FANATEC H PATTERN SHIFTER MISSING SHIFTS (AGAIN! A YEAR AFTER BOARD REPLACEMENT)

Rolo F · Mar 18, 2023

Hello,

Back in 2019, I bought the SQV1.5 shifter, and weeks after, the H pattern shifting started "missing shifts", For example, if you "engage 3rd" the game could receive R, 1st, 3rd, or 5th. This does not happen every time, but about 3 times a lap to Donington.

Fanatec sent me a board replacement... and after 2 years of working great, it's having problems again

is there something I could do/check/inspect?

I have NOT changed anything, I do have all drivers and FW up to date.

Any recommendation will be appreciated

Thanks!!

GEO147 · Mar 19, 2023

There is a known fox for this problem that includes using some electrical tape.

GagarynGaribaldi · Mar 19, 2023

Fanatec acknowledged this was as a software issue recently (after years of claiming otherwise) and it should be fixed in the latest driver.

Rolo F · Mar 19, 2023

GagarynGaribaldi said:
Fanatec acknowledged this was as a software issue recently (after years of claiming otherwise) and it should be fixed in the latest driver.

Thanks, I didn't know that!

I'm almost sure that I'm running the last one... maybe Im missing something?

I have recalibrated it a few times since the last update also.

Rolo F · Mar 19, 2023

GEO147 said:
There is a known fox for this problem that includes using some electrical tape.

Yeah!!

I remember that one, so last time when I change the board or the PCB board that Fanatec sent me, I also did that! so it has been there from day 1.

Would have to check if the magnet is not aligned...

Thanks!!!

GagarynGaribaldi · Mar 19, 2023

Rolo F said:
Thanks, I didn't know that!

I'm almost sure that I'm running the last one... maybe Im missing something?

I have recalibrated it a few times since the last update also.

View attachment 648376

Fanatec Driver 450 (Prev. Official Release) for CSL, CSW and Podium WB (all wheels)

How to report issues: If you report a driver or firmware issue, please make cross checks:

forum.fanatec.com

GEO147 · Mar 19, 2023

I had the problem over a year ago and the tape completely fixed it. Now running 450 also.

Rolo F · Mar 19, 2023

GEO147 said:
I had the problem over a year ago and the tape completely fixed it. Now running 450 also.

I did it (installed the 450 driver).. now is 100% garbage... if before was once every 5 - 10 shits, now the other way.. it nails one shift every 10...

Very weird, I have calibrated the shifter about 5 times and no way to make it work.

Last calibration, every gear is 7th gear....

I just want to kill myself....

Emery · Mar 21, 2023

Went through this same headache. My resolution was biasing the shifter while calibrating, so that you're putting a little pressure outward when calibrating R, 1, 2, 5, & 6.

mechsicko · Mar 22, 2023

There are so many gimmick fixes that don't address the real problem. It's not the board or the magnets or needing tape insulation or cleaning with iso etc.

There's a 4 pin JST2.0 connector that links the mother and daughter boards, which contain the y and x Hall's respectively. This wire is subject to repeated bending as the shifter moves, which can fray the connection where the strands are crimped into the plug's pins. There is no provision for strain relief beyond some hastily applied hotglue.

That wire fraying is likely the source of all the mis-shifting units out there. All the ritual fixes like cleaning with iso etc likely temporarily massage the problem wires back into temporary contact and none of those 'fixes' actually fix the problem. Either replace the cable or repair it. I repaired mine, first with a soldered in section that came from another plug (I don't have a pin crimper) but an easier fix is to bypass the bad wire(s) with a simple breadboard jumper.

Here's a pic of my spliced repair with the elec tape on it. I don't have a pic of the current state but there's a black jumper shoved into the pin connection at either end of the black wire now cause my splice eventually failed. The factory 'strain relief' of hotglue is 100% inadaquate and all Fana shifters will eventually break there. The rest is bulletproof

M0dernT1mes · Mar 22, 2023

I am glad for the day I tossed that shifter with all the electrical tape in the garbage can and went with Pro-sim shifters instead.

mechsicko · Mar 23, 2023

If anyone doesn't want their 'broken' fana shifters hit me up

Rolo F · Mar 29, 2023

mechsicko said:
There are so many gimmick fixes that don't address the real problem. It's not the board or the magnets or needing tape insulation or cleaning with iso etc.

There's a 4 pin JST2.0 connector that links the mother and daughter boards, which contain the y and x Hall's respectively. This wire is subject to repeated bending as the shifter moves, which can fray the connection where the strands are crimped into the plug's pins. There is no provision for strain relief beyond some hastily applied hotglue.

That wire fraying is likely the source of all the mis-shifting units out there. All the ritual fixes like cleaning with iso etc likely temporarily massage the problem wires back into temporary contact and none of those 'fixes' actually fix the problem. Either replace the cable or repair it. I repaired mine, first with a soldered in section that came from another plug (I don't have a pin crimper) but an easier fix is to bypass the bad wire(s) with a simple breadboard jumper.

Here's a pic of my spliced repair with the elec tape on it. I don't have a pic of the current state but there's a black jumper shoved into the pin connection at either end of the black wire now cause my splice eventually failed. The factory 'strain relief' of hotglue is 100% inadaquate and all Fana shifters will eventually break there. The rest is bulletproof

I was thinking that the hall sensor might be failing, or the magnet has lost power... but then, it works, it just receives the information but the output it is wrong.

From the mechanical point of view is always the same, there is no wear (in the very long term maybe, but there are no signs of wear), and it does not look like in my almost 20 years old Logitech G25 shifter.

So the cable is a good option... it's a standard cable, it can be bought on amazon for maybe a buck or two.. and it can be longer.

Yesterday (without reading this post) I disassembled it completely and assemble it again.. and viola... working... so the cable becomes a possible option... I have just tried it for 10 or 15 minutes... but.. it works

Can't agree more that the construction of this shifter looks and seems bulletproof!

PolyGone · Mar 30, 2023

I had the same issue a couple weeks ago.
This solved is for now.

decapnz · Apr 26, 2023

You know, I didn't start getting this issue until I installed a driver update. I think it was 447, or the previous one. I can't remember.
After a bit of troubleshooting I tried a driver repair and it seemed to go away for a period of time, but then came back.
It's not everyshift, but when I'm trying to set a time on the Nordschleife, it only has to happen once, and my lap is toast.
I've installed the 450 driver today, anticipating that the issue would be gone, but it hasn't.
I'll have to try the suggested solution posted above by polygon. Like I say though, I didn't start having this mis-shift issue until a driver update.
Is this fix still working for you @PolyGone?

*Update - Tried this out today and the issue is resolved. I accidentally unplugged the other cable, not the small one shown in the vid. But it still worked.