Such damage is caused not only by extreme
and varying climatic conditions, but also
by:
R
Air pollution
R Road salt
R Tar
R Gravel and stone chipping
To avoid paint damage, you should
immediately remove:
R Insects
R Bird droppings
R Tree sap, etc.
R Grease and oil
R Brake fluid
R Coolant
R Fuel
R Tar spots
! Failure to remove such dirt
immediately can cause damage to the
paint or the soft top fabric*
.
Environmental influences are not
covered by the smart Limited Warranty.
Frequent washing reduces and/or
eliminates the aggressiveness and potency
of the above adverse influences.
More frequent washings are necessary to
deal with unfavorable conditions:
R near the ocean
R in industrial areas (smoke, exhaust
emissions)
R during winter operation
You should check your vehicle from time to
time for stone chipping or other damage.
Any damage should be repaired as soon as
possible to prevent corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underbody
of the vehicle. A prerequisite for a
thorough check is a washing of the
underbody followed by a thorough
inspection. Damaged areas need to be re-
undercoated.
Your vehicle has been treated at the factory
with a wax-base rustproofing in the body cavities which will last for the lifetime of
the vehicle. Post-production treatment is
neither necessary nor recommended by
smart because of the possibility of
incompatibility
between materials used in
the production process and others applied
later.
We have selected vehicle-care products
and compiled recommendations which are
specially matched to our vehicles and
which always reflect the latest technology.
You can obtain smart approved vehicle-
care products at an authorized smart
center.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, corrosion
or damage due to negligent or incorrect
care cannot always be removed or repaired
with the vehicle-care products
recommended here. In such cases it is best
to seek aid at an authorized smart center.
The following topics deal with the cleaning
and care of your vehicle and give important
“how-to” information as well as references
to smart approved vehicle-care products. Vehicle care
Contact an authorized smart center for
recommended and approved care products.
i Advice on caring for the soft top
system, see (Y page 154). G
WARNING
After washing the vehicle, the brakes may
still be wet and thus their functionality
impaired. Therefore, when you start off,
brake lightly several times without
endangering traffic. Vehicle care
151
>> Operation.
* optional Z
Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions4
Switch Engine Off The engine oil level is too low. The engine could be damaged.
X
Stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
X Turn off the engine.
X Engage the parking brake.
X Check the engine oil level (Y page 118) and add engine oil as
required (Y page 119). J
Release Parking
Brake You are driving with the parking brake engaged.
X
Release the parking brake. 5
Shift
to N or P to
Start You 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.5
Apply Brakes to
Start You have attempted to start the engine without depressing the
brake pedal.
Depress the brake pedal to start the engine.
Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions#
Charge Battery The battery is not being charged.
Possible causes:
R
alternator malfunctioning
R broken poly-V-belt
X Stop the vehicle immediately as soon as it is safe to do so.
X Turn off the engine immediately.
X Engage the parking brake.
X Check the poly-V-belt.
X If poly-V-belt is broken: Do not continue to drive. Contact
an authorized smart center.
X If 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. 160
Display messages
>> Practical hints.
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions;
The engine
malfunction
indicator lamp
illuminates
while driving. There is a malfunction in the system.
X
Have the vehicle checked at an authorized smart center
immediately. i
Some states may by law require you to visit a workshop as soon as the engine
malfunction indicator lamp comes on. Check local requirements. Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions5
The engine oil
pressure
indicator lamp
illuminates
while driving. The engine oil pressure is low.
X
Stop the vehicle immediately in a safe location.
X Do not continue to drive.
X Turn off the engine.
X Engage the parking brake when leaving the vehicle.
X Contact Roadside Assistance or an authorized smart center. 5
The engine oil
pressure
indicator lamp
goes out before
the engine
starts. The engine oil pressure indicator lamp has failed.
X
Check the engine oil level.
X Have the system checked at an authorized smart center. !
The engine oil pressure indicator lamp should not be ignored. Extended driving with
the engine oil pressure indicator lamp illuminated could result in serious engine
damage that is not covered by the smart Limited Warranty. What to do if ...
171
>> Practical hints. Z
X
Insert a suitable object such as a coin
into the slot at the eyelet of the key
housing.
X Carefully turn the coin until key housing
top half : is unlatched.
X Open key housing top half : to the side.X
Remove transmitter battery ; from the
board.
