2008 SMART FORTWO COUPE Owners Manual

The first 1 000 miles (1 500 km)
168
>> Operation In the Operation section you will find detailed
information on operating, maintaining and
caring for your vehicle.
The more cautiously you treat your vehicle
during the break
in period, the more satis

fied you will be with its performance later on.
• Drive your vehicle during the first
1 000 miles (1 500 km) at varying but
moderate vehicle and engine speeds.
• During this period, avoid heavy loads (full
throttle driving) and excessive engine
speeds (no more than
2/3 of maximum rpm in
each gear).
• Shift gears in a timely manner.
• Do not attempt to slow the vehicle down by
shifting to a lower gear.
• Avoid accelerating by kickdown.
After 1 000 miles (1 500 km), you may gradually
increase vehicle and engine speeds to the
permissible maximum.All of the above instructions also apply when
driving the first 1 000 miles (1 500 km) after
the engine has been replaced.
i
Always obey applicable speed limits.

At the gas station
>> Operation
169 Refueling
!
Do not put diesel in vehicles with gasoline
engines. Do not mix gasoline with diesel. Even
small quantities of diesel will damage the in

jection system. Damage caused by adding die

sel will not be covered by the smart Limited
Warranty.
If diesel has mixed with gasoline, do not start
the engine. Otherwise the catalytic converter
will be irreparably damaged.
Contact an authorized smart center or Road

side Assistance immediately and have the ve

hicle towed.
!
Damage resulting from mixing gasoline
with diesel fuel is not covered by the smart
Limited Warranty.
The fuel filler flap is located on the passenger
side towards the rear.
Locking/unlocking the vehicle with the key
automatically locks/unlocks the fuel filler flap.
i
In case the central locking system does
not release the fuel filler flap, or the opening
mechanisms is clamping, contact Roadside As

sistance or an authorized smart center.
1
Opening the fuel filler flap
2
Tether
3
Fuel type label
G
Warning!
Gasoline is highly flammable and poison

ous. It burns violently and can cause
serious personal injury.
Never allow sparks, flame or smoking
materials near gasoline!
Turn off the engine before refueling.
Never allow fire, sparks, flame, or com

bustible materials near gasoline!
Direct skin contact with gasoline and the
inhalation of gasoline vapors are damag

ing to your health.

At the gas station
170
>> Operation >Turn off the engine.
>Remove the key from the starter switch.
>Open the fuel filler flap by pulling at the
point indicated by arrow
1.
>Turn the fuel filler cap counterclockwise
and hold on to it until possible pressure is
released.
>Take off the fuel filler cap.
!
The fuel filler cap is tethered to the fuel
filler flap. Do not drop the fuel filler cap. It
could damage the vehicle paint finish.
>To prevent gasoline vapors from escaping
into open air, fully insert filler nozzle unit.
>Only fill your tank until the filler nozzle unit
cuts out
do not top off or overfill.>Replace the fuel filler cap.
>Turn the fuel filler cap clockwise until the
handle grip overturns.
i
Make sure to close the fuel filler flap be

fore locking the vehicle as the fuel filler flap
locking pin prevents closing after you have
locked the vehicle.
>Close the fuel filler flap.
You should hear the latch close shut.
i
Only use premium unleaded gasoline with a
minimum Posted Octane Rating of 91 (average
of 96 RON/86 MON). Information on gasoline
quality can normally be found on the fuel
pump. Please contact gas station personnel in
case labels on the pump cannot be found.
For more information on gasoline, see
"Premium unleaded gasoline" (

page 306),
see "Fuel requirements" (

page 306), and
the, or contact an authorized smart center.
G
Warning!
Overfilling of the fuel tank may create
pressure in the system which could cause
a gas discharge. This could cause the gas
to spray back out when removing the fuel
pump nozzle, which could cause personal
injury.

Engine compartment
>> Operation
171 Engine compartment cover
>Turn off the engine.
>Set the parking brake.
>Open the tailgate.1
Cargo compartment floor
2
Fastening screw
3
Engine compartment cover
4
Hook
5
Top mounting of cargo compartment cover
blind
G
Warning!
High outside temperature, stop
and
go
traffic, driving on long uphill grades or
driving at high engine speed may in

crease the temperature in the engine
compartment. Therefore, the engine
compartment cover and parts in the area
around the engine compartment cover
may be hot. Parts of the engine can be

come very hot. To prevent burns, let the
engine cool off completely before touch

ing the engine compartment cover, parts
in the area around the engine compart

ment cover, and parts of the engine.
G
Warning!
Exercise extreme caution if you see
flames or smoke coming from the engine
compartment. Move away from the vehicle
and call the fire department.
If the coolant temperature warning lamp
indicates that the engine is overheated,
do not attempt to open the engine com

partment cover. Move away from the ve

hicle and wait until the engine has cooled
before opening the engine compartment.G
Warning!
To help prevent personal injury, stay
clear of moving parts when the engine
compartment cover is open and the
engine is running.

