The current gear selector lever position
appears in the transmission position
indicator ( Y page 88).
Driving tips
Accelerator pedal position
Your driving style influences the
transmission’s shifting behavior:
Less throttleearlier upshiftingMore throttlelater upshifting
Kickdown
Use kickdown when you want maximum
acceleration.
XPress the accelerator pedal past the
point of resistance.
Depending on the engine speed the
transmission shifts into a lower gear.XEase up on the accelerator pedal when you
have reached the desired speed.
The transmission shifts up again.
Stopping
When you stop briefly, e.g. at traffic
lights:
XLeave the transmission in gear.XHold the vehicle with the brake.
When you stop for a longer period with the
engine idling and/or on a hill:
XEngage the parking brake.XMove the gear selector lever to park
position P.
Working on the vehicle
GWarning!
When working on the vehicle, engage the
parking brake and move the gear selector
lever to park position P. Otherwise the
vehicle could roll away which could result
in an accident and/or serious personal
injury.
Driving on uphill grades
Your vehicle has a hill‑start assist system.
GWarning!
The hill-start assist system is not
designed to function as a parking brake and
does not prevent the vehicle from moving
when parked on an incline.
Always engage the parking brake in
addition to shifting to park position P.
On uphill grades the hill‑start assist
system maintains the pressure in the brake
system for approximately one second after
you have released the brake pedal.
Therefore, you can start off smoothly
without the vehicle moving immediately
after releasing the brake pedal.
XRelease the brake pedal.XApply sufficient pressure to the
accelerator pedal.
! After approximately one second, the
hill‑start assist system stops braking
the vehicle, which then can roll
backwards. If you open the driver’s door
within this time, the hill‑start assist
system is deactivated and a warning
signal sounds.
i The hill‑start assist system is inactive
if you start off with the parking brake
engaged.
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
84Transmission>> Controls.
BA 451 USA, CA Edition A 2011; 1; 4, en-UShereepeVersion: 3.0.3.62010-05-11T15:12:26+02:00 - Seite 84
manually using the gear selector lever or
the steering wheel gearshift control 10
.
! 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 gearshifting
XMove the gear selector lever to drive
position D ( Y page 82).XPull one of the shift paddles ( Y page 85)
towards you.
or
XMove the gear selector lever to manual
gearshifting M (Y page 82).
System-controlled automatic
gearshifting is switched off.
You can upshift or downshift through the
gears in succession.
The currently engaged gear appears in the
multifunction display ( Y page 85).
UpshiftingXBriefly push the gear selector lever
forward in the + direction ( Y page 82).
or
XPull right shift paddle 0047 (Y page 85)
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.
XBriefly pull the gear selector lever
backward in the - direction ( Y page 82).
or
XPull left shift paddle 0046 (Y page 85)
towards you.
The transmission shifts to the next lower
gear.
Kickdown
You can use kickdown when you want
maximum acceleration.
10 Model passion and BRABUS only.Transmission85>> Controls.BA 451 USA, CA Edition A 2011; 1; 4, en-UShereepeVersion: 3.0.3.62010-05-11T15:12:26+02:00 - Seite 85Z
XPress the accelerator pedal past the
point of resistance.
Depending on the engine speed the
transmission shifts into a lower gear.XWhen you have reached the desired speed,
briefly push the gear selector lever
forward in the + direction ( Y page 82).
or
XPull right shift paddle 0047 (Y page 85)
towards you.
The transmission shifts to the next
higher gear.
Deactivating manual gearshifting
XWith drive position D selected: Pull and
hold right shift paddle 0047 (Y page 85)
towards you for longer than two seconds.
or
XWith manual gearshifting M selected:
Move the gear selector lever to drive
position D ( Y page 82).
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 malfunctions and enables you
driving to the nearest workshop such as a
smart center.
If vehicle acceleration becomes less
responsive or sluggish or the transmission
no longer shifts, the transmission is most
likely operating in limp-home (emergency
operation) mode. The transmission
position indicator flashes and the ¬
symbol appears in the multifunction
display.
Driving in limp-home mode:XMove the gear selector lever to drive
position D ( Y page 82).XContinue to drive.XHave the transmission checked at an
authorized smart center as soon as
possible.
i It is possible that a gear combination
including 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 transmission in order to restore the
normal transmission 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
workshop or at an authorized smart
center.
Teaching-in the transmission system:
XStop the vehicle in a safe location.XMove the gear selector lever to park
position P.XTurn off the engine.XWait at least 30 seconds before
restarting.XPress the brake pedal.XRestart the engine
Three bars instead of P appear in the
multifunction display.XWait at least 30 seconds.
