smart fortwo transmission problem - 451 smart fortwo

I know this is an old post, b…

2010-11-22T21:16:42.550Z

I know this is an old post, but I think you all should be made aware the little warranty isn't the ONLY warranty when it comes to defective parts and workmanship, in the USA. The Magnusson-Moss Warranty Protection Act 15USC50 section 2300, with its Implied Warranties of Merchantability and Suitability for a Particular Purpose ARE, STILL in force on your Smart for many years (typically 4 in court but more if it takes that long for defective parts to show up not related to wear)....AFTER their copout warranty is over. It's a FEDERAL LAW good in all states! The clutch issue is about Merchantability...and THEY KNOW IT. Educate yourselves:

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/15/ch50.html

http://business.ftc.gov/documents/bus01-businesspersons-guide-feder...

There are MANY Smart issues that need to be tried under this law. When Smart says you MUST use a certain special Castrol oil in your transmission. at $24/quart?!...THEY MUST GIVE IT TO YOU FOR FREE for the life of the car under this law. This is why you don't have to use Toyota branded oil in a Toyota....and THEY KNOW THIS.
(look under 2302 (c)

All this stonewalling about the warranty being over is BULLSHIT! The implied warranties are still in force. SmartUSA just replaced my defective crazing sunroof under it with another defective crazing sunroof which has NOT cancelled out Merchantability. They told me they would replace it again as soon as the NEW sunroof with a DIFFERENT part number became available....and I recorded it for court, if it comes to that. This guy should NEVER paid for the defective clutch...or its labor....NOT A DIME. The law is very plain and easily read by even the stupidest car company bureaucrat. FAX 'em the whole FTC manual after they close so they'll have it all over the floor the next morning. Your FAX receipt is VALID at their trial as proof they do know about this law and what is required of them. I used it against Yamaha about a defective jetski in 1997...and never paid a dime to return the defective PoS.

Smart and SmartUSA and the dealers just need a little education so they can willingly obey this law...just like WalMart! Ever notice how WalMart doesn't resist you're bringing back the defective toaster? WalMart is not your friend...WalMart is OBEYING THE LAW to avoid more class action lawsuits.

I'm still fighting my bill wi…

2010-11-04T04:21:44.620Z

I'm still fighting my bill with Smart for this upgrade. Corporate is still "working" on it. I have the extended warranty. I was shocked to be told that there is a $100 deductible every time the warranty is engaged. Is this normal? My last new car (with an extended warranty) was in 1997. Have things changed this much? A deductible?!

i own a smart pulse cdi 2005.…

2010-11-04T00:43:46.010Z

i own a smart pulse cdi 2005. now 125000 km. (60000 miles+-). i am from montreal, my anglish is a bit limited but i will do my best to exprime my self.

this week chek engine aprear on board. then on high way i shifted from gear 5 to gear 6 and the transmission land on neutral showing 3 horizontal bar on the gear board. i was not able to shift down anymore.. i stoped the car on the right side by the high way and turned off the engine then on then off again and when i turned it on again it was to neutral, the 3 horizontal bar was gone and the transmission woking fine again but when i hit gear 6 it do it again .. so i drive on gear 5 to go back home and on the way the 3 horizontal bar appear again but the transmission did not go to neutral i was able to drive on gear 5 during the 3 bar was on the board. then at home i came here to find answer lol.. i think its a sensor probleme or clutch being old ? what you think?

Yes that was the right thing…

2010-10-24T00:54:30.953Z

Yes that was the right thing to do calling Smart corporate... And you should have called the COPS... You were ROBBED...!!!...<:-((

Yes this Smart outfit just keeps Driving-Nails-In-Their-Coffin...

I took my Smarty in for it's…

2010-10-22T19:48:49.814Z

I took my Smarty in for it's regular check up and also for the continuing transmission problems. They performed a "new clutch software update" version # 4519022600 and, get this, charged me $151 in labor!!!! I am OUTRAGED and called the Smart corporate guys this morning to report the charge. I am waiting for their response. What kind of company has a faulty vehicle, from day one, and charges you for the fix?

I agree... Any software refin…

2010-10-14T19:12:36.424Z

I agree... Any software refinement should be FREE...<:-((
It is Free if you have a (1)Dealer Diagnosed Reverse Problem... If that don't fix it (2) its a NEW CLUTCH...
Note: I was having snatchy Shifting on the 3 & 4 Shift, so they gave me the option to BUY the Update as a Option for $42.00... Yes I felt it was a RIP... (shifting did get a little better)...

But let me ask this? Why on e…

2010-10-14T16:51:54.208Z

But let me ask this? Why on earth should you have had to pay $42 for this "update"? This is Smart's fault and Smart should continue to work on it until it is fixed. I have had all of the "fixes" everyone has spoken of (with this last one being the exception) and my Smarty continues to have the transmission glitch. At least 3 times a week I cannot leave my garage without babying the computer.

I just had my car in to the D…

2010-10-14T02:53:17.200Z

I just had my car in to the Dealer for the Newest Tranny Update Software $42.00 It was called "soft shift reverse fix combined update"... Downloaded from germany straight into my OBDII port...

I have a similar problem with…

2010-10-13T20:54:17.920Z

I have a similar problem with 2008 PassionForTwo, which has occurred four times in the 28 months and 13K miles of ownership. I'm happily driving along until I reach my destination, then I need to go into Reverse to park. The shifter works flawlessly and the display clearly shows the correct position of the shifter. But, the transmission does not engage, nor will it engage if I reselect Drive. The first two times that this happened, I eventually turned off the key and restarted the car and all was well. The last two times, that work-around had no effect. I turned off off the car and let it sit for five minutes and one hour, respectively, and then had no problem selecting any gear.

I'm a software guy. This sure reeks of a firmware/software bug...

And here is the last observation that blows my mind. I hope it blows yours too: In ALL four cases, I was low on fuel and little gas-pump in the display was blinking.

I'm in Guadalajara Sep - Apr.…

2010-07-09T17:05:25.141Z

I'm in Guadalajara Sep - Apr. I don't know how Smart works its Warranty but if you continue to have problems, you may be able to have a Handler change-out the shifter to the one fitted to the Smarts in Mexico. I have been told the transmission problems are a North American issue. Our shift pattern is an H with + and - being on the left and 0 & Reverse being on the right. The car can only be started when the shift lever is in 0. When the car is parked, it is to be left in Reverse. I have read gears 1 and 5 are different ratios but that shouldn't make any difference. I'm not certain about programming though.