Help! Serious problem with dropping to idle instead of accelerating!

[dzieman]

Hello everyone,

It has been a while since I posted, so thought I would catch up. After the computer software fix they did in February, things were okay for several weeks. Then, my wife had one incident a couple weeks back, and the car went back to the shop again. Of course, no evidence of any problem, and they can't reproduce it, so it is back to us again.

Ironically, the manager told me that he figures they erroneously assumed that our car was having the same problems as several other brought in around that time, so perhaps what fixed their problems is not what will fix ours. Hmmmm...

He also informed me that the dealership has now purchased two smart cars to provide loaners to their customers, so they don't have to provide rentals (which they don't normally provide anyway). Hmmmmm again....

I am curious as to how things went for ernest125? Any more news?

[dzieman]

Oh, and another thought...

Do any of you have trouble with the way the car shifts gears? Our smart shifts really rough, not in that gears grind or anything, but it really chucks you back and forth...also, it will shift gears when I am on a straight stretch, holding the speed steady - no hills or valleys or anything...

The 2009 loaner they gave us to drive while ours was in the shop was WAY smoother when shifting...just wondered if it is more of our junky lemon curse, or if they all do that!

[dzieman]

One last entry folks. We have successfully gone through the arbitration process through CAMVAP, which is similar to the lemon laws that exist in the US. The arbitrator found in our favour for a vehicle that was irreparable. The vehicle has been returned to the dealer with the buy back completed.

Thanks to all for your support and suggestions!
Dean Zieman

[jwight]

Congratulations; what are you getting to replace the smart?

[forestacademy]

Sorry it had to go all the way to it going back, But I would rather see that one off the road.

Have you moved on from Smart?

And thanks for the final report

[jimvw57]

did you notice any dash lights turning on ?? More specificly the Traction control one (triangle with a ! in the center)

[stressed member]

An "irrepairable" unit, hard to believe isn't it? Heard the same thing from maytag. My only question was "You guys made this, right?"

[dzieman]

Believe it or not, I am going waaaaaaay the other way, and have purchased a vehicle that I really enjoy, instead of for more practical reasons...a 1997 Cadillac Eldorado Hearse, Eagle conversion! hahaha
I do love the smooth ride!

I am sorry it had to come to that too, and even more sorry about the lack of customer service we were shown by Mercedes Benz. I hope they don't treat all customers and situations this way. My greatest fear is that they are going to put that car out on the lot and sell it again! They still maintain that there is nothing wrong with the vehicle.

It is not they who consider the vehicle irreparable, it was the arbitration process that deemed it so. Very thankful that we were able to find justice through them. By the way, if you go to the website for www.camvap.ca, there is a location where you can put in the VIN # of any vehicle, to see if it has been through an arbitration process and which way the award went. Nice idea for future purchases!

Again, thanks to all for your support!

[a2jack]

Dzieman. Thanks for the follow through. I'm sure this problem will emerge again on this board and your posts will help greatly.

I can hardly believe your dealer was so irresponsible, as to keep trying to make you go-away. What an outfit...

As with other gross dealer incompetence issues, the best way to get them moving is to "Name That Dealer" and post it here and on other Smart forums.

Good luck with the Cad hearse. What a fun machine. A2Jack

[forestacademy]

Going from a dead vehicle to a vehicle for carrying the dead.