the transmission is stuck in either neutral or park, if you can get out and push the car when its in reverse or drive then it means that it is stuck in neutral (careful doing this because you might just happen to align up the trans correctly and it will start to move in either drive or reverse. if you get out and try to push it but it will not move then it means that the trans is stuck in park.

I have mine in the shop again here in San Antonio, Texas to see if the new dealer will do better than the last one. Smart does not seem to give a crap.

Hi Mr. johnny. Were you pushing the brake pedal while capturing this video? As far as I know that is required in semi-automatic cars when switching between N, D and R? Thanks in advance for your answer.

Worst case scenario, your clutch actuater died (common problem with 2008s). You can get it replaced with the new version for free.

Lastly. Not every car is going to end up in a mag every issue. The fortwo hasn't seen any significant changes in a few years so why would they keep giving the same old car press? Like I said, there's a refreshed model coming in 2011. EVERYTHING you've addressed (tranny, slow computer) had been fixed up in this new car. Also, Penske is releasing a 5 seater smart in the 3rd quarter. P.S. smartUSA has NO marketing budget, so you won't see any media from them really anywhere

@johnnyinsnj So, 100 cars with a problem out of over 41k sold means it's poorly built? Right.... "FYI the beeping occurred after the vehicle was shut off with the key out." - Hence me saying you aren't giving the computer enough time to process. When you turn off the car wait just a few seconds before you take out the key. It'll never beep like that again. And no, I don't sell smarts nor do I even OWN one!

Just happened again, for those keeping track. Only this time the symptoms were more pronounced, the vehicle locked itself in to Park. Upon reading up, this has been known to happen. How can there be no recalls on this matter? Is this another example of some cushy Mercedes Exec on the NHTSA as in the Toyota cases?

I have the same problem. After exhaustive internet search if found out a couple of things. 1. lubricate the clutch actuator, once I did this it works better but not perfect. I can get into reverse by first shifting into Drive then quickly shifting to Reverse. 2. Many posts refer to this as a "known issue" and a software update will fix this (that is what I will be doing today). FYI my SmartCar is a 2008 with 71,000 miles on it

Is there a recall on this problem. My husband has a 2008 that does the same thing.

@johnnyinsnj True, very true. Sales are nowhere to be found. Not really a new article and it's been overlooked. 100% of sales in 2008 were reservations made in 2007. That said, I agree. The car is noisy, it's expensive, and the sales are terrible, but claiming the car is of poor build quality is going a bit far. Late 90's Korean cars were poorly built, not that much for the little bugger.

I'm in the same boat. WTF is wrong with SmartUSA?

@johnnyinsnj I'm sorry, but a few quirks (a beep? REALLY?) and warranty work really doesn't make a car bad. No car is perfect. NONE! The SUV I drive has a load of issues but would I call it poorly built because of them? No. Yes, I do have a connection with smartUSA, but nothing regarding product quality but more of concerns of owners. And pretty much everything you've complained about (the beep, the tranny not going into reverse) had already be resolved by smart in newer models and warranty.

@johnnyinsnj The beeping is because you don't give the computer time to shutdown/startup. Poorly built? HA! Then why don't I hear about thousands of problems with them over the smart communities? Or even better, then why in mostly every reliability study performed in 2008 and 2009 did smart come close to HONDA? Just because you can find 100 broken smarts doesn't mean that they're poorly built. I can easily find you a few thousands that aren't.

I keep seeing this happen. Everyone I quiz about their smartcar has had this happen at least once. SmartUSA does not care about it's customers. And the Mercedes dealerships, treat SmartCar owners like second class citizens.

Smart car not really suited for us market ???.

We caught a similar thing on video (see my page video 4IwBPvZKSzE) ... The Vancouver Dealer replaced the Clutch, then the Clutch Motor and finally the Actuator costing us $1200... 300km later it happened AGAIN and we filmed it. They said the actuator they installed was faulty. Grrrr. After 4 repairs (!) we’re hoping a software update for 2008 Smart Transmissions will resolve the issue but one thing for sure, the transmission is shifting MUCH better since the update install. Awaiting answers...

@johnnyinsnj Can't argue with that article, smart sales are in the toilet. Like I said though, with no marketing they won't sell. How many cars have sold well with exactly no marketing? The future for smartUSA (not smart because the company as a whole has been posting great sales since 2007) is very grim. With no advertisement and woth craptastic owner service (I hate smart center Lake Bluff) they will send themselves down the crapper.

