Clutch: Driving at Slow Speeds

[MyEinstein]

I’ve had my car for six months and it has 7,400 miles on it. When I drive it around town in stop-and-go traffic or coast through parking lots, my car sometimes seems to get stuck in between first and second gear. It gets very jerky. It’s like riding in a manual transmission car with someone who doesn’t know how to drive it. It’s been having this problem since I bought the car, but I thought it was just a part of having an automated-manual transmission... now I’m not sure. Is this normal? Should I contact my smart dealership and ask about a replacement clutch?

[Old smart]

If you are driving at slow speed in automatic ("D") the transmission may be hunting for the gear it wants. If you put it manual ("+/-") you can hold the gear unless you come to a stop, then it will go to 1st. You can change between the two modes at any time and stay in the same gear.

[rfernatt]

Does your car have the 2.0 transmission software upgrade applied? If you can shift gears with the paddles while in D (auto) mode, then you have the new software. That might be one thing to check. Other than that, it can get a little jumpy at low speeds and you get better at modulating the throttle/brake and use manual mode for better control.

[jefferios]

The old clutch on the 08's may stick on occasion to give you the jerky motion. Otherwise if you get the 09 spec clutch, it will improve and more than likely go away about 75% of the time.

[John_H]

I'm surprised that someone suggests the new clutch would change the situation at all.

A little "bucking" is experienced at just the wrong speed under just the wrong conditions by many owners. Some of the bucking, I believe, is because of how we hold the gas pedal. If you buck forward, your foot comes off the gas causing the car to buck back so your foot presses on the gas causing the car to buck forward so your foot comes off the gas causing the car to buck back so your foot presses on the gas causing the car to buck forward so your foot comes off the gas causing the car to buck back so your foot presses on the gas causing the car to buck forward so your foot comes off the gas causing the car to buck back so your foot presses on the gas causing the car to buck forward so your foot comes off the gas causing the car to buck back so your foot presses on the gas causing the car to buck forward so your foot comes off the gas causing the car to buck back so your foot presses on the gas causing the car to buck forward so your foot comes off the gas causing the car to buck back so your foot presses on the gas causing the car to buck forward...

Sound like your experience?

[CWCjr]

Originally Posted by John_H

I'm surprised that someone suggests the new clutch would change the situation at all.

A little "bucking" is experienced at just the wrong speed under just the wrong conditions by many owners. Some of the bucking, I believe, is because of how we hold the gas pedal. If you buck forward, your foot comes off the gas causing the car to buck back so your foot presses on the gas causing the car to buck forward so your foot comes off the gas causing the car to buck back so your foot presses on the gas causing the car to buck forward so your foot comes off the gas causing the car to buck back so your foot presses on the gas causing the car to buck forward so your foot comes off the gas causing the car to buck back so your foot presses on the gas causing the car to buck forward so your foot comes off the gas causing the car to buck back so your foot presses on the gas causing the car to buck forward so your foot comes off the gas causing the car to buck back so your foot presses on the gas causing the car to buck forward so your foot comes off the gas causing the car to buck back so your foot presses on the gas causing the car to buck forward...

Sound like your experience?

Yes, but now my eyes are failing in the same way!

[Benjamin]

Originally Posted by John_H

I'm surprised that someone suggests the new clutch would change the situation at all.

A little "bucking" is experienced at just the wrong speed under just the wrong conditions by many owners. Some of the bucking, I believe, is because of how we hold the gas pedal. If you buck forward, your foot comes off the gas causing the car to buck back so your foot presses on the gas causing the car to buck forward so your foot comes off the gas causing the car to buck back so your foot presses on the gas causing the car to buck forward so your foot comes off the gas causing the car to buck back so your foot presses on the gas causing the car to buck forward so your foot comes off the gas causing the car to buck back so your foot presses on the gas causing the car to buck forward so your foot comes off the gas causing the car to buck back so your foot presses on the gas causing the car to buck forward so your foot comes off the gas causing the car to buck back so your foot presses on the gas causing the car to buck forward so your foot comes off the gas causing the car to buck back so your foot presses on the gas causing the car to buck forward...

Sound like your experience?

I did not know I needed to change ink in my monitor too

[smartmike]

I've found that the Sprint Booster eliminates most of that bucking effect, especially on low-speed cornering. I'm just saying...

Michael

[louis bolieu]

I never had the parking lot bucking until I installed the sprint booster.
Louis

[Mud Pie]

Wow, 8 responses and no one directly answered his question....

"Is this normal ?"

Yes it is.