2008 SMART FORTWO COUPE Owners Manual

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.

What to do if ...
>> Practical hints.
241
Coolant temperature warning lamp
Illuminates:
• when the ignition is switched on.
The warning lamp goes out if the engine is
running.
• if the coolant is too hot.
>Stop the vehicle immediately in a safe
location.
>Do not continue to drive.
>Turn off the engine.
>Set the parking brake when leaving the
vehicle.
>Contact Roadside Assistance or an autho

rized smart center.If the coolant level has fallen below the
marking bar on the coolant reservoir
(

page 178):
>Add coolant as required.
>Have the coolant system checked for leaks
at an authorized smart center.
!
Among other possible causes, the
poly
V
belt could be broken. Do not continue
to drive. Otherwise, the engine will overheat
due to an inoperative water pump which may
result in damage to the engine.
When the system detects a malfunction,
the telltale will flash for approximately
1 minute and then remain continuously
illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon subse

quent vehicle start
ups as long as the
malfunction exists. When the malfunction
indicator is illuminated, the system may
not be able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended.
TPMS malfunctions may occur for a vari

ety of reasons, including the installation
of incompatible replacement or alternate
tires or wheels on the vehicle that pre

vent the TPMS from functioning properly.
Always check the TPMS malfunction tell

tale after replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and
wheels allow the TPMS to continue to
function properly.
G
Warning!
Driving when your engine is overheated
can cause some fluids, which may have
leaked into the engine compartment, to
catch fire. You could be seriously burned.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until
the engine has cooled down.

What to do if ...
242
>> Practical hints. Engine malfunction indicator lamp
Illuminates:
• when the ignition is switched on.
Goes out:
• at least after 10 seconds if the engine elec

tronics are functioning properly
or
• after starting the engine.
If illuminated while driving:
>Have the vehicle checked at an authorized
smart center immediately.
i
Some states may by law require you to visit
a workshop as soon as the engine malfunction
indicator lamp comes on. Check local require

ments.Engine oil pressure indicator lamp
i
The engine oil pressure indicator lamp
indicates low engine oil pressure.
Check the engine oil level at regular intervals
(
page 173).
Illuminates:
• when the ignition is switched on.
The indicator lamp goes out after starting
the engine and if there is sufficient engine
oil pressure.
If illuminated while driving:
>Stop the vehicle immediately in a safe
location.
>Do not continue to drive.
!
The engine oil pressure indicator lamp
should not be ignored. Extended driving with
the indicator lamp illuminated could result in
serious engine damage that is not covered by
the smart Limited Warranty.
>Turn off the engine.
>Set the parking brake when leaving the
vehicle.
>Contact Roadside Assistance or an autho

rized smart center.
Goes out:
• before the engine starts.
The indicator lamp has failed.
>Check the engine oil level.
>Have the system checked at an authorized
smart center.

What to do if ...
>> Practical hints.
243
EPS* warning lamp
Illuminates:
• when the ignition is switched on.
The warning lamp goes out after starting
the engine.
• when the power steering is not available.
>Have the power steering checked at an au

thorized smart center immediately.ESP
® warning lamp
Flashes:
•when the ESP
® is engaged.
Illuminates continuously:
•if ESP
® is not operational due to a system
failure.
•if ESP® is not available.
G
Warning!
When the power steering is not available
a higher degree of effort is necessary to
steer the vehicle. Have the system che

cked at a smart center.

What to do if ...
244
>> Practical hints.
i
It may be possible to clear a system failure
by restarting the engine.
>Restart the engine.
>If the warning lamp still does not go out,
have the system checked at an authorized
smart center immediately.
i
More information on the ESP
® can be found
in the "Safety" section (

page 73).High beam headlamp indicator lamp
Illuminates:
• with the high beam headlamps switched on.
• when using the high beam flasher.
i
If the high beam headlamp indicator lamp
does not illuminate when the high beam head

lamps are switched on or when using the high
beam flasher, have the system checked at an
authorized smart center. Low beam headlamp indicator lamp
Illuminates:
• with the low beam headlamps switched on.
i
If the low beam headlamp indicator lamp
does not illuminate when the low beam head

lamps are switched on, have the system
checked at an authorized smart center.
G
Warning!
When the ESP
® warning lamp is
illuminated continuously, the ESP
® is not
available or not operational due to a
system failure.
Adapt your speed and driving to the
prevailing road conditions and the
non
operating status of the ESP®.

