2008 SMART FORTWO COUPE ESP

Transmission
134
>> Controls. Kickdown
You can use kickdown when you want maximum
acceleration.
>Press the accelerator past the point of
resistance.
Depending on the engine speed the
transmission shifts into a lower gear.
>When you have reached the desired speed,
briefly push the gear selector lever for

ward in the +direction (

page 128).
or
>Pull right shift paddle
3 (
page 133)
towards you.
The transmission shifts to the next higher
gear.
Deactivating manual gearshifting
>Move the gear selector lever to drive
positionD (

page 128).
System
controlled automatic gearshifting
is switched on again.
Emergency operation (limp
home
mode)In this mode only a certain gear or a certain
gear combination can be selected. This mode
is triggered in case of transmission malfunc

tions and enables you driving to the nearest
workshop such as a smart center.
If vehicle acceleration becomes less respon

sive or sluggish or the transmission no longer
shifts, the transmission is most likely operat

ing in limp
home (emergency operation)
mode. The transmission position indicator
flashes and the ¬ symbol appears in the mul

tifunction display (

page 136).
Driving in limp
home mode:
>Move the gear selector lever to drive
positionD (

page 128).
>Continue to drive.
>Have the transmission checked at an autho

rized smart center as soon as possible.
i
It is possible that a gear combination in

cluding the reverse gear can not be selected.
Keep in mind when parking, that reversing the
vehicle might be impossible.
In case of a minor transmission malfunction, it
might be possible to teach
in the transmis

sion in order to restore the normal transmis

sion mode.
i
If the attempt to teach
in the transmission
fails, you cannot continue to drive. Therefore
we strongly recommend that you have the
transmission taught
in at a qualified work

shop or at an authorized smart center.
Teaching
in the transmission system:
>Stop the vehicle in a safe location.
>Move the gear selector lever to park
positionP.
>Turn off the engine.
>Wait at least 30 seconds before restarting.

Loading and storing
>> Controls.
155 Cup holder
The cup holder can be used to safely store
sealed drink bottles, containers with a lid, or
beverage cans. !
Do not use the cup holder as an ashtray.
Otherwise it could be damaged.The cup holder is located in front of the lower
center console.
You can store two cups, drink bottles or bev

erage cans of different diameters in the cup
holder.
The cup holder insert
1
can be removed in
order to store two cups, drink bottles or bev

erage cans of the same diameter.
1
Cup holder insert
i
Clean the cup holder with a damp cloth.
G
Warning!
In order to help prevent spilling liquids
on vehicle occupants and/or vehicle
equipment, only use containers that fit
into the cup holder. Use lids on open
containers and do not fill containers to a
height where the contents, especially hot
liquids, could spill during braking, vehi

cle maneuvers, or an accident. Liquids
spilled on vehicle occupants may cause
serious personal injury. Liquids spilled
on vehicle equipment may cause damage
not covered by the smart Limited
Warranty.
Keep in mind that objects placed in a cup
holder may come loose during braking,
vehicle maneuvers, or an accident and be
thrown around in the vehicle interior.
Objects thrown around in the vehicle in

terior may cause an accident and/or se

rious personal injury.

Useful features
>> Controls.
165
The auxiliary power outlet is located in the
lower center console.1
Auxiliary power outlet
>Turn the key in the starter switch to
position1 (

page 91).
!
Please observe the safety instructions
given in the respective operating instruc

tions.Please note that:
• if using the auxiliary power outlet the max

imum current drawn does not exceed 5 A,
• the electric air pump can be connected to
the auxiliary power outlet for the time it
takes to inflate the tire without any prob

lem,
• the vehicle battery will discharge when
current is drawn.
Wheel trim cap*1
Wheel trim cap aperture
2
Valve> Mounting: Position wheel trim cap aperture
1 so the valve
2 fits through.
>Push the wheel trim cap evenly onto the
wheel rim with both hands.
>Check that the wheel trim cap is fixed se

curely to the wheel rim.
>Removing: Carefully remove the wheel trim
cap from the wheel rim with both hands. P68.00
4797
31

Tires and wheels
>> Operation
193
i
If a condition causing the TPMS to
malfunction develops, it may take up to
10 minutes for the system to signal a malfunc

tion using the TPMS telltale flashing and illu

mination sequence.
The telltale extinguishes after a few minutes
driving if the malfunction has been corrected.
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. 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. 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.

Tires and wheels
194
>> Operation
i
Operating radio transmission equipment
(e.g. wireless headsets, two
way radios) in or
near the vehicle could cause the TPMS to mal

function.
Restarting the TPMSThe TPMS must be restarted when you have
adjusted the tire inflation pressure to a new
level (e.g. because of different load or driving
conditions). The TPMS is then recalibrated to
the current tire inflation pressures.
>Using the Tire and Loading Information
placard on the driver’s door B
pillar

(
page 185)
, make sure the tire inflation
pressure of all four tires is correct.
i
Restart the TPMS after adjusting the tire
inflation pressure to the inflation pressure
recommended for the vehicle operating con

dition. Tire pressure should only be adjusted
on cold tires. Observe the recommended tire
inflation pressure on the Tire and Loading
Information placard on the driver’s door
B
pillar (

page 185).
1
Restarting TPMS button
G
Warning!
It is the driver’s responsibility to cali

brate the TPMS on the recommended cold
inflation pressure. Underinflated tires
affect the ability to steer or brake and
might cause you to lose control of the ve

hicle.

