Paddles only working changing up

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Terry C
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Paddles only working changing up

Post by Terry C » Wed Jul 05, 2017 7:47 pm

Hello.

I hope someone can assist me as I am having trouble operating in sport mode on my 2002 MG TF Step-speed.
It will change both up and down as it should using the gearstick & it will change up through all of the gears using the paddles, but will not change down using the paddles so I just revert back to the gear stick or put it back in to D.

Terry.

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nigelandjo
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Re: Paddles only working changing up

Post by nigelandjo » Wed Jul 05, 2017 9:25 pm

I'm guessing that there's a broken wire somewhere between the paddle and the gearbox, possible at the steering wheel end due to the movement.
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BodgeItAndScarper
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Re: Paddles only working changing up

Post by BodgeItAndScarper » Wed Jul 05, 2017 10:16 pm

I was thinking connector problems, but same difference. Just a guess, though, and I bet the F experts can tell us exactly what the problem is.

Failing that, get a multimeter (if you don't have one already) and check what the paddle switches are doing.

Terry C
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Re: Paddles only working changing up

Post by Terry C » Wed Jul 05, 2017 11:06 pm

Thank you for your responses, I will check out your suggestions.

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Tipper
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Re: Paddles only working changing up

Post by Tipper » Thu Jul 06, 2017 9:41 am

The 'manual control buttons wiring runs from steering wheel buttons, where both buttons are wired together behind the airbag, through the rotary coupler, behind the steering wheel, and down to the gear lever. From there they run to the back of the car to the gearbox ECU which is located behind the carpet in the left hand rear wing.

My recollection is the manual control buttons are switches to ground the wiring which the ECU recognises.

You will need to check out the wiring at each of these areas. It may be the rotary coupler which also carries the airbag and horn connections is tired.
Wiring schematics can be found by Googling.

Good luck!

As an aside, I found that the stepspeed manual paddles and gear lever worked in reverse to other cars and as the BMW that I had at the time also had paddles it became very confusing! I changed the wiring at the MG's ECU (cut the wires and reconnected them swapped over) so that both cars worked to the standard convention of 'pull to go up' the gearbox and 'push to go down'. (Changed it back to standard when I sold the car so as not to conflict with the car's manual when I sold it.)

Terry C
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MGF Register Region: East Midlands

Re: Paddles onTerryly working changing up

Post by Terry C » Wed Aug 09, 2017 1:47 pm

Hi again. I am grateful for all of the input offered and though I have not "as yet" had chance to follow up on said comments I hope to get stuck in next week.
So just one additional question aimed to Tipper:
Do you think that " bearing in mind that I have no intention of intentionally operating/testing the air bag system" but if the horn push is working is it likely that the rotary coupler could still be at fault?
Terry C.

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Tipper
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Re: Paddles only working changing up

Post by Tipper » Wed Aug 09, 2017 8:01 pm

I think the rotary coupler is made up of many individual coiled wires so I assume just because one is OK doesn't mean another is too!

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