Instrument Cluster Display Problem

[factor9]

I just picked up my new smart Passion coupe, and I have found that when I put the shifter into "manual mode," and begin to upshift through the gears (either with the paddles or the stick), the gear display (e.g., "1," "2," "3," etc.) in the instrument cluster will fluctuate between "1" and the current gear for a few seconds before settling down and staying put on the gear number in use. Is this normal? If not, has anyone else experienced the problem? If so, was your smart Service Center able to correct the problem without too much difficulty? FYI - It appears that the display does the same thing when I down shift, but not as noticeably. Any advice or insight would be most welcome. Thanks! factor9 (Bob)
PS. Otherwise, the car is just fantastic! Drove it up the Sierra Nevadas on the way home. mostly in 4th gear, and you can barely feel or hear the gears shift. Plenty of pep, but I'm anxious to put DTH's exhaust on my smartie!

[bradgarbus]

Originally Posted by factor9

I just picked up my new smart Passion coupe, and I have found that when I put the shifter into "manual mode," and begin to upshift through the gears (either with the paddles or the stick), the gear display (e.g., "1," "2," "3," etc.) in the instrument cluster will fluctuate between "1" and the current gear for a few seconds before settling down and staying put on the gear number in use. Is this normal? If not, has anyone else experienced the problem? If so, was your smart Service Center able to correct the problem without too much difficulty? FYI - It appears that the display does the same thing when I down shift, but not as noticeably. Any advice or insight would be most welcome. Thanks! factor9 (Bob)
PS. Otherwise, the car is just fantastic! Drove it up the Sierra Nevadas on the way home. mostly in 4th gear, and you can barely feel or hear the gears shift. Plenty of pep, but I'm anxious to put DTH's exhaust on my smartie!

I don't own a smart yet, but I wonder if reteaching the computer would help? Page 132 if I recall. But be aware, there is a post somewhere that says the book is wrong, you have to wait 30 seconds or something...

Anyone that has done the process out there??? Please chime in...

[KingNine]

Don't worry about it too much. It seems the electronics take a little while and then they settle down. I had a number of weird electronic related things happen in the first couple of thousand miles, and then they stopped. The only thing I've found the manual mode good for is in crawling traffic to prevent upshifting. (Might be useful between Greenback and Taylor on a Friday afternoon, and probably that grade around Dutch Flat).

[mismart]

Factor9

Are you sure that the gear indicator is displaying a "1" ?

When the trans is in manual mode, below 5th gear, and at a steady speed or high rpm there is an 'upshift' indicator displayed which is an arrow pointing up. It means the computer thinks you should shift up a gear. Check it out.

Glad you're enjoying you new smart

[msjohnson1974]

Originally Posted by mismart

Factor9

Are you sure that the gear indicator is displaying a "1" ?

When the trans is in manual mode, below 5th gear, and at a steady speed or high rpm there is an 'upshift' indicator displayed which is an arrow pointing up. It means the computer thinks you should shift up a gear. Check it out.

Glad you're enjoying you new smart

The arrow does look A LOT like the "1"...

[factor9]

My Fellow Smart Friends! Thanks everyone! I'll hold off on resetting the computer for now, but to be honest, I had forgotten about the resetting feature. Regarding the upshift arrow, that was my first thought also, but I've kept the RPMs to less than 3,500 and after really looking at the display, I'm afraid it's a "1." However, I was stuck in a lot of stop/go traffic where I was forced to stay between first and second quite a bit, so I'll give the electronics a few days to settle down. Hey, Brad! If you ever plan driving up towards Dutch Flats, let me know - I live right along the way! Again, I really appreciate the advice!

Now that I've had a chance to really look at the display: Yep, it is the upshift arrow, not a "1" that blinks. The only thing that stikes me as being odd is that the upshift arrow starts blinking when I'm at @ 2,500 RPMs. When driving in manual, I am upshifting at approximately 3,000 RPMs, and I've been able to keep my tach range at 2,000 to 3,300 RPMs since I started to drive it. Yet, I haven't had a downshift arrow display once.

Has everyone who uses the manual transmission mode experienced the same "upshift" arrow flashing so frequently and at such a low RPM?

Thanks everyone! Bob

[MercuryX100]

And there's a downshift arrow.
I usually leave mine in Drive, but to avoid it downshifting too often I'll put it in manual mode to lock it in 5th. It downshifts into 4th more often than I'd like.