Electrical Turnsignal Problem - Smart Car of America Forums : Smart Car Forum

2micro4u · 03-23-2009, 09:55 AM

I have had this issue for a few day now. I currently have about 30,900 miles on my smart. (I do have an extended warranty) Well one day I was driving and my left turn signal was blinking fast so I pulled over and looked at my signals when on and only the rear signals are working. So I said to my self well only a few more days and I will take it in for my 30 K service. Well 1 day later the right front signal stopped working and only the rear signals would come on.
So 1-2 days later I took my car in for service and I had the dealer check my bulb to see if they need to be changed. Well Thursday dealer could not trace the problem and said the signals up front are not recieving the signal from the computer? I said ok well can we fix it? They advised me to leave the car with them another day to look at it deeper to futher to attempt to fix the issue. At closing on Friday dealer still could not fix the issue and said they are concerned for they so far don't have a solution to fix it. They said its not my fuses, bulbs or anything like that causing the problem but still trying to pin point what is the cause.
All they said is its a possibility its the computer.
So they let me take the car over the weekend so I can get to and from work. Monday which is today I dropped it back off in the morning so I hope they can have my car back to normal soon.

Has any one else had this problem before or heard of this problem? If so how did you or the dealer fix it?

Dunerunner · 03-23-2009, 09:58 AM

Holly What Next!! The computer runs the cup holders? Me thinks the computer doith too much!! Keep us posted on this one!!

fpage77 · 03-23-2009, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dunerunner

Holly What Next!! The computer runs the cup holders? Me thinks the computer doith too much!! Keep us posted on this one!!

I bet there is a smaller computer that controls that computer muhahaha! Kind of like Russian nesting dolls.

2micro4u · 03-23-2009, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dunerunner

Holly What Next!! The computer runs the cup holders? Me thinks the computer doith too much!! Keep us posted on this one!!

I will keep every one posted and wish my smart the best of luck while its at the doctors office.

SmartTech · 03-23-2009, 10:18 AM

There is a relay under the dash. its not in the wis (smarts tech manual for service) how ever they do show it in the packet they hand out during the technician training in detroit. we had that problem with one car several months ago. i will try and find it again and post a pic of it.

(edit) i cant find the pic of the location. but i found a page that references them not being a part of the sam module http://www.scp-parts.com/pdf/turn.pdf

Smart09 · 03-23-2009, 10:32 AM

It has to be the relay. I had the same problem. They replaced the relay an it works

2micro4u · 03-23-2009, 10:54 AM

GOOD NEWS
I just called the Service advisor and they advised me before I could tell them what I found out from the posting here it was a relay that went bad. So atleast is was not the computer and they found the issue.
BAD NEWS
Factory warrany is out at 24K of course. I have about 30,900 miles on my car now. I DO have the extended warranty however the Dealer advised me that unfortunatley the the EXTENDED WARRANTY DOES NOT cover relay's as out lined in the warranty coverage disclaimer.

. So inturn now I have to pay for the relay which is about $50 and a few hours of labor for them diagnosing the issue which will be several hundreds of dollars.

chieftmc · 03-23-2009, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2micro4u

GOOD NEWS
I just called the Service advisor and they advised me before I could tell them what I found out from the posting here it was a relay that went bad.
BAD NEWS
Factory warrany is out at 24K of course. I have about 30,900 miles on my car now. I DO have the extended warranty however the Dealer advised me that unfortunatley the the EXTENDED WARRANTY DOES NOT cover relay's as out lined in the warranty coverage disclaimer.

. So inturn now I have to pay for the relay which is about $50 and a few hours of labor for them diagnosing the issue.

AHHH............

The old "It's NOT covered" line

And your surprised why

Kermit · 03-23-2009, 11:28 AM

Yell and scream and stomp your feet telling them you're quite capable of replacing a relay (which you knew about at the same time they told you). You obviously would of replaced it yourself if you would of known you were about to be raped at the dealer.

Hopefully they won't end up being too bad, they shouldn't have past an hour of labor since it is obviously their fault for having techs who haven't done their homework and could of done a little research much like you just did. (I didn't say those particular techs are stupid

)

bcope01 · 03-23-2009, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2micro4u

...and a few hours of labor for them diagnosing the issue which will be several hundreds of dollars.

Seems kind of steep for diagnosing this particular problem. IMHO, the relay should have been checked immediately following the fuses and bulbs, and since several lights were involved, perhaps second to the fuses.