2008 SMART FORTWO COUPE Owners Manual

Driving instructions
216
>> Operation
!
To prevent damage to the catalytic
converter, only use premium unleaded gaso

line in this vehicle.
Any noticeable irregularities in engine oper

ation should be repaired promptly. Otherwise,
excessive unburned fuel may reach the cata

lytic converter, causing it to overheat and
potentially start a fire.
It is essential to observe the following points,
as there is otherwise a danger of overheating
and the catalytic converter may be damaged.
• Fill up only with premium unleaded gasoline.
Even small quantities of leaded gasoline can
damage the catalytic converter.
• Make sure you adhere to the prescribed
service intervals.
• Never run the fuel tank empty.
• If the engine starts to misfire, bring the ve

hicle to an immediate standstill without en

dangering traffic.
• If the engine fails to start the first time, you
should not try to start it any more than
three times in succession.
• Do not try to start for more than four sec

onds at a time.
TiresTreadwear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. These indicators are located in six places
on the tread circumference and become visi

ble at a tread depth of approximately
1/16in
(1.6 mm), at which point the tire is considered
worn and should be replaced. The treadwear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread.
Specified tire inflation pressures must be
maintained. This applies particularly if the
tires are subject to high loads (e.g. high
speeds, heavy loads, high ambient tempera

tures).
G
Warning!
If you feel a sudden significant vibration
or ride disturbance, or you suspect that
possible damage to your vehicle has
occurred, you should turn on the hazard
warning flashers, carefully slow down,
and drive with caution to an area which is
a safe distance from the road.
Inspect the tires and the vehicle under

body for possible damage. If the vehicle
or tires appear unsafe, have the vehicle
towed to the nearest smart center or tire
dealer for repairs.
G
Warning!
Although the applicable federal motor
vehicle safety laws consider a tire to be
worn when the treadwear indicators (TWI)
become visible at approximately
1/16in
(1.6 mm), we recommend that you do not
allow your tires to wear down to that
level. As tread depth approaches
1/8in
(3 mm), the adhesion properties on a wet
road are sharply reduced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction
varies widely.

Driving instructions
>> Operation
217
For more information, see "Tires and wheels"
(
page 182).
HydroplaningDepending on the depth of the water layer on
the road, hydroplaning may occur resulting in
a loss of control, even at low speeds and with
new tires. Reduce vehicle speed, avoid track
grooves in the road and apply brakes cau

tiously when it is raining.
Tire tractionThe safe speed on a wet, snow covered or icy
road is always lower than on a dry road.
You should pay particular attention to the
condition of the road whenever the outside
temperatures are close to the freezing point.smart recommends winter tires
(
page 208)

with a minimum tread depth of approximately 1/6in (4 mm) on all four wheels for the winter
season to ensure normal balanced handling
characteristics. On packed snow, they can
reduce your stopping distance compared to
summer tires.
Stopping distance, however, is still consider

ably greater than when the road is not cov

ered with snow or ice. Exercise appropriate
caution.
!
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an ex

tended period when driving off on slippery
road surfaces. Otherwise, the the drivetrain
c o u l d b e d a m a g e d , w h i c h i s n o t co v e r e d b y t h e
smart Limited Warranty.
G
Warning!
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire will
affect your ability to steer or brake and
may cause you to lose control of the vehi

cle. Continued driving with a flat tire or
driving at high speed with a flat tire will
cause excessive heat build
up and possi

bly a fire.
G
Warning!
If ice has formed on the road, tire trac

tion will be substantially reduced. Under
such weather conditions, drive, steer and
brake with extreme caution.

Driving instructions
218
>> Operation
Tire speed ratingRegardless of the tire speed rating, local
speed limits should be obeyed. Use prudent
driving speeds appropriate to prevailing
conditions.
An electronic speed limiter prevents your
vehicle from exceeding a speed of 90 mph
(145 km/h).The factory equipped tires on your vehicle
may have a tire speed rating above the maxi

mum speed permitted by the electronic speed
limiter.
Make sure your tires have the required tire
speed rating as specified for your vehicle in
t h e " T e c h n i c a l d a t a s e c t i o n " (

page 299), for
example when purchasing new tires.
For information on how to identify the tire
speed rating on a tire’s sidewall, see "Tire
size designation, load and speed rating"
(

page 196)
.
If you are uncertain about the correct read

ing of the information given on a tire’s side

wall, any authorized smart center will be glad
to assist you.i
For information on speed ratings for
winter tires, see "All
season and winter tires
"
(

page 199).
For additional general information on tire
speed markings on tire sidewall, see "Tire
speed rating" (

page 198).
Winter driving instructionsThe most important rule for slippery or icy
roads is to drive sensibly and to avoid abrupt
acceleration, braking and steering maneu

vers.
When the vehicle is in danger of skidding,
move gear selector lever to neutral
positionN. Try to keep the vehicle under
control by corrective steering action.
For information on driving with snow chains*,
see "Snow chains*" (

page 209).
G
Warning!
Even when permitted by law, never oper

ate a vehicle at speeds greater than the
maximum speed rating of the tires.
Exceeding the maximum speed for which
tires are rated can lead to sudden tire
failure, causing loss of vehicle control
and possibly resulting in an accident
and/or personal injury and possible
death, for you and for others.
G
Warning!
On slippery road surfaces, never down

shift in order to obtain braking action.
This could result in drive wheel slip and
reduced vehicle control. Your vehicle’s
ABS will not prevent this type of loss of
control.

