The strangest problem occured today...... (Re: shifting)

[blackbeagle]

Just took the Smart in for her last warranty checkover (22k). So everything is fine on the way to work this morning. On my way home, I noticed when I put it 'Stick' mode, the gear number would blink. On top of that, the small little wrench on top of the big wrench (on the left side) is also blinking.

No problem I thought until I drove it. I noticed it drove really slowly from stop. THen I realized I was starting from 4th gear. It never downshifted. At a stop, it would stay at 4th gear. Once I got up to speed it would get up to 5th. It was annoying as hell. Imagine going to a stoplight knowing that when it turns green, I won't be able to take off like everyone else.

It happened all the way home. I decided to stop the engine and restart. When I did that I noticed the odometer read -2600. WTH? Virus problem? Software problem? What did the Smart Center do to my car?

Once I got home from my painfully long trip, I noticed a foul smelling stench coming from the engine compartment. It doesn't smell like burn rubber. Something is burning but it's not rubber. It's like an animal died in the engine compartment.

I had to have her towed away. Looking to figure out the problem tomorrow......

[mdfortwoguy]

Your transmission was in protect mode. The foul smelling stench was your clutch being burned from slipping trying to run with just one gear.

This is all covered in the manual under limp home operation - but you need to get it off the road as soon as you safely can if this happens and re-learn the transmission (there is a procedure in the manual for it).

[Karl Roth]

The smell is probably from the adhesives that hold the friction material in your clutch face together. (they stink when they over heat) Hope they do the right thing for you, good luck.
karl

[Mud Pie]

Looks like a new clutch is coming your way, and SHOULD be covered by the dealer, if the stars are aligned properly.....

[PerryA]

Is the minus reading on the odometer typical of the reading when you've passed a service interval? i.e. 12600 miles but didn't have the oil change and check up where they'd reset the service interval. If you just had the car checked and it showed up as being past the service interval by 2600 miles, something must have happened during the check up. Did the invoice/work order show where they went and what they did?

I was just reading the "red fire extinguisher looking key thing" thread where folks were cautioning against the "let's try it and see what happens" approach. So, I'm a little predisposed to think "fingeritis." Someone started fiddling with something they should have left alone.

By all means, post the solution when you have it.