protect you if you are properly wearing
your seat belt.GWarning!
Children 12 years old and under must be
seated and properly secured in an
appropriately sized infant restraint,
toddler restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child. For additional information, see
“Children in the vehicle”.
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries
is significantly increased if the child
restraints are not properly secured in the
vehicle and/or the child is not properly
secured in the child restraint.
GWarning!
Never let more people ride in the vehicle
than there are seat belts available. Make
sure everyone riding in the vehicle is
correctly restrained with a separate seat
belt. Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time.
GWarning!
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined
position as this can be dangerous. You
could slide under the seat belt in a
collision. If you slide under it, the belt
would apply force at the abdomen or neck,
causing serious or even fatal injuries. The
seat backrest and seat belt provide the best
restraint when the wearer is in a position
that is as upright as possible and the belt
is properly positioned on the body.
GObserve Safety notes, see page 35.0046Seat belt outlet0047Seat belt guide008ASeat belt buckle0088Release button0086Latch plateXFastening the seat belt: With a smooth
motion, pull the seat belt out of seat belt
outlet 0046.XPlace the shoulder portion of the seat
belt across the top of your shoulder and
the lap portion across your hips.XPush latch plate 0086 into seat belt buckle
008A until it clicks.XIf necessary, tighten the lap portion of
the seat belt to a snug fit by pulling
shoulder portion up.XUnfastening the seat belt: Press release
button 0088.XAllow the retractor to completely rewind
the seat belt by guiding latch plate 0086.Seat belts61>> Controls.451_AKB; 3; 22, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-07-27T09:36:34+02:00 - Seite 61Z
Proper use of seat belts
RDo not twist the seat belt when fastening.
R Adjust the seat belt so that the shoulder
portion is located as close as possible
to the middle of the shoulder (it should
not touch the neck). Never pass the
shoulder portion of the seat belt under
your arm.
R Position the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips (over hip joint) and not
across the abdomen.
R Place the seat backrest in a position that
is as upright as possible.
R Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time.
R Do not fasten a seat belt around a person
and another object at the same time. When
using a seat belt to secure infant or
toddler restraints or children in booster
seats, always follow the child seat
manufacturer’s instructions.
R Check your seat belt during travel to
make sure it is properly positioned.
R Make sure the seat belt is always fitted
snugly. Take special care to maintain a
snug fit when wearing loose clothing.
GWarning!
Do not pass seat belts over sharp edges.
They could tear.
Do not allow the seat belt to get caught in
the door or in the seat adjustment
mechanism. This could damage the seat
belt.
Never attempt to make modifications to
seat belts. This could impair the
effectiveness of the seat belts.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
Damaged seat belts or seat belts that were
highly stressed in an accident must be
replaced. Contact an authorized smart
center.
Lighting
Exterior lamp switch
For safety, smart recommends that you
drive with your low‑beam headlamps on
during the day. In certain countries, local
laws dictate that low‑beam headlamps are
switched on automatically during
operation of the vehicle.
i 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 center.
Exterior lamp switch (USA only)
0027Lamps off
Daytime running lamp mode*006CParking lamps0064Low‑beam headlamps or high‑beam
headlamps005AAutomatic headlamp mode*62Lighting>> Controls.* optional451_AKB; 3; 22, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-07-27T09:36:34+02:00 - Seite 62
the retractable soft top has opened
completely.XRelease the retractable soft top switch
or button 0035 on the key.XPress symbol 0056 on the retractable soft
top switch until the rear soft top has
folded down completely.
Closing the rear soft top
XPress symbol 0055 on the retractable soft
top switch until the rear soft top has
folded up completely.XRelease the retractable soft top switch.
i If you release the retractable soft top
switch while driving before the rear soft
top has closed completely, the rear soft
top will fold down again.
Removing the side rails
XOpen the retractable soft top
( Y page 54).XOpen the rear soft top ( Y page 71).XOpen the driver’s and passenger door
when conditions are safe to do so.XOpen the tailgate ( Y page 54).XPull handle 0046 on the inside of the
tailgate backward.XLift up the storage compartment cover.XPush release lever 0047 of side rail 008A
backward.
Side rail 008A can be lifted at the rear end,
but remains secured.XPush release lever 0047 backward again.XCarry out the following steps when
conditions are safe to do so.XFirst lift the side rail at the rear end in
direction of arrows 0088.XThen remove it in direction of
arrows 0086.72Soft top system (cabriolet only)>> Controls.
