your vehicle will be determined by our
authorized smart center technician or the
tow service provider on a case-by-case
basis and may be a factor in our ability to
respond.
Additional charges may be applicable for
a breakdown location determined not to be
a reasonably accessible roadside location
as determined by our authorized
technician and tow service provider.
For additional information refer to the
smart Roadside Assistance Program
brochure in your vehicle literature
portfolio.
Change of address or ownership
In the USA: If you change your address, be
sure to send in the “Information Change
Card” found in the Warranty Information
Booklet.
In Canada: If you change your address, be
sure to send in the “Change of Address
Notice” found in the Warranty Booklet, or
simply call the Customer Service at
1-800-387-0100.
Maintaining your current address
information with smart will enable us to
contact you should important new
information about the vehicle, such as
recalls, become available.
If you sell your smart, please leave all
literature with the vehicle to make it
available to the next operator.
In the USA: If you bought this vehicle used,
be sure to send in the “Information Change
Card” found in the Warranty Information
Booklet.
In Canada: If you bought this vehicle used,
be sure to send in the “Notice of Pre‑Owned
Vehicle Purchase” found in the Warranty
Booklet, or call the Customer Service at
1-800-387-0100.
Operating your vehicle outside the
USA or Canada
If you plan to operate your vehicle in
foreign countries, please be aware that:
R Service facilities or replacement parts
may not be readily available,
R Unleaded gasoline for vehicles with
catalytic converters may not be
available; the use of leaded fuels will
damage the catalysts.
R Gasoline may have a considerably lower
octane rating, and improper fuel can
cause engine damage.
Operating safety
GWarning!
Work improperly carried out on electronic
components and associated software could
cause them to cease functioning. Because
the vehicle’s electronic components are
interconnected, any modifications made
may produce an undesired effect on other
systems. Electronic malfunctions could
seriously impair the operating safety of
your vehicle.
See an authorized smart center for repairs
or modifications to electronic
components.
Improper work or modifications on other
vehicle systems could also have a negative
impact on the operating safety of the
vehicle.
GWarning!
Some safety systems only function while the
engine is running. You should therefore
never turn off the engine while driving.
GWarning!
Heavy blows against the vehicle underbody
or tires/wheels, for example when running
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It is important to your safety and that of
your passenger that you replace deployed
air bags and repair any malfunctioning
air bags to make sure the vehicle will
continue to provide supplemental crash
protection for occupants.
Safety guidelines for the seat belt,
Emergency Tensioning Devices (ETDs)
and air bag GWarning!
R Damaged seat belts or seat belts that were
highly stressed in an accident must be
replaced and their anchoring points
must also be checked. Only use seat belts
installed or supplied by an authorized
smart center.
R Air bags and Emergency Tensioning
Devices (ETDs) contain Perchlorate
material, which may require special
handling and regard for the environment.
Check with your local government’s
disposal guidelines. California
residents, see http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/
HazardousWaste/Perchlorate/index.cfm .
R Given the considerable deployment
speed, required inflation volume, and
the textile structure of the air bags,
there is the possibility of abrasions or
other, potentially more serious injuries
resulting from air bag deployment.
R Air bags and Emergency Tensioning
Devices (ETDs) are designed to function
on a one-time-only basis. An air bag or
ETD that has deployed must be replaced.
R Do not pass seat belts over sharp edges.
They could tear.
R Do not make any modification that could
change the effectiveness of the seat
belts.
R No modifications of any kind may be made
to any components or wiring of the SRS.
This includes changing or removing any
component or part of the SRS, the
installation of additional trim
material, badges, etc. over the steering
wheel hub, passenger front air bag cover,
outboard sides of the seat backrests, and
installation of additional electrical/
electronic equipment on or near SRS
components and wiring. Keep area
between air bags and occupants free from
objects (e.g. packages, purses,
umbrellas, etc.).
R 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.
R Do not hang hangers on the coat hooks or
handles over the door. These items may
turn into projectiles and cause head and
other injuries when the head-thorax air
bag is deployed.
