SAM Unit and Key nightmare

[melsr]

I recently moved abroad to a country that has no dealership that has the Smart Car software. I took the car to have a spare made the day before I shipped it. Stupidly I did not check if the new key they gave me was working. Unfortunately someone jumped into the sea with my original worrking key in their pocket. Then I found out that the key I had programmed was duff.

Although there is a Mercedes dealership here, they are unwilling to get the SMART software to program a new key.

Does anyone know if getting a donor SAM unit with keys from a scrapped car will work in my car? Otherwise I may have to turn it into a plant pot!

[mrc59]

Contact SMART headquarters for help.

[melsr]

I tried that, they are being very unhelpful. Isn't there some way I could get the sam unit and keys programmed OUT of the car? As in send those abroad to be programmed rather than have to ship the whole car to a dealer? Nearest dealer is 500 miles away so in fact my car is worthless as it stands!

[SmartTech]

What year is your car?
it might be possible to pull you sam and send it with keys. they would then have to install it in a car there and program them in.
only catch though is i think once you get it back you would still have to program you sam to you car and if no one has the soft ware you are still in the same boat.

one thing you might look in to is getting a star diagnostics system for your own personal use. it may be extreme but if another dealer is out of the options then 2000 for computer might be worth it. and if there are other smarts around you could make some of your money back.

one other thing you could try is Mercedes shops that arent dealers might have the same software that will work on your smart

[jimvw57]

I noticed a key programmer on Ebay that said it would work on Mercedes and Smart cars. It was around $2,000 but maybe it might help you out. I have no idea if it will work or not.

[jwight]

He can probably ship the car back to Florida round trip for less than $2K; may be the only way to solve this.

[John_H]

How much would it cost to invite someone with programmer and software to reprogram the keys in exchange for a trip to Trinidad?

The key that went swimming can possibly be cleaned and refit with a new battery but would probably still need the reprogramming.

If ever you have electronics (or fine mechanical parts) doused in water, a rinse ASAP with isopropyl alcohol could save you from deterioration.

[DoraAnderson]

Creepy story, and I feel the pain.

I got a 2nd hand Smart with 2000 miles. Well, the horn doesn't work, the passenger door lock doesn't work, and heaven knows what else. I took it to the Mercedes Benz of Sugarland, Texas and they ordered a new SAM unit. Meanwhile, I also ordered a new key, because the car only came with one.

They called and said my SAM was in, and I can come in any time to have it installed.

Fifty miles one way, I got there and they took the car back, and then came and said that they can't put the SAM in without two keys. The second key is held up in customs. SOOOOOO I have to wait for the key to come in before they can install the SAM, and get the horn working.

My question is, what if I lose one of my keys, then what?

[mrc59]

Originally Posted by DoraAnderson

Creepy story, and I feel the pain.

I got a 2nd hand Smart with 2000 miles. <snip>

My question is, what if I lose one of my keys, then what?

This doesn't sound right to me. If you poses the title/registration, then whether you have the key(s) really should not matter with respect to ownership. I suspect something BOGUS here!

[SmartTech]

with the 451 cars you can program just one key to the car. the problem with losing keys is that if you lose all of them some times you have to replace the sam module so that it will accept all new keys.