A/C vents - Smart Car of America Forums : Smart Car Forum

Nance · 04-16-2009, 07:59 PM

I picked up my orphan Smart Passion Coupe on 4/1/09. It's so much fun to drive. I'm really happy with it. I just wondered if anyone else has noticed the A/C vents can't be adjusted to blow towards your chest and stomach area. They only blow A/C towards your neck, face, and higher. This is the only vehicle that I've ever noticed this in.
Nance

sato7 · 04-16-2009, 08:23 PM

the vents probably are used more to cool the hotter air that is closer to the top half of the car... hot air rises....

John_H · 04-16-2009, 09:12 PM

You mean the vents at the side? The ones in the middle point pretty far down on my car. The ones on the side don't appear to go below level (without help) but it's a pretty quick tweak to get them to point as far down as the center ones.

To remove the vents, just grab and yank up, slightly forward. There's a plastic lip along the back edge and two front metal spring clips holding the plastic shroud in place. With the assembly out, it's simple to pry the bottom apart to extract the vent held in place by a round edge in a round hole around the center. With the vent in hand, you'll notice two sets of black plastic "ears" on the top (see image top left). If the pair furthest forward (image lower left) are removed - not just snapped off as in the bottom image but snipped or cut cleanly off (lower right) - the vent will be able to point as far down (top right) as the center vents do in my car.

Reassembly is simply pushing the vent back into the shroud so that everything settles back to normal (tabs go on top) and putting the shroud back into the dash.

saronian · 04-17-2009, 02:39 PM

It's also possible to bypass the center dash vents and direct air to the upper dash-windshield vents, and/or the footwell vents.

sberger · 04-18-2009, 08:02 AM

I agree! That is one thing that Smart needs to look at. Not sure why the vents would not be made to adjust downward. It is very annoying!!! My only complaint about the Smarty. I think there was a survey that ask about this that I had filled out earlier. I think I answered wrong!

John_H · 04-18-2009, 08:16 AM

The problem with multiple postings is that information can get lost.

Thanks for the merge, jwight.

**jwight** · 04-18-2009, 09:06 AM

Threads merged.

Nance · 04-19-2009, 08:03 PM

Thanks for the information, comments, etc. Hopefully SMART will change the vent situation in future models.
Nance

roadster · 09-03-2009, 06:11 PM

John H,

You mentioned that your Center Vent do aim low?
Mine does not.
My Center Vent only aims above my face level which is exactly what Nance reported on his postings....

Could this also be modified by the same modification you performed to your side vents?

I would like to try them over this weekend!

John_H · 09-03-2009, 06:34 PM

I would expect so though I certainly couldn't say for sure since I have no guinea pig that doesn't aim low. I would expect the vents to be the same part number so go for it!