2008 SMART FORTWO COUPE maintenance

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.

What to do if ...
240
>> Practical hints. If the tire inflation pressure in the respective
tire(s) has (have) been corrected, the combi

nation low tire pressure/TPMS malfunction
telltale goes out after a few minutes of driv

ing. See also "Restarting the TPMS"
(

page 194).
Flashes 60 seconds and then stays
illuminated:
• when there is a malfunction in the TPMS.
>Have the TPMS checked at an authorized
smart center.
After the malfunction has been remedied the
combination low tire pressure/TPMS mal

function telltale goes out after a few minutes
of driving.
G
Warning!
Each tire should be checked monthly
when cold and inflated to the inflation
pressure recommended by the vehicle
manufacturer on the Tire and Loading
Information placard on the driver’s door
B
Pillar (

page 185) . If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size in

dicated on the Tire and Loading Informa

tion placard you should determine the
proper tire inflation pressure for those
tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle
has been equipped with a tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS) that illumi

nates a low tire pressure telltale when
one or more of your tires is significantly
underinflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure
telltale illuminates, you should stop and
check your tires as soon as possible, and
inflate them to the proper pressure.
Driving on a significantly underinflated
tire causes the tire to overheat and can
lead to tire failure.
Underinflation also reduces fuel effi

ciency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle’s handling and stopping
ability. Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire maintenance,
and it is the driver’s responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressure, even if
underinflation has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low
tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with
a TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating
properly. The TPMS malfunction indicator
is combined with the low tire pressure
telltale.

Battery
>> Practical hints.
271 About the battery
Your vehicle’s battery is located in the
passenger’s footwell below the footrest
(
page 273).
The battery should always be sufficiently
charged in order to achieve its rated service
life. Refer to Maintenance Booklet for battery
maintenance intervals.
If you use your vehicle mostly for short

distance trips, you will need to have the
battery charge checked more frequently.
When replacing the battery, always use
batteries approved by smart.
Battery: 12 volts and 42 Amps
If you do not intend to operate your vehicle
for an extended period of time, consult an
authorized smart center about steps you need
to observe.Batteries contain materials that can harm the
environment if disposed of improperly. Recy

cling of batteries is the preferred method of
disposal. Many states require sellers of bat

teries to accept old batteries for recycling.
G
Warning!
Observe all safety instructions and
precautions when handling automotive
batteries.
Risk of explosion.Fire, open flames and smoking
are prohibited when handling
batteries. Avoid creating
sparks.Battery acid is caustic. Do not
allow it to come into contact with
the skin, eyes or clothing.
Wear suitable protective cloth

ing, especially gloves, apron
and faceguard.
Wear eye protection.
Rinse any acid spills imme

diately with clean water. Contact
a physician if necessary.Keep children away.Follow the instructions in this
Operator’s Manual.

Battery
>> Practical hints.
273
!
Never loosen or detach battery terminal
clamps while the engine is running or the key
is in the starter switch. Otherwise the alter

nator and other electronic components could
be severely damaged.
Have the battery checked regularly at an
authorized smart center.
Refer to Maintenance Booklet for maintenance
intervals or contact an authorized smart cen

ter for further information.
!
Never invert the terminal connections!
Disconnecting, removing, charg

ing, reinstalling and reconnecting
the batteryDisconnecting the battery
>Set the parking brake.
>Move the gear selector lever to park
positionP.
>Turn off all electrical accessories.
>Turn off the engine.
>Open the passenger door.
>Move the passenger seat to the rear as far
as possible.>Unscrew the carpet holder in the
passenger’s footwell (

page 234).
>Lift the carpet.
1
Footrest
2
Fastening screw
>Unscrew fastening screw
2 counterclock

wise.
>Pull footrest
1 sideways out of the vehicle.
>Read and observe safety instructions and
precautions (
page 271).
G
Warning!
With a disconnected battery
• you will no longer be able to turn the
key in the starter switch.
• the gear selector lever will remain
locked in positionP.P54.10
2831
31

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.