What to do if ...
>> Practical hints.
245
Passenger front air bag off indicator lamp
Illuminates when the passenger front air bag
is deactivated:
• with the ignition switched on and if OCS
senses that the passenger seat occupant is
classified as being up to or less than the
weight of a typical 12
month
old child in a
standard child restraint.
• with the ignition switched on, if the OCS
senses that the passenger seat is not occu

pied.
Goes out:
• after approximately 4 seconds if the OCS
senses that the passsenger seat is occu

pied with a person with the weight of a
typical adult or someone larger than a
small individual.Seat belt telltale
Illuminates constantly:
• for a maximum of 6 seconds after starting
the engine.
Regardless of whether the seat belt is fas

tened or not, the seat belt telltale always
comes on and remains lit for 6 seconds af

ter starting the engine.
• when the driver’s seat belt is unfastened.
An additional warning chime sounds for a
maximum of 6 seconds after starting the en

gine or until the driver’s seat belt is fas

tened.
G
Warning!
If the57indicator lamp
illuminates and remains illuminated with
the weight of a typical adult or someone
larger than a small individual on the pas

senger seat, do not have any passenger
use the passenger seat until the system
has been repaired.G
Warning!
If the57indicator lamp
does not illuminate or remains out with
the weight of a typical 12
month
old
child in a standard child restraint or less
on the passenger seat, do not transport a
child on the passenger seat until the
system has been repaired.

What to do if ...
246
>> Practical hints. Flashes with increasing frequency of a warn

ing chime:
• if the vehicle speed once exceeds
15 mph (25 km/h), the seat belt
telltale< starts flashing and a warning
chime sounds with increasing intensity for a
maximum of 60 seconds or until both the
driver’s and passenger’s seat belt are fas

tened.
If the driver’s or the passenger’s seat belt
remains unfastened after 60 seconds, the
warning chime stops sounding. The seat belt
telltale< stops flashing but continues to
be illuminated
.
The seat belt telltale< will only go out if
both the driver’s and the passenger’s seat
belt (with the passenger seat occupied) are
fastened, or the vehicle is standing still and a
door is opened.SRS indicator lamp
The SRS indicator lamp signals to you that
there is a malfunction in the supplemental
restraint system of the
•Air bags
• Emergency Tensioning Devices
i
Information on the operating principle of
the air bags can be found in the "Safety"
section (

page 54).
Illuminates:
• when the ignition is switched on
(self
check).
G
Warning!
If the SRS indicator lamp does not come
on when you switch on the ignition or does
not go out again after a few seconds once
the engine is running or comes on again,
the supplemental restraint systems are
malfunctioning.
In the event that a malfunction of the SRS
is indicated as described in scenario 2,
the SRS may not be operational. For your
safety, we strongly recommend that you
contact an authorized smart center im

mediately to have the system checked; A
malfunctioning SRS system may not de

ploy when needed in an accident result

ing in serious or fatal injury, or it might
deploy unexpectedly and unnecessarily
which could result in an accident and/or
injury to you or to others

What to do if ...
>> Practical hints.
247
The subsequent self check of the safety
systems yields the following results:
Scenario 1:
The SRS indicator lamp goes out after a
maximum of 4 seconds:
No malfunction detected. The supplemental
restraint system is operational.
Scenario 2:
The SRS indicator lamp goes out after a maxi

mum of 4 seconds for approximately 1 second,
then it comes on again and stays on:
There is a malfunction in the supplemental
restraint systems. The air bags or Emer

gency Tensioning Devices could deploy un

expectedly or fail to deploy in an accident.
>Do not sit on the passenger seat; this ap

plies particularly to children.
>Have the system checked at an authorized
smart center.
!
If the SRS indicator lamp comes on while
driving, have the system checked at an autho

rized smart center immediately.
It is possible that the air bag and the emer

gency tensioning device could be activated
unintentionally or will not function in the event
of an accident.Turn signal indicator lamp(s)
Flash(es):
• when the ignition is switched on:
• the corresponding turn signal is switched
on.
• the hazard warning flasher is switched on.
>If the turn signal indicator lamp(s) do(es)
not illuminate, have the turn signal indica

tor lamp(s) checked at an authorized smart
center.