Dead or Charge Battery & 3 line dash display

[Docthrock]

Just so everyone can find the information a little easier...

If you kill (or perhaps even disconnect for whatever reason) your battery, chances are that you are going to see the dreaded "3 lines (bars) of death" on your dash display. This is apparently normal/common in this instance, and there is a restart technique you follow to "reset the computer". That involves a sequence of key off, key on, run the shifter through the gears once or twice, key off, key back on. Thanks to the Evilution Encyclopaedia for this and a lot of other information.

Seems when I did this, I had to go rather slow and I heard a click. Maybe I get the click all the time. But it took me two or three tries to get rid of the three lines in the gear display on the dash.

One thing I noted when I disconnected the battery in order to charge it was that my positive terminal was not only somewhat loose, but there was a LOT of corrosion on the battery terminal. Those of you that may be experiencing weak batteries, or if you're a nervous nelly, might want to pull back the carpet and the battery panel and check your terminals for tightness and corrosion. Just saying...

[Duckhunter]

Disconnected my battery several times and never had a problem with the transmission indicator remembering. Mine was always in park and not moved while battery was out.

[Dunerunner]

Also posted in this thread >>>FAQs/DIY: OPEN to see easy solutions to most common issues ...First post!

[Docthrock]

Originally Posted by Dunerunner

Also posted in this thread >>>FAQs/DIY: OPEN to see easy solutions to most common issues ...First post!

Thanks for that link. Regrettably when I SEARCHED and read MANY threads, that one didn't appear. Probably has something to do with titles and search keywords. Anyway, just trying to help.

Now I know how fast my battery will die if I leave the dome light ON. Duh.

[mvaldes]

I too have disconnected the battery a number of times and never had a shifter problem when it was reconnected.

[chieftmc]

Originally Posted by Docthrock

.....Now I know how fast my battery will die if I leave the dome light ON. Duh.

SSOOOOOO Doc,

HOW fast IS it

[Docthrock]

It was about 1.5 days when I checked the car. Maybe less. I wasn't driving the smart during "the blizzard", so it sat alone in the garage. If I hadn't needed to get something out of it to put in my other car, it could have been dead for days.

Who knows how weak the battery was to begin with, due to corrosion and a not so tight cable.

[skpnsf]

We've had our new 2010 451 for two days. I disconnected the battery to install some driving lights. When we went to start it we saw the flashing dashes in the speedo area and the car would not start. Fortunately I was able to get it started by turning the key on and off a few times and moving the shift lever through the positions as well.
Being a bit of a weekend warrior I suspected some kind of computer glitch. Thanks for posting this to confirm my suspicions regarding the "3 lines of death". Also, while moving the shifter with the key on we could hear what appeared to be the transmission shifting the gears. Since that time, starts fine and no noises from the tranny.

[dsilver201]

Thanks for the information. I put my smart up for the winter (Maine)and the battery went dead because I forgot about the Pod clock. Charged it up and to my amazement, four lines. Kept thinking it was the securety system.
Dsilver.. Bangor, Maine