals apart and did two other things that solved my not-quite-100% throttle problem in GT3. The DFP's worked flawlessly for me with GT4.

First, I put tape around the ends of the pedal pivots as shown in the link in the post #1:

I also put a dab of glue in the top & bottom brackets that hold the tabs on the pots in place. They don't seem very tight, and too much play in them could cause these not-quite-on or not-quite-off problems. The tabs are visible in ppiths pics, and there's a tab on the other side of each pot as well. I also slid a small piece of rubbery foam in the gap between the two pots to keep them from flopping around.

supergoop · Mar 2, 2005

ppith
Sounds great everyone! I ordered my DFP last year so it looks like it could just be a problem with the older models. I also noticed that after I adjusted the springs that the pedals seem to be stiffer (like new!). But maybe that's just because I was playing around with the pedals for so long without resistance. Anyways, hopefully this thread will help everyone once your pedals are out of warranty.

Thanks for taking the time to take and post the pictures.

THiroshima · Mar 3, 2005

Ya i had to same problem... i just returned the wheel to EB games for another one and got he 15 dollar warranty.. where i can get a new one any time iwanted to for up to a year.... But ya.... doesn't it bug you guys when people try out the whell and there stomping on the gas and break pretty hard..... and you really can't say anything,.... but you know if it keeps up like that its gonna break? :dunce:

HoWheels · Mar 3, 2005

I was having a horrible problem with my DFP.
I was slicing my right ring-finger knuckle on the base of the wheel while upshifting/turning!

Solution: Put a piece of duct tape where the two pieces of plastic join together

-a

Symtex · Mar 3, 2005

I called Logitech yesterday and the CSR I spoke with seems to be tired of people calling for the same problem. At first he tried to tell me I would be without a wheel controller for an extend period of time and I should try to bring it back to the store. I stood my ground, I asked him if he could send me the pedal. I dont' know if he was at the end of his shift but he got tired and put me on hold. He came back with a case# and asking me to fax a proof of purchase to send me another wheel.

Sloth · Mar 4, 2005

Logitech is good for that.

I got pissed off and smashed my MX500 mouse repeatedly on my forehead.

I couldn't figure out why it was screwed up afterwards, so I called up Logitech and told them my mouse wasn't tracking properly (even though it was) and all they asked for was the serial number and model number on the bottom of the mouse.

Long story short, I got a brand new mouse and used the old one for several months after recieving the new one.

Canadiandrifter · Mar 4, 2005

My DFP pedels look a bit different than that on the inside...I had them open the other night to see if I could fix the clicking noise of the second spring on the break pedel hitting the plastic before it engages..

My sensors are slotted into little plastic slots made for them, instead of being dependant on the pedels..

I haven't had the throttle/brake problem yet..but maybe they did this to prevent it?

Also..I need to get some foam for the damn clicking noise..and maybe make the gas pedel stiffer..

Jay · Mar 4, 2005

Canadiandrifter
My DFP pedels look a bit different than that on the inside...I had them open the other night to see if I could fix the clicking noise of the second spring on the break pedel hitting the plastic before it engages..

I get that crappy clicking noise, you fix it?

Canadiandrifter · Mar 4, 2005

Not yet..but it shouldn't be too hard...a little block of memory foam, or just any foam, should do the trick..I'll do it tomorrow and let you know..i'll take pics as well.

georgeymoney · Mar 4, 2005

You know, I got a DFP the first few months it was around. I looked at those pics and you know what I saw? WAAAAAAAAYYYYY more robust pots than I have. I suppose they replaced the crumby pots that were in mine (Very small, very plastic, white covers). Still have that problem though. Jeez, Logitech sure knows how to piss me off. The pedal base is just 👎 The engineering is sub par imo. I fixed mine by unplugging the gas pot and adding thermal greese to improve the reliabillity of the connection. Worked really good for a couple of months, but now and again I have to use the shove method. I wish I could afford frex stuff

Jay · Mar 4, 2005

Canadiandrifter
Not yet..but it shouldn't be too hard...a little block of memory foam, or just any foam, should do the trick..I'll do it tomorrow and let you know..i'll take pics as well.

Ok, cheers

.

Driving Force Pro Pedal Problems

Arwin

T5-R

vat_man

BAZZ

Arwin

ZeroDrifter

ppith

supergoop

ppith

Attachments

ppith

McLaren'sAngel

ppith

CFM

Ryosuke_Gumna

[SS]Ares

Symtex

neurokinetik

ppith

Swift

GT Sport is looking good...

CrackHoor

supergoop

THiroshima

HoWheels

Symtex

Sloth

Canadiandrifter

Jay

Canadiandrifter

georgeymoney

Jay

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Driving Force Pro Pedal Problems

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