R Air bag system components will be hot
after an air bag has inflated. Do not
touch.
R Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard, or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.
R In addition, improper repair work on the
SRS creates a risk of rendering the SRS
inoperative or causing unintended air
bag deployment. Work on the SRS must
therefore only be performed by qualified
technicians. Contact an authorized smart
center.
R For your protection and the protection of
others, when scrapping the air bag unit
or Emergency Tensioning Devices (ETDs),
our safety instructions must be followed.
These instructions are available from
any authorized smart center.
How the air bag operates
The air bag is inflated in a matter of
milliseconds. If the air bag is triggered,
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High‑beam headlamps XMake sure the low‑beam headlamps are
switched on ( Y page 63).XSwitching on: Push the combination
switch to position 004A.
The high‑beam headlamps come on.
The high‑beam headlamp indicator lamp
0063 in the instrument cluster comes on.XSwitching off: Pull the combination
switch in direction of arrow 0047 to its
original position.
The high‑beam headlamps go out.
The high‑beam headlamp indicator lamp
0063 in the instrument cluster goes out.
High‑beam flasher
XPull the combination switch briefly in
direction of arrow 0047.
Turn signals
0046Turn signals, right0047Turn signals, leftXSwitching on: Push the combination
switch in direction of arrow 0046 or 0047.
The corresponding turn signals flash.
The corresponding turn signal indicator
lamp 0026 or 0024 in the instrument
cluster flashes.
The combination switch resets
automatically after major steering
wheel movement.i To signal minor directional changes
such as changing lanes, push the
combination switch only to the point of
resistance and release. The
corresponding turn signals will flash
three times.
Coming home function
Vehicles without rain-light sensor: The
interior lamps come on and then go out
again after 12 seconds every time when you
lock or unlock the vehicle.
Vehicles with rain-light sensor*: In
addition to the interior lamps, the
exterior lamps come on and then go out
again after 12 seconds depending on the
brightness of the ambient light when you
lock or unlock the vehicle.
When leaving the vehicle
XRemove the key from the starter switch.XExit the vehicle.XPress button 0038 on the key.
The vehicle is locked.
The interior and exterior 11
lamps come on
and then go out again after 12 seconds.
When returning to the vehicle
XPress button 0034 on the key either once or
twice.
The vehicle is either selectively or
globally unlocked.
The interior and exterior 11
lamps come on
and then go out again after 12 seconds.
Front fog lamps
GWarning!
Vehicles with rain-light sensor*:
11 Vehicles with rain-light sensor*.Lighting65>> Controls.* optional451_AKB; 3; 22, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-07-27T09:36:34+02:00 - Seite 65Z
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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Manual gearshifting
With manual gearshifting M selected,
system-controlled automatic gearshifting
is switched off and you need to change the
gears by upshifting or downshifting
manually using the gear selector lever or
the steering wheel gearshift control 12
.
! 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.Activating manual gearshiftingXMove the gear selector lever to drive
position D ( Y page 79).XPull one of the shift paddles ( Y page 82)
towards you.
or
XMove the gear selector lever to manual
gearshifting M (Y page 79).
System-controlled automatic
gearshifting is switched off.
You can upshift or downshift through the
gears in succession.
The currently engaged gear appears in
multifunction display 0047 (Y page 82).
Upshifting
XBriefly push the gear selector lever
forward in the + direction ( Y page 79).
or
XPull right shift paddle 008A (Y page 82)
towards you.
The transmission shifts to the next
higher gear.
i With manual gearshifting M selected,
the transmission shifts up only to
prevent engine overrevving.
Downshifting
GWarning!
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This
could result in drive wheel slip and
reduced vehicle control. Your vehicle’s ABS
will not prevent this type of loss of control.
12 Model passion and BRABUS only.82Transmission>> Controls.
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Coat hook on driver’s side
0046Coat hook
Storage compartments
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 hard braking
R a change of direction
R an accident
Do not store objects under the driver’s seat.
