2008 SMART FORTWO COUPE warning

Towing
278
>> Practical hints.
About towingsmart recommends that the vehicle be trans

ported with all wheels off the ground using
flatbed or appropriate wheel lift/dolly equip

ment.!
Use flatbed or wheel lift/dolly equipment
with the key in the starter switch in position0.
Do not tow with sling
type equipment. Towing
with sling
type equipment over bumpy roads
will damage radiator and supports.
To prevent damage during transport, do not
tie down the vehicle by its chassis or suspen

sion parts. Use the towing eye.
Switch off the tow
away protection*
(
page 78).
When circumstances do not permit the
recommended towing methods, the vehicle
may be towed with all wheels on the ground or
front wheels raised only so far as necessary
to have the vehicle moved to a safe location
where the recommended towing methods can
be employed.
!
If the vehicle is towed with the front axle
raised, the gear selector lever must be in
neutral positionN and the engine must be shut
off (key in starter switch position0). Active
braking action through the ESP
® may other

wise seriously damage the brake system.
When towing the vehicle with all wheels on the
ground, the gear selector lever must be in
neutral positionN and the key must be in
starter switch position0.
When towing the vehicle with all wheels on the
ground or the front axle raised, the vehicle
may be towed only for distances up to 30 miles
(50 km) and at a speed not to exceed 30 mph
(50 km/h).
i
If the the battery is disconnected or dis

charged the gear selector lever will remain
locked in park position P. Contact an autho

rized smart center for assistance or call
Roadside Assistance.G
Warning!
smart does not recommend towing a vehi

cle when all wheels are on the ground.
However, in an emergency a tow bar can
be utilized if:
• the engine will not run
• there is a malfunction in the brake
system
• there is a malfunction in the power
supply or in the vehicle’s electrical
system
A tow bar is necessary to adequately con

trol the towed vehicle.
Prior to towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground, make sure that the key is
in starter switch position0.

Towing
>> Practical hints.
279
!
Towing of the vehicle should only be done
using the properly installed towing eye bolt.
Never attach tow cable, tow rope or tow rod to
the vehicle chassis, frame or suspension
parts.
!
Towing the vehicle with a base carrier*
mounted is not permissible. The vehicle must
not be towed by the base carrier*.
Towing eye boltThe towing eye bolt is located in the passen

ger’s footwell under the carpet.1
Towing eye bolt
>Unscrew the carpet holder in the
passenger’s footwell (

page 234).
>Lift the carpet.
>Take out towing eye bolt1.Covers
Depending on whether you are towing a vehi

cle or you are being towed, the towing eye bolt
can be screwed into threaded holes which are
located behind covers on the front and rear
bumper.
1
Front cover
G
Warning!
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and
steering systems. In this case, it is im

portant to keep in mind that a consider

ably higher degree of effort is necessary
to brake and steer the vehicle. Adapt
your driving accordingly.

Towing
280
>> Practical hints.
2
Rear cover
>Remove cover
1 or
2 using a suitable
object to reveal the threaded hole for the
towing eye bolt.Installing towing eye bolt
>Screw towing eye bolt in clockwise to its
stop and tighten with a suitable object.
G
Warning!
High outside temperature, stop
and
go
traffic, driving on long uphill grades, or
driving at high engine speed may increa

se the temperature in the engine com

partment. Therefore the area around the
air slots in the rear apron may be hot. Let
the engine cool off before touching this
area to prevent burns.P88.20
2930
31
G
Warning!
For safety reasons, recovery or lashing
down of the vehicle by means of the tow

ing eye is not allowed. Failure to observe
this could result in the towing eye being
ripped out of its mounting and people
being injured.

