2012 SMART FORTWO COUPE driving

lamp $ (USA only) or J (Canada
only)
in the instrument cluster comes on. G
WARNING
Getting out of your vehicle with the
transmission not fully engaged in park
position P

is dangerous. When the engine is
shut off and the brakes are released, the
vehicle can be moved freely with the gear
selector lever in all positions except park
position P. Also, when parked on an incline,
park position P alone may not prevent your
vehicle from moving, possibly hitting
people or objects.
Always engage the parking brake in
addition to shifting to park position P.
When parked on an incline, always turn the
front wheels towards the curb. G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
key from the starter switch, take it with
you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave
children

unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Children
could release the parking brake and/or
move the gear selector lever from park
position P, either of which could result in
an accident and/or serious personal
injury.
Brake pedal The brake pedal has two brake circuits
independent

of each other. A brake servo is
used during braking (when the engine is
running) to increase pedal force. G
WARNING
Make sure absolutely no objects are
obstructing the pedals’ range of motion.
Keep the driver’s footwell clear of all
obstacles. If there are any floormats*

or
carpets in the footwell, make sure the
pedals still have sufficient clearance.
During sudden acceleration or braking
maneuvers, the objects could get caught between or beneath the pedals and restrict
your ability to brake or accelerate. This
could lead to accidents and/or injury.
G
WARNING
Considerably more effort will be required
to apply the brakes if
R the brake servo has failed
R a brake circuit has failed
R the engine is switched off, e.g. for
towing the vehicle
The braking distance is likewise greater.
Make sure the engine is running whenever
the vehicle is rolling. Have the brake
system repaired at an authorized smart
center, if there is a fault in the brake
system. If a brake circuit has failed (
Y page 164),
you must depress brake pedal : further
down to achieve the same effect and the
braking distance is increased.
i The

brake servo will only function with
the engine switched on. G
WARNING
In the event of the vehicle needing to be
towed, a significantly greater amount of
pedal pressure will be required when the
engine is switched off. Driving and parking
81
>> Controls.
* optional Z

Turning off the engine
G
WARNING
Do not turn off the engine before the
vehicle has come to a complete stop. 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.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Press the release button (Y page 79) to
disengage the gear selector lever lock.
X Move the gear selector lever to park
position P.
The transmission position indicator
should be on P
! Always engage the parking brake in
addition to shifting to park position P.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Turn the key to starter switch position
0.
X Remove the key from the starter switch.
The electronic immobilizer is
activated. Transmission
Introduction
Your vehicle is equipped with a 5‑speed
automated transmission with manual or
automatic mode. For information on
driving with the transmission see also
“Starting” ( Y page 78).G
WARNING
Make sure absolutely no objects are
obstructing the pedals’ range of motion.
Keep the driver’s footwell clear of all
obstacles. If there are any floormats*
or
carpets in the footwell, make sure the
pedals still have sufficient clearance. During sudden acceleration or braking
maneuvers, the objects could get caught
between

or beneath the pedals and restrict
your ability to brake or accelerate. This
could lead to accidents and/or injury. Gear selector lever
Gearshift pattern for transmission
:
Release button j
Park position
k
Reverse gear
i
Neutral position
h
Drive position
p
Manual gearshifting
q
Upshifting
±
Downshifting
The current gear selector lever position
appears in the transmission position
indicator. When manual gearshifting M is
selected, the currently selected gear
appears ( Y page 88). G
WARNING
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 82
Transmission
>> Controls.
* optional

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 83)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
(Y page 84)
R the vehicle speed
R uphill or downhill grades
Press release button : (Y page 82) 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 84), you can use the gear selector
lever or steering wheel gearshift control
to change the gears manually. Gear selector lever positions
Effect
B
Park 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. C
Reverse gear
Shift into reverse gear
R only
when vehicle is stopped. A
Neutral 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).
7
Drive position
The transmission shifts
automatically.
x
Manual gearshifting
System-controlled automatic
gearshifting is switched off.
The driver has to change the
gears manually. Transmission
83
>> Controls. Z

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 throttle earlier upshifting
More throttle later upshifting
Kickdown
Use kickdown when you want maximum
acceleration.
X
Press the accelerator pedal past the
point of resistance.
Depending on the engine speed the
transmission shifts into a lower gear.
X Ease 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:
X
Leave the transmission in gear.
X Hold the vehicle with the brake.
When you stop for a longer period with the
engine idling and/or on a hill:
X Engage the parking brake.
X Move the gear selector lever to park
position P.
Working on the vehicle G
WARNING
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.
G
WARNING
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.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Apply 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
manually using the gear selector lever or
the steering wheel gearshift control 10
.
10 Model passion and BRABUS only. 84
Transmission
>> Controls.

