451 smart fortwo

This had happened twice. Will not shift using the automatic function and when in manual behaves as if there is a rev govener. Only will go up to a rev or speed and then that's it. When I shift up then the same thing happens. After I drive a half hour or so then turn it off it works fine. Has anyone else had this problem?

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How many gears does your smart have?

6 and it's a 450 model, not a 451... which has a 5 speed gearbox and was released in the USA in 2008.

The 451 does have a rev limiter that cuts in about 5,500 rpm to prevent over-revving the engine.

The USA model 451 has had a few transmission shifter problems, mostly with shift knob switches.

Are you in Canada?

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Sorry - you are right - my mistake - I do have a 450.....

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Is your car a G&K smart? Has your car been updated to current software? A lot of the older smart cars have not been updated. Something you can try is to disconect the battery for a couple of minutes. Sometimes this will reset the ECU. Are you getting any lines in the gear shifter display?

Leroy

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I will ask my dealership about the software version and also disconnect the battery. I am getting no lines in the gear shift display when this problem happens. What is a G&K Smart?

When I took the car into the dealership the first time it was happening - they had never heard of this type of problem.

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Send some silicone spray down all the cracks and openings in the shift lever to first eliminate the possibility that the lever linkages are hanging.

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The 450 cars do not have shift linkage for the transmission. If you spray into the shift linkage it will short it out.

Leroy

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Thanks for pointing this out Leroy.

There is no mechanical link between the gear shifters (lever or steering wheel paddles) and the transmission. They are all electrical switches that ask (not tell) the contolling computers to please change gear. The interconnections are dependent upon the state of the car (road speed, parked, brake pedal, etc) and the engine state. If it all doesn't add up, the transmission will not shift.

Some silicon sprays will coat the switches in a film that may block conductivity and make matters worse. Years ago, Radio Shack sold a spray lube for the rotary channel changers on TVs. It worked well on cleaning oxidation out of switches and making them work... if you must spray, use that... with caution.

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