Transmission reprogramming?? (official program name: “smart 2.0 Check Up”) - Smart Car of America Forums : Smart Car Forum

JimmyT · 11-02-2008, 11:20 AM

A quick question for the collective... I have read that the SMART Brabus has a reprogrammed transmission to shift faster, and have also been told that the 2009 models benefit from faster shifting also. My question is can a 2008 model take advantage of this programming, or was there a mechanical change to the transmission to help this shifting happen? If this is a simple software change, can the dealer reprogram the transmission on a 2008 model? Thanks in advance for the replies....

Wdhitch · 11-02-2008, 11:26 AM

I sent an email to our service advisor about this... will post when he replies.

RLove · 11-02-2008, 12:12 PM

We were told on the Road Show that the 451 would have improved shift times too...it was a lie. The software re-map guys say that their remap can improve the shifting too...but I would want proof before I dropped $600+.

JimmyT · 11-02-2008, 12:26 PM

Does one ECM in the car control both the engine and the transmission? Or are there two different ECMs? I have a little experience with VW DSG, and know about two different ecms for a single vehicle.

SuperGeek · 11-02-2008, 12:29 PM

I'm not sure how you can improve shifting speed... the computer's pretty darn quick. The apparent delay comes from rev-matching... i.e. you're punching it past 4,000 RPMs, the shift command comes (manual or auto), and the computer knows that it really doesn't want to slam the clutch back into place at 4,000 RPMs, so it throttles back for 1 second. I can speed up the so-called shift delay by simply throttling back just prior to shift (as you would in any other manual transmission), but the 0-60 speed probably isn't any faster.

Now, if the transmission had dual clutches... life would be totally different.

I guess a software upgrade could tell it to blip the throttle at different rates/times, to give less jerkiness to re-engaging the clutch, but I don't think it'd speed up any.

xcrew229x · 11-02-2008, 01:06 PM

Want faster shifts ? Spend bigger bucks. Simple.........

Wdhitch · 11-02-2008, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xcrew229x

Want faster shifts ? Spend bigger bucks. Simple.........

Not so simple... The 09's have an improved shifting program for the transmission... not having seen or driven in an 09 I don't know if there is really a difference... but if there's a better program being used with the same tranny and ECM than an update from the dealership shouldn't be that hard... and it shouldn't cost a thing.

xcrew229x · 11-02-2008, 02:29 PM

Old saying..... lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part. Let's change it..... lack of research on your part does not constitute free upgrades on Daimlers part. The car and trans work as designed........ if you want Tiptronic quality shifts, buy a Porsche.

SunDiego · 11-02-2008, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wdhitch

Not so simple... The 09's have an improved shifting program for the transmission... not having seen or driven in an 09 I don't know if there is really a difference... but if there's a better program being used with the same tranny and ECM than an update from the dealership shouldn't be that hard... and it shouldn't cost a thing.

Is there a software update we can get??

paroyboy · 11-02-2008, 02:49 PM

One of the salesmen I was talking to said they heard that the 09 cars had improved the shifting some and there would be a flash update available. Truth? I dont know. I'm actually kind of enjoying mine the way it is. Like nothing else on the road!