! Check the polarity when inserting the
new transmitter battery. You could
otherwise
damage parts of the electrical
system. When inserting the batteries,
make sure they are clean and free of lint.
X Insert the new transmitter battery.
X Press both halves of the key housing
together again.
X Check the operation of the remote
control. Replacing bulbs
About replacing bulbs
Safe vehicle operation depends on proper
exterior lighting and signaling. It is
therefore
essential that all bulbs and lamp
assemblies are in good working order at all
times.
Correct headlamp adjustment is extremely
important. Have headlamps checked and
readjusted at regular intervals and when a
bulb has been replaced. Contact an
authorized smart center for headlamp
adjustment. G
WARNING
Bulbs and bulb sockets can be very hot.
Allow
the lamp to cool down before changing
a bulb. Otherwise you could be burned if you
touch them.
Keep bulbs out of the reach of children.
Halogen lamps contain pressurized gas. A
bulb can explode if you:
R touch or move it when hot
R drop the bulb
R scratch the bulb
Wear eye and hand protection.
i If the headlamps or front fog lamps* are
fogged up on the inside as a result of
high humidity, driving the vehicle a
distance with the lights on should clear
up the fogging.
Notes on bulb replacement:
R Only use bulbs of the same type and with
the specified watt rating.
R Switch the lights off before replacing a
bulb to prevent short circuits.
R Always use a clean lint-free cloth when
handling bulbs.
R Your hands should be dry and free of oil
and grease.
R Avoid touching the glass of the bulb with
bare fingers.
R If the newly installed bulb does not come
on, contact an authorized smart center.
R Have the bulbs for the front fog lamps*
and the LED daytime running lamps*
replaced at an authorized smart center.178
Replacing bulbs
>> Practical hints.
* optional
are prohibited when windshield washer
concentrate is being handled.
Coolants
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze, which
provides:
R Corrosion protection
R Freeze protection
R Boiling protection (by increasing the
boiling point)
The
cooling system was filled at the factory
with a coolant providing freeze protection
to approximately -35¦ (-37 ¥) and
corrosion protection.
! Add premixed coolant solution only.
Adding water and MB 325.0
Anticorrosion/Antifreeze separately
from each other, could cause engine
damage not covered by the smart Limited
Warranty.
If the antifreeze mixture is effective to
-35¦ (-37 ¥), the boiling point of the
coolant in the pressurized cooling system
is reached at approximately 266 ¦
(130¥ ).
The coolant solution must be used year
round, even in countries which have high
temperatures to provide the necessary
corrosion protection and increase
boil‑over protection. Refer to
Maintenance/ Service Booklet for
replacement interval.
Coolant system design and coolant used
determine the replacement interval. The
replacement interval published in the
Maintenance booklet is only applicable if
MB 325.0 Anticorrosion/Antifreeze
solution or other smart approved products
of equal specification are used to renew
the coolant concentration or bring it back
up to the proper level. For information on other smart approved
products
of equal specification, contact an
authorized smart center.
To provide important corrosion
protection, the solution must be at least
50% anticorrosion/antifreeze (equivalent
to freeze protection to approximately
-35¦ [-37 ¥]).
If you use a solution that is more than 55%
anticorrosion/antifreeze (freeze
protection to approximately -49¦
[(-45 ¥]), the engine temperature will
increase due to the lower heat transfer
capability of the solution. Therefore, do
not use more than this amount of
anticorrosion/antifreeze.
If the coolant level is low, water and
MB 325.0 Anticorrosion/Antifreeze should
be used to bring it up to the proper level
(have cooling system checked for signs of
leakage). Please make sure the mixture is
in accordance with label instructions.
Always use anticorrosion/antifreeze that
has been approved by smart. For
information contact an authorized smart
center.
The water in the cooling system must meet
minimum requirements, which are usually
satisfied by normal drinking water.
If you are not sure about the water quality,
consult an authorized smart center.
Anticorrosion/antifreeze Your vehicle contains a number of
aluminum parts. The use of aluminum
components in motor vehicle engines
necessitates that anticorrosion/
antifreeze
coolant used in such engines be
specifically formulated to protect the
aluminum parts.
Failure to use such anticorrosion/
antifreeze coolant will result in a
significantly shortened service life.
Therefore, the following product is
strongly recommended for use in your Service fluids and capacities
223
>> Technical data. Z