Yes I agree, not Chryslers fortunately!!.

I do have to say one thing though, I know how smartUSA is planning their strategies for the future and they're terrible. You and I both can agree that Hello Kitty won't increase sales and the electric drive is just too expensive for the mentally sane. smartUSA (not smart) will become like Saturn if they keep it up.

Oh and I know you won't attack the article...I know you'll attack Yahoo. "oooo who is yahoo to say, blah blah blah"

@Neonspinnazz30 @Neonspinnazz30 OMG...almost as if on QUEUE...just listed tonight 1/1/2011 an article on Yahoo front page has an article that bashes the SmartCar....I would post the link but KZfaq won't let me. With your permission I'll send it to you with a cherry on top.

@Neonspinnazz30 First it's a 2009. Second sounds like they way Mercedes treats SmartCar buyers seems to be the same all around the country. As far as win/lose...it's Smart that's losing. Mercedes could care less. I was on the phone with the Smart people who never called back. If you have Ricks email, I'd love to direct him to a few more videos, such as the ac/heating fan dying within 6 months, random car beeping... These cars are poorly built. That's why we hear nothing about them anymore

Actually you're both wrong. Mercedes and Smart are owned by Daimler AG.

Oh and by the way, here in the UK, U.S. means useless.

@johnnyinsnj Also, smart center Milwaukee has been awarded as the nation's #1 smart center for 2009 (and might get it for 2010). So maybe you and I have crap dealers, that doesn't mean ALL are like that. Also, smart is releasing refreshed fortwos in 2011 (fixing several concerns in the process and upgrading a LOT of stuff), but apparently we hear nothing right? Please spend some time on a smart community, it appears you know nothing of what's going on with smart and smartUSA right now.

Bit like Ford eh, stands for, Found On Road Dead, meathead.

@Neonspinnazz30 Sorry I don't drink the cool aid. Why would I go to the SMART people for an opinion on SMART...what do you think they'll say about themselves? Seriously. I prefer more outside opinions when I have issues. I don't ask the fox to guard the hen house. Are you getting my point? I've seen about 6 "top 10" articles about the fuel efficient cars in the past month since the Volt came around. No one mentions the Smartcar anymore, except Smart and smartcar dealers like yourself.

@Taxminia0311 Chrysler has nothing to do with Smartcar. Chrysler produces EPIC piles of poo in a league of their own. Daimler held Chrysler like a poker chip until they realized it was never going to catch up to it's Mercedes and Maybach investments (ever since, USA held a big stake, now Fiat is trying to own it altogether). Don't get me wrong, smartcars are still trash on wheels, but they are not Chryslers.

@Neonspinnazz30 Yes, I get my opinions from an outside source. If you don't., you must have a house full of infomercial junk. SmartCar is one of the worse selling cars of 2010-"The quirky two-seater from Germany's Daimler AG is down 60% this year, on top of a 41% decline in 2009." brand new article. Get over it dude. I admit I own one, you gotta admit they suck. Hollow frame radiates noise through its body, bad electrical, bad tranny. You sound silly defending this car. Do you even own-

@johnnyinsnj You assume too much. 'not giving the computer enough time..." NO, the car needs to function correctly the same way, every time. That's poorly built. FYI the beeping occurred after the vehicle was shut off with the key out. It's obvious you have a connection to Smart that you are not revealing, hence I'm conversing with someone who is biased, and does not have an open mind. 1 case of illness is considered an epidemic...100 cars with the same issue is a pending recall. Get real.

Wait, so you'd rather get your opinion from an outside source that will know nothing about the car? Like I said "quiz" a large group of owners about their car's problems. P.S. Apparently you know nothing about smartUSA, their Against Dumb campaign has been noted well across the net on popular sites (even forbes). While I hate the campaign, at least they're getting attention.

I'm a retired auto tech and have 21 years building and repairing firetrucks here the U.S. S.M.A.R.T. Stands for Stupid Motor And Retarded Transmission. Kind of reminds me of F.I.A.T. Fix It Again Tony! Or Renault ----Run?---No! Saab. Don't come tome with your sob story! When someone tells me they own a Smart-car I tell them that's a contradiction in terms! I'm hoping to go a monster truck rally and watch Bigfoot or similar vehicle crush about 40 Smart (Stupid) cars!