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in order to avoid damaging the
transmission.
You can drive in reverse gear at a speed
of up to 9 mph (15 km/h).XDepress the brake pedal.XPress the release button ( Y page 76) to
disengage the gear selector lever lock.XMove the gear selector lever to reverse
gear R.
R appears in the transmission position
indicator.XRelease the brake pedal.XCarefully depress the accelerator pedal.
Parking
GWarning!
Do not park this vehicle in areas where
combustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system. These materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
Vehicle movement can cause serious
personal injury or damage to the vehicle or
the vehicle drivetrain. Therefore, always
do the following before turning off the
engine and leaving the vehicle:
R Keep right foot on the brake pedal.
R Engage the parking brake.
R Move the gear selector lever to park
position P.
R Slowly release the brake pedal.
R When parked on an incline, always turn
the front wheels towards the curb.
R Turn the key to starter switch position 0
and remove the key from the starter
switch.
R Take the key with you and lock the vehicle
when leaving.
GWarning!
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and
steering* systems. In this case, it is
important to keep in mind that a
considerably higher degree of effort is
necessary to brake and steer the vehicle.
Adapt your driving accordingly.
XProperly stop and park the vehicle.XDepress the brake pedal.XEngage the parking brake ( Y page 77).
When the ignition is switched on or the
engine is running, the brake warning
lamp 0027 (USA only) or 004D (Canada
only) in the instrument cluster comes on.XRelease the brake pedal.
Parking brake
The parking brake serves to secure the
vehicle against rolling away when it is
stationary or parked.
GWarning!
Engaging the parking brake while the
vehicle is in motion can cause the rear
wheels to lock up. You could lose control of
the vehicle and cause an accident. In
addition, the vehicle’s brake lights do not
light up when the parking brake is engaged.
XReleasing: Depress the brake pedal.XPull up slightly on parking brake
lever 0046 and press release button 0047.Driving and parking77>> Controls.* optional451_AKB; 3; 22, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-07-27T09:36:34+02:00 - Seite 77Z
GWarning!
It is dangerous to shift the transmission
out of park position P or neutral position
N if the engine speed is higher than idle
speed. If your foot is not firmly on the brake
pedal, the vehicle could accelerate quickly
forward or in reverse. You could lose
control of the vehicle and hit someone or
something. Only shift into gear when the
engine is idling normally and when your
right foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
Shifting procedure
The transmission selects individual gears
automatically, depending on:
R the gear selector lever position D
( Y page 80)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
( Y page 81)
R the vehicle speed
R uphill or downhill grades
Press release button 0046 (Y page 79) to
disengage the gear selector lever lock
when moving the gear selector lever from
R P to R, N , or D
R R to P
R N to R or P
! Allow the engine to warm up under low
load use. Do not place full load on the
engine until the operating temperature
has been reached.
Shift into reverse gear R or parking
position P only when the vehicle is
stopped.
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an
extended period when driving off on
slippery road surfaces. Otherwise, the
drivetrain could be damaged, which is
not covered by the smart Limited
Warranty.
With manual gearshifting M selected
( Y page 82), you can use the gear selector
lever or steering wheel gearshift control
to change the gears manually.
Gear selector lever positions
Effect0045Park position
Gear selector lever position
when the vehicle is parked.
Place the gear selector lever
in park position P only when
the vehicle is stopped. The
park position is not intended
to serve as a brake when the
vehicle is parked.
Rather, the driver should
always engage the parking
brake in addition to placing
the gear selector lever in park
position P to secure the
vehicle.
The key can only be removed
from the starter switch with
the gear selector lever in park
position P. With the key
removed, the gear selector
lever is locked in park
position P.0046Reverse gear
Shift into reverse gear R only
when vehicle is stopped.0044Neutral position
No power is transmitted from
the engine to the drive axle.
When the brakes are released,
the vehicle can be moved
freely (pushed or towed).80Transmission>> Controls.
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The cup holder 0046 is located in front of the
lower center console.
You can store two cups, drink bottles or
beverage cans of different diameters in
the cup holder.
The cup holder insert* 0047 can be removed
in order to store two cups, drink bottles or
beverage cans of the same diameter.
i Clean the cup holder with a damp cloth.