!
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
X
Move the gear selector lever to drive
position D (Y page 82).
X Pull one of the shift paddles (Y page 85)
towards you.
or
X Move 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).Upshifting X
Briefly push the gear selector lever
forward in the + direction (Y page 82).
or
X Pull right shift paddle ; (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 G
WARNING
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.
X Briefly pull the gear selector lever
backward in the - direction (Y page 82).
or
X Pull left shift paddle : (Y page 85)
towards you.
The

transmission shifts to the next lower
gear.
Kickdown You can use kickdown when you want
maximum acceleration.
X
Press the accelerator pedal past the
point of resistance.
Depending on the engine speed the
transmission shifts into a lower gear.
X When you have reached the desired speed,
briefly push the gear selector lever
forward in the + direction (Y page 82).
or
X Pull right shift paddle ; (Y page 85)
towards you.
The transmission shifts to the next
higher gear. Transmission
85
>> Controls. Z

Deactivating manual gearshifting
X
With drive position D selected: Pull and
hold right shift paddle ; (Y page 85)
towards you for longer than two seconds.
or
X With 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:
X Move the gear selector lever to drive
position D (Y page 82).
X Continue to drive.
X Have 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:
X Stop the vehicle in a safe location.
X Move the gear selector lever to park
position P.
X Turn off the engine.
X Wait at least 30 seconds before
restarting.
X Press the brake pedal.
X Restart the engine
Three bars instead of P appear in the
multifunction display.
X Wait 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.
X Continue to drive.
After an unsuccessful teaching-in: Three
bars instead of P appear in the
multifunction display.
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. Instrument cluster
Multifunction display
The following displays and indicators
appear in the multifunction display: 86
Instrument cluster
>> Controls.

Multifunction display (U.S. vehicles)
:
Maintenance service symbol (status
indicator)
; Main odometer display and days or
distance to next maintenance service
= Transmission position indicator
? Digital clock
A Outside temperature display
B Fuel level display
C Status indicator with:
• Trip odometer display
• Reserve fuel indicator Multifunction display (Canada vehicles)
:
Maintenance service symbol (status
indicator)
; Main odometer display and days or
distance to next maintenance service
= Transmission position indicator
? Digital clock
A Outside temperature display
B Freeze warning
C Fuel level display
D Status indicator with: • Trip odometer display
• Reserve fuel indicator
G
WARNING
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction
display is inoperative.
As a result, you will not be able to see
information about your driving
conditions, such as speed, outside
temperature, or warning/indicator lamps.
Driving characteristics may be impaired.
If you must continue to drive, please do so
with added caution. Visit an authorized
smart center as soon as possible.
Multifunction display illumination The multifunction display illumination
comes on when the starter switch is in
position
1.
It goes out after approximately
30 seconds when the starter switch is in
position 0.
For adjusting the multifunction display
illumination, see “Adjusting instrument
cluster illumination” ( Y page 92).
Main odometer display Example illustration (U.S. vehicles)
i
Canada vehicles: The main odometer
display shows km instead of miles.
The main odometer display appears in the
multifunction display continuously.
Exception: The next maintenance service
is due. After starting the engine, days or Instrument cluster
87
>> Controls. Z

button ; repeatedly until the desired
time is set.
X Setting the time quickly: Press left
button : or right button ; for longer
than one second.
The setting speed increases.
X Setting the time in 10 minute
increments:
Press left button : or right
button ; for longer than five seconds.
The time is set in 10 minute increments.
X Confirm time setting: Refrain from
pressing either left button : or right
button ; until the colon in the digital
clock stops flashing.
The time is set.
i The digital clock in the multifunction
display is not synchronized with the
cockpit clock* (Y page 92).
Outside temperature display G
WARNING
The outside temperature display is not
designed as an ice-warning device and is
therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the
freezing point do not guarantee that the
road surface is free of ice. The road may
still

be icy, especially in wooded areas or
on bridges. Your vehicle could start to skid
if you do not adjust your driving style
accordingly.
Therefore, always adjust your driving style
to the prevailing road and weather
conditions. Example illustration (U.S. vehicles)
i
Canada vehicles: The outside
temperature display shows °C instead
of °F.
The outside temperature display appears
in

the multifunction display continuously.
A change of the outside temperature will be
displayed with delay.
Freeze warning (Canada vehicles only) When the outside temperature falls below
3¥, the multifunction display makes you
aware of the fact that the road may be icy.
An additional freeze warning, i.e. an ice
crystal symbol, in the multifunction
display flashes. After 60 seconds, the
freeze warning stops flashing but
continues to be displayed. When the
outside temperature rises above 3
¥, the
freeze warning goes out. Instrument cluster
89
>> Controls.
* optional Z