Engine compartment
172
>> Operation> Opening: Grasp the strap on cargo com

partment floor
1.
>Lift cargo compartment floor
1 with the
strap.
>Engage hook
4 into top mounting of cargo
compartment cover blind
5.
>Remove fastening screw
2.
>Remove engine compartment cover
3.
>Closing: Slide engine compartment cover
3
forward into the tabs provided.
>Tighten fastening screw
2.
>Disengage hook
4
from top mounting
5.
>Fold cargo compartment floor
1 back
down.
>Push the right hand and left hand cargo
compartment floor edges under the edges
of the side panels.
>Close the tailgate.
Engine oilThe amount of oil your engine needs will de

pend on a number of factors, including driving
style. Increased oil consumption can occur
when
•the vehicle is new
• the vehicle is driven at higher engine
speeds frequently
Engine oil consumption checks should only be
made after the vehicle break
in period.!
Do not use any special lubricant additives,
as these may increase wear and damage the
drive assemblies. Using special additives not
approved by smart may cause damage not
covered by the smart Limited Warranty.
More information on this subject is available
at any smart center.
G
Warning!
The engine is equipped with a transistor

ized ignition system that utilizes high
voltage. Don not touch any components
(ignition coils, spark plug sockets, diag

nostic socket) of the ignition system
• while the engine is running
• while starting the engine
• if ignition is "on" and the engine is
turned manually

Engine compartment
>> Operation
173
Checking engine oil level!
Check the engine oil level at regular
intervals.
When checking the engine oil level
• the vehicle must be parked on level ground
• the vehicle must have been stationary for at
least five minutes with the engine turned off
>Turn off the engine.
>Set the parking brake.
>Open the tailgate.
>Open the engine compartment cover
(
page 172).The oil dipstick is located in the engine
compartment on the passenger side.
1
Oil dipstick
2
Upper mark
3
Lower mark>Pull out oil dipstick
1.
>Wipe oil dipstick
1 clean with a clean cloth.
>Fully insert oil dipstick
1 into the dipstick
guide tube.
>Pull out oil dipstick
1 again after approxi

mately one minute to obtain accurate read

ing.
The oil level is correct when it is between
lower mark
3 (minimum) and upper mark
2
(maximum) on both sides of oil dipstick
1.
>Fully insert oil dipstick
1 into the dipstick
guide tube again.
>If necessary, add engine oil.
i
The filling quantity between the upper and
lower marks on the oil dipstick is approxi

mately 1.1 US qt (1.0 l). P01.00
2851
31

Engine compartment
174
>> Operation Adding engine oil
!
Only use approved engine oils and oil fil

ters required for vehicles with Maintenance
System. For a listing of approved engine oils
and oil filters contact an authorized smart
center.
Using engine oils and oil filters of specifica

tion other than those expressly required for
the Maintenance System, or changing of oil
and oil filter at change intervals longer than
those called for by the Maintenance System
will result in engine or emission control sys

tem damage not covered by the smart Limited
Warranty.The filler cap is located in the engine
compartment on the passenger side.
1
Filler cap
>Unscrew filler cap
1
from filler neck.
>Add engine oil as required.
Do not add more than 0.53 US qt (0.5 l)
engine oil at a time.
>Wait one minute until the engine oil has run
into the oil pan.
>Check the engine oil level once more.
>Add engine oil once more if necessary.
G
Warning!
When adding engine oil, always use a fun

nel to avoid spilling oil on any hot parts
such as the catalytic converter or ex

haust system.
If this should happen, however, the en

gine must be thoroughly cleaned before
you continue your trip. The engine oil
could otherwise ignite.P01.00
2852
31

Engine compartment
>> Operation
175
Be careful not to spill any oil when adding to
avoid environmental damage caused by oil
entering the ground and water.!
Excess engine oil must be siphoned or
drained off. It could cause damage to the
engine or emission control system not
covered by the smart Limited Warranty.
>Screw filler cap
1
back on filler neck.
>Close the engine compartment cover.