Tires and wheels
>> Operation
197
General:
Depending on the design standards used, the
tire size molded into the sidewall may have no
letter or a letter preceding the tire size des

ignation.
No letter preceding the size designation
(as illustrated above): Passenger car tire
based on European design standards.
Letter "P" preceding the size designation:
Passenger car tire based on U.S. design
standards.
Letter "LT" preceding the size designation:
Light Truck tire based on U.S. design
standards.
Letter "T" preceding the size designation:
Temporary spare tires which are high
pressure compact spares designed for
temporary emergency use only.
Tire width
Tire width1
(
page 196) indicates the
nominal tire width in mm.Aspect ratio
Aspect ratio2
(
page 196) is the dimen

sional relationship between tire section
height and section width and is expressed in
percentage. The aspect ratio is arrived at by
dividing section height by section width.
Tire code
Tire code3 (

page 196) indicates the tire
construction type. The "R" stands for radial
tire type. Letter "D" means diagonal or bias
ply construction; letter "B" means belted

bias ply construction.
At the tire manufacturer’s option, any tire
with a speed capability above 149 mph
(240 km/h) can include a "ZR" in the size
designation (for example: 245/40 ZR 18).
For additional information, see "Tire speed
rating" (

page 198)
.
Rim diameter
Rim diameter4 (

page 196) is the diameter
of the bead seat, not the diameter of the rim
edge. Rim diameter is indicated in inches (in).Tire load rating
Tire load rating5 (

page 196) is a numeri

cal code associated with the maximum load a
tire can support.
For example, a load rating of 91 corresponds
to a maximum load of 1 356 lbs (615 kg) the
tire is designed to support.
See also "Maximum tire load" (

page 201)
where the maximum load associated with the
load index is indicated in kilograms and lbs.
G
Warning!
The tire load rating must always be at
least half of the GAWR (

page 205) of
your vehicle. Otherwise, tire failure may
result and cause an accident and/or seri

ous personal injury to you or others.
Always replace rims and tires with the
same designation, manufacturer and type
as shown on the original part.

Winter driving
208
>> Operation Before the onset of winter, have your vehicle
winterized at an authorized smart center. This
service includes:
>Check of anticorrosion and antifreeze
concentration.
• Addition of washer concentrate to the water
of the windshield/rear window.
Use a windshield washer concentrate la

beled for winter which is formulated for
temperatures below freezing point
(
page 308).
• Battery test. Battery capacity drops with
decreasing ambient temperature. A well
charged battery helps to make sure that the
engine can be started, even at low ambient
temperatures.
• Tire change.
Winter tiresAlways use winter tires at temperatures
below 45°F (7°C) and whenever wintry road
conditions prevail. Not all M+S rated tires
provide special winter performance. Make
sure the tires you use show the mountain/
snowflake marking.on the tire sidewall.
These tires meet specific snow traction
performance requirements of the Rubber
Manufacturers Association (RMA) and the
Rubber Association of Canada (RAC) and have
been designed specifically for use in snow
conditions. Use of winter tires is the only way
to achieve the maximum effectiveness of the
ABS and ESP
® in winter operation.
For safe handling, make sure that all mounted
winter tires are of the same make and have the
same tread design.Always observe the speed rating of the winter
tires installed on your vehicle. If the maximum
speed for which your tires are rated is below
the speed rating of your vehicle, you must
place a notice to this effect where it will be
seen by the driver. Such notices are available
at your tire dealer or any authorized smart
center.
G
Warning!
Winter tires with a tread depth of less
than
1/6 in (4 mm) must be replaced. They
are no longer suitable for winter opera

tion.

Driving instructions
212
>> Operation
BrakesRefer to the description of the hydraulic
brake assistant (

page 75).
!
Because the ESP
® operates automatically,
the engine must be shut off (key in starter
switch position0) when
• the parking brake is being tested on a
brake test dynamometer
• the vehicle is being towed with the front
axle raised
Active braking action through the
ESP
® may
otherwise seriously damage the brake system
which is not covered by the smart Limited
Warranty.Brake pad wear or a leak in the brake system
may be the reason for low brake fluid level in
the brake fluid reservoir.
The brake fluid level in the brake fluid
reservoir may be too low if the brake warning
lamp in the instrument cluster comes on
(

page 34) although the parking brake is
released.
Have the brake system inspected immediately.
Contact an authorized smart center.
All checks and service work on the brake
system should be carried out by qualified
technicians only. Contact an authorized smart
center.
Only install brake pads and use brake fluid
recommended by smart.Inclines
!
When driving down long and steep grades,
relieve the load on the brakes by shifting into
a lower gear to use the engine’s braking
power. This helps prevent overheating of the
brakes and reduces brake pad wear.
When using the engine’s braking power, a
drive wheel may not spin for an extended pe

riod of time, e.g. on slippery road surfaces.
This may cause serious damage to the drive

train which is not covered by the smart
Limited Warranty.
G
Warning!
Make sure not to endanger any other
road users when carrying out braking
maneuvers.