Fuses
282
>> Practical hints. The electrical fuses in your vehicle serve to
switch off malfunctioning power circuits.
If a fuse is blown, the components and systems
secured by that fuse will stop operating.
!
A blown fuse must be replaced by an
appropriate spare fuse (recognizable by its
color or the fuse rating given on the fuse) of
the amperage recommended in the fuse chart.
Any smart center will be glad to advise you on
this subject.
If a newly inserted fuse blows again, have the
cause determined and rectified at an autho

rized smart center.Before replacing fuses:
>Set the parking brake.
>Make sure the gear selector lever is in park
positionP.
>Turn off all electrical accessories.
>Turn off the engine.
>Remove the key from the starter switch.
G
Warning!
Only use fuses approved by smart with
the specified amperage for the system in
question and do not attempt to repair or
bridge a blown fuse this may cause an
overload leading to a fire, and/or cause
damage to electrical components and/or
systems. Contact a smart centert if you
encounter any electrical problems.

Engine electronics
290
>> Technical data.
Work on engine electronics
!
Always have maintenance work on the en

gine electronics and components, such as
control modules, sensors and connecting ca

bles, performed by a qualified specialist who
has the necessary knowledge and tools to
carry out the work required, e.g. at a smart
center. Otherwise there is a danger that vehi

cle components may wear more rapidly, which
may void the vehicle’s warranty.
Retrofitting electrical and elec

tronic devicesElectrical and electronic devices can endan

ger vehicle operating safety.!
Damage or consequential damage due to
retrofitting a device in the vehicle is not co

vered by smart's warranty.
If you install telephones or radio transmitters
in the vehicle you must have such retrofits ap

proved. smart approves the installation of
telephones and radio devices if the work is
done professionally and the device is con

nected to a low
reflection exterior antenna.
G
Warning!
Always have maintenance work on engine
electronics and components performed
by a qualified specialist, e.g. at a smart
center. In particular, work relevant to
safety or on safety related systems must
be carried out at a qualified specialist
workshop.

Engine electronics
>> Technical data.
291
The transmitting power of the telephone or
radio must not exceed the following maximum
values.Frequency range
(band)
Maximum transmit

ting power (Watts)
Short wave (<50 MHz)
100
2 m wavelength
50
0.7 m wavelength
35
0.25 m wavelength
10
G
Warning!
Radio transmitters can interfere with the
vehicle's electronic system, endanger
the operating safety of the vehicle and
thus your own safety, if
• there is no external antenna
• the external antenna is not low
reflec

tion
• the external antenna is incorrectly in

stalled
Excessive electromagnetic radiation can
damage your health and that of others.
Using an external antenna addresses and
considers the concerns currently being
discussed in scientific circles about the
health hazards possibly posed by elec

tromagnetic fields.
Because of this, have the external anten

na installed exclusively at a qualified
specialist workshop which has the neces

sary specialist knowledge and tools to
carry out the work required, e.g. at a
smart center. In particular, work rele

vant to safety or on safety
related sys

tems must be carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop.

Identification labels
>> Technical data.
293 Signs and labels
1
Air bag information signs
(sun visor)
2
VIN (engine compartment)
3
Emission control information label,
includes both federal and California
certification exhaust emission standards
(engine compartment)
4
Heat warning label (engine compartment)
5
Certification label (driver’s door B
pillar)
6
Tire and loading information placard
(driver’s door B
pillar)
7
VIN (lower edge of windshield)
Certification labelThe certification label is located on the
driver’s door B
pillar.1
Driver’s door B
pillar
>Open the driver's door.
i
Data shown on the example certification
label are for illustration purpose only. These
data are specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in the illustration. Refer to
certification label on vehicle for actual data
specific to your vehicle.

Weights
>> Technical data.
301
Weights
All models
Cargo compartment load max.
110 lbs (50 kg)
Roof load
1
1 This vehicle is not intended to carry items on its roof. Thus roof rails and any roof
mounted devices must not be used.
None
G
Warning!
No racks or loads may be secured to the
roof of the vehicle, as:
• the panorama roof* may be damaged,
thus injuring persons.
• this can have a substantial adverse
effect on the driving dynamics of the
vehicle, thus causing accidents.
• the rack and/or the load could detach
and through this cause an accident or
other people could be injured by the
load and/or rack that has fallen off.