Driving instructions
>> Operation
219
Road salts and chemicals can adversely affect
braking efficiency. Increased pedal force may
become necessary to produce the normal
braking effect.
Depressing the brake pedal periodically when
traveling at length on salt
strewn roads can
bring road
salt
impaired braking efficiency
back to normal.
If the vehicle is parked after being driven on
salt
treated roads, the braking efficiency
should be tested as soon as possible after
driving is resumed.For more information, see "Winter driving"
(

page 208).
Standing water!
Do not drive through flooded areas or
water of unknown depth. Before driving
through water, determine its depth. Never
accelerate before driving into water. The bow
wave could force water into the engine and
auxiliary equipment, thus damaging them.
If you must drive through standing water,
drive slowly to prevent water from entering
the passenger compartment, the front com

partment, or the engine compartment. Water
in these areas could cause damage to electri

cal components or wiring of the engine or
transmission, or could result in water being
ingested by the engine through the air intake,
causing severe internal engine damage.
Any such damage is not covered by the smart
Limited Warranty.
G
Warning!
Make sure not to endanger any other
road users when carrying out these
braking maneuvers.
G
Warning!
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow,
make sure snow is kept clear of the
exhaust pipe and from around the vehicle
with the engine running. Otherwise,
deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may
enter vehicle interior resulting in uncon

sciousness and death.
To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation,
open a window slightly on the side of the
vehicle not facing the wind.G
Warning!
The outside temperature display is not
designed to serve as an ice
warning
device and is therefore unsuitable for
that purpose. Indicated temperatures
just above the freezing point do not
guarantee that the road surface is free of
ice.

Driving instructions
220
>> Operation
Passenger compartment Control and operation of radio
transmitters
Radio and telephoneTelephones and two
way radios
Radio transmitters, such as a mobile phone or
a c i ti z e n s b a n d u n i t s h o u l d o n l y b e u se d i n s i d e
the vehicle if they are connected to an
antenna that is installed on the outside of the
vehicle.
Refer to the radio transmitter operation
instructions regarding use of an external
antenna.
G
Warning!
Always fasten items being carried as
securely as possible.
In an accident, during hard braking or
sudden maneuvers, loose items thrown
around inside the vehicle may injure
vehicle occupants.
The cargo compartment is the preferred
place to carry objects.
G
Warning!
Please do not forget that your primary
responsibility is to drive the vehicle
safely. Only operate the radio or
telephone
1 if road, weather and traffic
conditions permit.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just
30 mph (approximately 50 km/h), your
vehicle is covering a distance of 44 feet
(approximately 14 m) every second.
1 Observe all legal requirements.
G
Warning!
Never operate radio transmitters
equipped with a built
in or attached
antenna (i.e. without being connected to
an external antenna) from inside the
vehicle while the engine is running. Doing
so could lead to a malfunction of the
vehicle’s electronic system, possibly
resulting in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.

Driving instructions
>> Operation
221 Emission control
Certain engine systems serve to keep the
toxic components of the exhaust gases within
permissible legal limits.
These systems, of course, will function prop

erly only when maintained strictly according
to factory specifications.
Any adjustments to the engine should there

fore be carried out only by qualified smart
center authorized technicians.
Engine adjustments should not be altered in
any way. Moreover, the specified service jobs
must be carried out regularly according to
smart servicing requirements. For details
refer to the Maintenance Booklet.
Coolant temperatureDuring severe operating conditions and stop

and
go city traffic, the coolant temperature
may rise close to approximately 248°F
(120°C).
The engine should not be operated with the
coolant temperature over 248°F (120°C).
Doing so may cause serious engine damage
which is not covered by the smart Limited
Warranty.
G
Warning!
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to
your health. All exhaust gas contains
carbon monoxide (CO), and inhaling it can
cause unconsciousness and lead to death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas
(such as a garage) which are not properly
ventilated. If you think that exhaust gas
fumes are entering the vehicle while
driving, contact a smart center immedi

ately. If you must drive under these con

ditions, drive only with at least one
window fully open at all times.

Driving instructions
222
>> Operation
G
Warning!
• Driving when your engine is over

heated can cause some fluids, which
may have leaked into the engine com

partment, to catch fire. You could be
seriously burned.
• Steam from an overheated engine can
cause serious burns which can occur
just by opening the front compartment
cover. Stay also away from the engine if
you see or hear steam coming from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until
the engine has cooled down.

Driving abroad
>> Operation
223
Abroad, there is an extensive smart service
network at your disposal. If you plan to drive
into areas which are not listed in the index of
your smart center directory, you should re

quest pertinent information from an autho

rized smart center.
Symmetrical low beamsi
If you drive in countries where vehicles
drive on the other side of the road than the
country in which the vehicle is registered, you
must have the headlamps modified for
symmetrical low beams. Relevant information
can be obtained at any authorized smart cen

ter.