Objects stored under the driver’s seat can
slide forward into driver’s foot well during
braking and get caught between or beneath
the pedals. This could restrict your ability
to brake or accelerate and could lead to
accidents and injury.
Coin holder
The coin holder is located in front of the
gear selector lever.
coupé illustrated as example
0046Coin holder
Door pockets
The door pockets are located in the driver’s
and passenger door.
0046Door pocket
Storage trays next to the steering wheel
The storage trays are located to the left and
right of the steering wheel.
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tire pressure loss and damage to the tire
beads.
R If vehicle is heavily loaded, check tire
inflation pressure and correct as
required.
R Do not allow your tires to wear down too
far. Adhesion properties on wet roads are
sharply reduced at tread depths of less
than 1
/ 8 in (3 mm).
Recommended tire inflation pressure
GWarning!
Follow recommended tire inflation
pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated
tires wear excessively and/or unevenly,
adversely affect handling and fuel
economy, and are more likely to fail from
being overheated.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated
tires can adversely affect handling and
ride comfort, wear unevenly, increase
stopping distance, and result in sudden
deflation (blowout) because they are more
likely to become punctured or damaged by
road debris, potholes etc.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the
Tire and Loading Information placard on
the driver’s door B‑pillar. Overloading the
tires can overheat them, possibly causing
a blowout. Overloading the tires can also
result in handling or steering problems, or
brake failure.
Your vehicle is equipped with the Tire and
Loading Information placard located on
the driver’s door B‑pillar ( Y page 120).
The tire inflation pressure should be
checked regularly. Only adjust the tire
inflation pressure on cold tires. The tires
can be considered cold if the vehicle has
been parked for at least 3 hours or driven
less than 1 mile (1.6 km). Depending on the
ambient temperature, the driving speed
and the tire load, the tire temperature
changes. When the tire temperature
changes by 18 ¦ (10 ¥), the tire inflation
pressure will change by approximately
1.5 psi (0.1 bar). Keep this in mind when
checking tire inflation pressure on warm
tires and adjust the tire pressure only if
the tire inflation pressure is too low for
the current operating conditions. If you
check the tire inflation pressure when the
tires are warm, the reading will be higher
than the cold reading. This is normal. Do
not let air out to match the specified cold
tire inflation pressure. Otherwise, the
tire will be underinflated.
Follow recommended cold tire inflation
pressures listed on Tire and Loading
Information placard on the driver’s door
B‑pillar.
Keeping the tires properly inflated
provides the best handling, tread life and
riding comfort.
In addition to the Tire and Loading
Information placard on the driver’s door
B‑pillar, also consult the tire inflation
pressure label (if available) on the inside
of the filler flap for any additional
information pertaining to special driving
situations. For more information, see
“Important notes on tire inflation
pressure” ( Y page 116).
i Data shown on Tire and Loading
Information placard example are for
illustration purposes only. Tire data are
specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in the following
illustration. Refer to Tire and Loading
Information placard on vehicle for
actual data specific to your vehicle.Tires and wheels115>> Operation.451_AKB; 3; 22, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-07-27T09:36:34+02:00 - Seite 115Z
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear
one and one-half (1 1
/ 2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from
the norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and differences
in road characteristics and climate.
Traction GWarning!
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
The traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades
represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Temperature
GWarning!
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause excessive heat
build-up and possible tire failure.
The temperature grades are A (the highest),
B, and C, representing the tire’s resistance
to the generation of heat and its ability to
dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified
indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the material of
the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C
corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent
higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum
required by law.
Rotating tires
GWarning!
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.
Thoroughly clean the mounting face of the
wheels and brake discs, i.e. the inner side
of the wheels/tires each time the wheels/
tires are changed. Check for and ensure
proper tire inflation pressure.
GWarning!
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.
For information on wheel change, see “Flat
tire” ( Y page 172).
Tire labeling
Besides tire name (sales designation) and
manufacturer name, a number of markings
can be found on a tire.
Following are some explanations for the
markings on your vehicle’s tires:
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