Cargo compartment cover blind with
parcel net bag
This feature is only available in Canada
for the model passion.
GWarning!
The cargo compartment cover blind is not
intended to secure heavy objects in the
event of an accident. For this reason, heavy
objects must be tied down.
Vehicle occupants could be injured by
objects being thrown around in the vehicle
in the event of
R hard braking
R a change of direction
R an accident
GWarning!
Do not place any objects on the mounted
cargo compartment cover blind.
Vehicle occupants could be injured by
objects being thrown around in the vehicle
in the event of
R hard braking
R a change of direction
R an accidentGWarning!
Only place light loads in the parcel net
bag. Do not transport heavy, sharp-edged or
fragile objects in the parcel net bag. The
parcel net bag cannot sufficiently secure
loads in an accident.
Vehicle occupants could be injured by
objects being thrown around in the vehicle
in the event of
R hard braking
R a change of direction
R an accident
Observe the loading guidelines.
The cargo compartment cover blind
R serves to protect objects that are stored
in the vehicle’s cargo compartment from
prying eyes
R prevents smaller objects from
penetrating into the passenger
compartment from the cargo
compartment; however, it is not intended
to act as a load restraining device
The parcel net bag
R is for storing small, lightweight objects
R prevents small objects from sliding
around inside the passenger
compartment
! If objects are placed on the cargo
compartment cover blind when mounted,
the cover may be damaged.
Loading and storing97>> Controls.* optional451_AKB; 3; 22, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-07-27T09:36:34+02:00 - Seite 97Z
Fitting
If you wish to use cargo compartment cover
blind 0046 as normal, assemble it in top
mountings 0047. If you do not need the cargo
compartment cover blind, insert in bottom
mountings 008A.
XOpen the tailgate.XSecure cargo compartment cover
blind 0046 at the front of the cargo
compartment with the parcel net bag.XInsert cargo compartment cover
blind 0046 on the right-hand side in top
mounting 0047 or in bottom mounting 008A.XPush handle 0088 to the right in the
direction of the arrow.XInsert cargo compartment cover
blind 0046 in top mounting 0047 or bottom
mounting 008A in the left-hand side
paneling and release handle 0088.XCargo compartment cover blind 0046
engages.XPull parcel net bag 0086 down slightly and
secure with the hook and loop fastener.XRemove in reverse order.
Controls
XClosing: Take hold of cargo compartment
cover blind 0046 in the middle and pull
backwards.XGuide cargo compartment cover
blind 0046 into the rear right and left
mountings 0047.XOpening: Take hold of cargo compartment
cover blind 0046 in the middle, pull
backwards, and remove from rear
mountings 0047.XGuide cargo compartment cover
blind 0046 into position.
Coat hooks
The coat hooks are located at the rear roof
rail on the driver’s and passenger side.
98Loading and storing>> Controls.
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Glove box
The glove box is located in front of the
passenger seat.
XOpening: Pull on glove box lid
release 0047 and fold down the glove box
lid.XClosing: Lift up the glove box lid with a
bit of force until it engages.XLocking: Insert the key into glove box
lock 0046 and turn counterclockwise.XUnlocking: Insert the key into glove box
lock 0046 and turn clockwise.
Storage compartment in the tailgate
(coupé only)
You can store small objects in the storage
compartment in the tailgate.
XOpening: Open the tailgates.XPull handle 0046 on the inside of the
tailgate backward.XLift up the storage compartment cover.XClosing: Close storage compartment
cover 0046.XPress on the “PRESS” marking in the
middle of storage compartment cover 0046
until it engages audibly.XClose the tailgates ( Y page 53).
Loading instructions
GWarning!
Transport heavy or hard objects in the
cargo compartment, not in the passenger
compartment.
Always fasten items being carried as
securely as possible using fastening
materials appropriate for the weight and
size of the load.
In an accident, during hard braking or
sudden maneuvers, loose items may be
thrown around inside the vehicle, causing
injury to vehicle occupants.
GWarning!
To help avoid personal injury during a
collision or sudden maneuver, exercise
care when storing objects in the vehicle.
Put luggage or cargo in the cargo
compartment if possible. Do not pile
luggage or cargo higher than the seat
backrests.
Keep compartment lids closed. This will
help to prevent stored objects from being
thrown about and injuring vehicle
occupants during
R braking
R vehicle maneuvers
R an accident
100Loading and storing>> Controls.
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