Rims and tires
298
>> Technical data.
!
Only use tires which have been tested and
approved by smart. Tires approved by smart
are developed to provide best possible
performance in conjunction with the driving
safety systems on your vehicle such as ABS
or ESP
®.
Using tires other than those approved by
smart may result in damage that is not
covered by the smart Limited Warranty.
!
Using tires other than those approved by
smart can have detrimental effects, such as
• poor handling characteristics
• increased noise
• increased fuel consumption
Moreover, tires and rims not approved by
smart may, under load, exhibit dimensional
variations and different tire deformation
characteristics that could cause them to come
into contact with the vehicle body or axle
parts. Damage to the tires or the vehicle may
be the result.
i
Further information on tires and rims is
available at any authorized smart center.
A placard with the recommended tire inflation
pressure is located on the driver’s door
B
pillar (

page 185).
The tire inflation pressure should be checked
regularly and should only be adjusted on cold
tires. Follow tire manufacturer’s maintenance
recommendation included with vehicle.

Service fluids and capacities
>> Technical data.
305 Engine oils
Engine oils are specifically tested for their
suitability in our engines and durability for
our service intervals. Therefore, only use
engine oils and oil filters required for vehi

cles 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 specifi

cation 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
system damage not covered by the smart
Limited Warranty.
Please follow Maintenance System recommen

dations for scheduled oil changes. Failure to
do so will result in engine or emission control
system damage not covered by the smart
Limited Warranty.
Engine oil additives!
Do not blend oil additives with engine oil.
They may damage the engine.
Damage or malfunctions resulting from
blending oil additives are not covered by the
smart Limited Warranty. Any authorized smart
center will provide you with additional infor

mation.
Air conditioning refrigerantR
134a (HFC) refrigerant and special PAG
lubricating oil are used in the air conditioning
system.!
Never use R
12 (CFC) or mineral
based
lubricating oil. Otherwise damage to the sys

tem will occur.
Brake fluidOnly brake fluid approved by smart is recom

mended. Any authorized smart center will
provide you with additional information.G
Warning!
During vehicle operation, the boiling
point of the brake fluid is continuously
reduced through the absorption of
moisture from the atmosphere. Under
extremely strenuous operating condi

tions, this moisture content can lead to
the formation of bubbles in the system,
thus reducing the system’s efficiency.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be re

placed regularly. Refer to your vehicle’s
Maintenance Booklet for replacement
interval.

Service fluids and capacities
>> Technical data.
309 Coolants
The engine coolant is a mixture of water and
anticorrosion/antifreeze, which provides:
• Corrosion protection
• Freeze protection
• Boiling protection (by increasing the
boiling point)
The cooling system was filled at the factory
with a coolant providing freeze protection to
approximately
35°F (
37°C) and corrosion
protection.!
Add premixed coolant solution only.
Adding water and MB 325.0 Anticorrosion/An

tifreeze separately from each other, could
cause engine damage not covered by the
smart Limited Warranty.
If the antifreeze mixture is effective to
35°F
(
37°C), the boiling point of the coolant in the
pressurized cooling system is reached at
approximately 266°F (130°C).The coolant solution must be used year round,
even in countries which have high tempera

tures to provide the necessary corrosion
protection and increase boiling protection.
Refer to Maintenance/ Service Booklet for re

placement interval.
Coolant system design and coolant used
determine the replacement interval. The
replacement interval published in the Mainte

nance booklet is only applicable if MB 325.0
Anticorrosion/Antifreeze solution or other
smart approved products of equal specifica

tion are used to renew the coolant concentra

tion or bring it back up to the proper level.
For information on other smart approved
products of equal specification, contact an
authorized smart center.
To provide important corrosion protection,
the solution must be at least 50% anticorro

sion/antifreeze (equivalent to freeze protec

tion to approximately
35°F [
37°C]).If you use a solution that is more than 55%
anticorrosion/antifreeze (freeze protection
to approximately
49°F [
45°C]), the engine
temperature will increase due to the lower
heat transfer capability of the solution.
Therefore, do not use more than this amount
of anticorrosion/antifreeze.
If the coolant level is low, water and MB 325.0
Anticorrosion/Antifreeze should be used to
bring it up to the proper level (have cooling
system checked for signs of leakage). Please
make sure the mixture is in accordance with
label instructions.
Always use anticorrosion/antifreeze that have
been approved by smart. For information
contact an authorized smart center.
The water in the cooling system must meet
minimum requirements, which are usually
satisfied by normal drinking water. If you are
not sure about the water quality, consult an
authorized smart center.