The transmission is taught in.
When teaching-in was successful: P
appears in the multifunction display again
and normal transmission operating is
restored.
XContinue to drive.86Transmission>> Controls.
BA 451 USA, CA Edition A 2011; 1; 4, en-UShereepeVersion: 3.0.3.62010-05-11T15:12:26+02:00 - Seite 86
DOT (Department of Transportation)
Tire branding symbol 0046 which denotes the
tire meets requirements of the U.S.
Department of Transportation.
Manufacturer’s identification mark
Manufacturer’s identification mark 0047
denotes the tire manufacturer.
New tires have a mark with two symbols.
Retreaded tires have a mark with four
symbols. For more information on
retreaded tires ( Y page 126).
Tire size
Code 008A indicates the tire size.
Tire type code
Tire type code 0088 may, at the option of the
manufacturer, be used as a descriptive
code for identifying significant
characteristics of the tire.
Date of manufacture
Date of manufacture 0086 identifies the week
and year of manufacture.
The first two figures identify the week,
starting with “01” to represent the first
full week of the calendar year. The second
two figures represent the year.
For example, “3202” represents the 32nd
week of 2002.
Tire ply material
i For illustration purposes only. Actual
data on tires are specific to each vehicle
and may vary from data shown in above
illustration.
This marking tells you about the type of
cord and number of plies in the
sidewall 0046 and under the tread 0047.
Tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
The combined weight (in excess of those
standard items which may be replaced) of
automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power seats,
radio, and heater, to the extent that these
items are available as factory-installed
equipment (whether installed or not).
Air pressure
The amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire. Air
pressure is expressed in pounds per square
inch (psi), or kilopascal (kPa) or bars.
Aspect ratio
Dimensional relationship between tire
section height and section width expressed
in percentage.
142Tires and wheels>> Operation.
BA 451 USA, CA Edition A 2011; 1; 4, en-UShereepeVersion: 3.0.3.62010-05-11T15:12:26+02:00 - Seite 142
Display messagesPossible causes/consequences and 0050 Solutions00B4
Switch Engine OffThe engine oil level is too low. The engine could be damaged.XStop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.XTurn off the engine.XEngage the parking brake.XCheck the engine oil level (Y page 120) and add engine oil as
required ( Y page 121).004D
Release Parking
BrakeYou are driving with the parking brake engaged.XRelease the parking brake.0077
Shift to N or P to
StartYou have attempted to start the engine while the automatic
transmission was in reverse gear R or drive position D.
Shift the automatic transmission into park position P or
neutral position N.0077
Apply Brakes to
StartYou have attempted to start the engine without depressing the
brake pedal.
Depress the brake pedal to start the engine.Display messagesPossible causes/consequences and 0050 Solutions003F
Charge BatteryThe battery is not being charged.
Possible causes:
R alternator malfunctioning
R broken poly-V-beltXStop the vehicle immediately as soon as it is safe to do so.XTurn off the engine immediately.XEngage the parking brake.XCheck the poly-V-belt.XIf poly-V-belt is broken: Do not continue to drive. Contact
an authorized smart center.XIf poly-V-belt is intact: Have the vehicle checked at an
authorized smart center immediately.
! 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.
162Display messages>> Practical hints.
BA 451 USA, CA Edition A 2011; 1; 4, en-UShereepeVersion: 3.0.3.62010-05-11T15:12:26+02:00 - Seite 162
key is in the starter switch. Otherwise
the alternator and other electronic
components could be severely damaged.
Have the battery checked regularly at an
authorized smart center.
Refer to Maintenance Booklet for
maintenance intervals or contact an
authorized smart center for further
information.
! Never invert the terminal connections!
Disconnecting, removing, charging,
reinstalling and reconnecting the
battery
Disconnecting the battery
iIf the battery is disconnected or
discharged
Rthe key will not turn in the starter
switch
Rthe automatic transmission will
remain in park position P
For more information see “Jump
starting” (Y page 198).
XEngage the parking brake.XMove the gear selector lever to park
position P.
XTurn off all electrical accessories.XTurn off the engine.XOpen the passenger door.XMove the passenger seat to the rear as far
as possible.
XUnscrew the carpet holder in the
passenger footwell (Y page 160).
XLift the carpet.XUnscrew fastening screw \000G
counterclockwise.
XPull footrest \000F sideways out of the
vehicle.
XRead and observe safety instructions and
precautions (Y page 195).
! Always disconnect the battery in the
order described below. Otherwise the
vehicle’s electronics can be damaged.
XDisconnect the battery negative lead
from negative terminal \000