2008 SMART FORTWO COUPE flat tire

Tires and wheels
>> Operation
207
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
A tire information system that provides
consumers with ratings for a tire’s traction,
temperature and treadwear. Ratings are
determined by tire manufacturers using
government testing procedures. The ratings
are molded into the sidewall of the tire.
Vehicle maximum load on the tire
Load on an individual tire that is determined
by distributing to each axle its share of the
maximum loaded vehicle weight and dividing it
by two.
Rotating tiresThoroughly clean the mounting face of the
wheels and brake disks, i.e. the inner side of
the wheels/tires each time the wheels/tires
are changed. Check for and ensure proper
tire inflation pressure.For information on wheel change, see "Flat
tire" (

page 265).
G
Warning!
Do not rotate front and rear wheels as
they have different dimensions, e.g. rim
size, wheel offset etc. Otherwise, the
handling can be affected and you could
endanger yourself and others.
G
Warning!
Have the tightening torque checked after
changing a wheel. Wheels could become
loose if not tightened with a torque of
81 lb
ft (110 Nm).
Only use genuine smart wheel bolts
specified for your vehicle’s rims.

Driving instructions
>> Operation
215 Drive sensibly
save fuel
Fuel consumption, to a great extent, depends
on driving habits and operating conditions.
To save fuel you should:
• Shift gears in a timely manner.
• Avoid frequent acceleration and decelera

tion.
• Keep tires at the recommended inflation
pressures.
• Remove carriers* when not in use.
• Remove unnecessary loads.
• Allow engine to warm up under low load use.
• Have all maintenance work performed at the
intervals specified in the Maintenance
Booklet and as required by the Maintenance
System. Contact an authorized smart cen

ter.
Fuel consumption is also increased by driving
in cold weather, in stop
and
go traffic, on
short trips, and in hilly areas.
Catalytic converterYour smart is equipped with monolithic
type
catalytic converter, an important element in
conjunction with the oxygen sensors to
achieve substantial control of the pollutants
in the exhaust emissions. Keep your vehicle in
proper operating condition by following our
recommended maintenance instructions as
outlined in your Maintenance Booklet.
G
Warning
The catalytic converter can become very
hot. Coming into contact with the catalytic
converter could result in burns.
Note the following:
• Do not remove the protective heat
guards.
• Do not apply any underseal.
• As with any vehicle, do not idle, park, or
operate this vehicle in areas where
combustible materials such as grass,
hay, or leaves can come into contact
with the hot exhaust system, as these
materials could be ignited and cause a
vehicle fire.

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.

>> Practical hints.Where will I find ...? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Display messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
What to do if ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Unlocking/locking manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Replacing transmitter battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Replacing bulbs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Replacing wiper blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Flat tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Jump starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282

Where will I find ...?
234
>> Practical hints.
Tire repair kitThe tire repair kit is located in the passen

ger’s footwell under the carpet.1
Carpet holder
>Insert a suitable object such as a coin into
the slot of carpet holder
1.
>Turn carpet holder
1 counterclockwise.
>Lift the carpet.
2
Tire repair kit
The following is included:
• Tire sealant container
• Electric air pump with filler hose
•Sticker
• Operating instructions label (on the inside
of the tire repair kit lid)
i
The tire sealant container is located below
tire repair kit
2.
G
Warning!
The tire repair kit is a limited repair de

vice. In case of a breakdown caused by a
flat tire, read through the section flat
tire (

page 265) carefully. When using
the tire repair kit follow the instructions
in this section. Failure to follow these in

structions can result in severe injury or
death.

What to do if ...
>> Practical hints.
239
• with the parking brake set.
• if the brake circuit fails or the brake fluid
level in the brake fluid reservoir is too low.
>Stop the vehicle immediately in a safe
location.
>Do not continue to drive.
>Turn off the engine.
>Do not add brake fluid as this will not solve
the problem.
>Set the parking brake when leaving the
vehicle.
>Contact Roadside Assistance or an autho

rized smart center.
!
If you find that the brake fluid in the brake
fluid reservoir has fallen to the minimum mark
or below, have the brake system checked for
brake pad thickness and leaks.
• together with the ABS indicator lamp
(
page 237) when the ABS system fails.
>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.Combination low tire pressure/
TPMS malfunction telltale
Illuminates continuously:
• when the TPMS detects a loss of pressure in
at least one tire.
>Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt,
avoiding abrupt steering and braking
maneuvers. Observe the traffic situation
around you
.
>Check and correct tire inflation pressure
as required (

page 190).
G
Warning!
Driving with the brake warning lamp illu

minated can result in an accident. Have
your brake system checked immediately
if the brake warning lamp stays on.
Do not add brake fluid before checking
the brake system.

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.