diff -r b68bc68d5cce include/SDL_haptic.h
--- a/include/SDL_haptic.h	Tue Mar 17 09:35:42 2020 +0100
+++ b/include/SDL_haptic.h	Tue Mar 17 13:23:53 2020 +0100
@@ -338,7 +338,17 @@
 
 /**
  *  \brief Uses first axis only.
- *
+ *  For some device with only one axis (steering wheel,...),
+ *  SDL_HAPTIC_CARTESIAN does not work. SDL_HAPTIC_FIRST_AXIS can be used in 
+ *  this case.
+ *  Using SDL_HAPTIC_FIRST_AXIS is equivalent to :
+ *  \code
+ *  SDL_HapticDirection direction;
+ *  direction.type = SDL_HAPTIC_CARTESIAN;
+ *  direction.dir[0] = 1;
+ *  direction.dir[1] = 0;
+ *  direction.dir[2] = 0;
+ *  \endcode
  *  \sa SDL_HapticDirection
  */
 #define SDL_HAPTIC_FIRST_AXIS 3
@@ -451,6 +461,7 @@
  *  \sa SDL_HAPTIC_POLAR
  *  \sa SDL_HAPTIC_CARTESIAN
  *  \sa SDL_HAPTIC_SPHERICAL
+ *  \sa SDL_HAPTIC_FIRST_AXIS
  *  \sa SDL_HapticEffect
  *  \sa SDL_HapticNumAxes
  */
diff -r b68bc68d5cce src/haptic/linux/SDL_syshaptic.c
--- a/src/haptic/linux/SDL_syshaptic.c	Tue Mar 17 09:35:42 2020 +0100
+++ b/src/haptic/linux/SDL_syshaptic.c	Tue Mar 17 13:23:53 2020 +0100
@@ -718,7 +718,9 @@
             *dest = (Uint16) tmp;
         }
         break;
-
+    case SDL_HAPTIC_FIRST_AXIS:
+        *dest = 0x4000;
+        break;
     default:
         return SDL_SetError("Haptic: Unsupported direction type.");
     }