NHTSA Complaint #10458572 — 2009 SMART FORTWO

THIS SHIFTING PROBLEM OCCURRED ERRATICALLY SINCE I'VE OWNED NEW. FIRST INCIDENCE WAS WITH SELECTING REVERSE AND THEREBY LOOSING THE ABILITY TO SELECT ANY GEAR MODE (FWD OR REV). THIS ODDITY IS USUALLY RESOLVED BY TURNING THE SWITCH OFF &RESTARTING BUT SOMETIMES BY SELECTING NEUTRAL & WAITING. THE NEXT PROBLEM CAME WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE AT APPROX 20 MPH WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO IDLE & CAR TO COAST AS IN NEUTRAL. THE FIRST 2+ YEARS, THIS WAS RESOLVED BY LIFTING OFF THE GAS COMPLETELY & REAPPLYING. THIS BEGAN TO HAPPEN AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, ALWAYS WHEN ACCELERATING. NOTE: ENGINE REVS FOR BOUT 1/2 SECOND BEFORE FAILURE. MY GUESS IS, IT HAPPENS WHEN IT NEEDS TO DOWNSHIFT 2 GEARS. THEN ALSO BEGAN TO HAPPEN UNDER LOAD (UP LONG HILLS REQUIRING AUTO DOWNSHIFT) ALWAYS SOLVED BY GAS RECYCLE AND EVOLVED INTO HAVING TO RECYCLE MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE IT WOULD DOWNSHIFT. OVER TIME,I LEARNED THAT I COULD PREVENT THIS BY DOWNSHIFTING MANUALLY & NOT WAITING FOR "AUTOSHIFT FAILURE". SOMETIME IN THE LAST YEAR, IT HAS BECOME MORE FRIGHTENING AS IT WILL NOT RECOVER BY RECYCLING THE GAS. I DON'T REMEMBER THE DATE OR MILEAGE IT FIRST HAPPENED BUT I MUST ALMOST STOP BEFORE IT REGAINS ABILITY TO SHIFT/ACCEL NORMALLY. IT IS ERRATIC BUT WAS A LONG TIME BEFORE IT REPEATED ITSELF AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT. THEY ARE HAPPENING MORE RECENTLY & A COUPLE OF TIMES IN HEAVY HIGHWAY TRAFFIC & NOW MY WIFE REFUSES TO RIDE WITH ME. I TALKED WITH SMART REP WHEN CAR WAS NEW & HE STATED THAT "REPROGRAMING THE TRANSMISSION" WAS OPTION BUT THIS PROCEDURE IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. I HAVE APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THIS 'REPROGRAMMING' DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP BUT HAVE BEEN TOLD IT MAY ONLY SOLVE THE "REVERSE" SELECTION PROBLEM. THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF MY PROBLEMS HAPPENING IN OTHER MODELS OR OF ANY RECALLS, SO MAYBE OTHER OWNERS ARE SLOW TO COMPLAIN LIKE ME. *JS