car problems/questions

[SuperGeek]

dovienya's accurate to some degree - it's not really a command per se that you're slowing down and it should prepare for braking. It's the fact that a manual transmission has two modes of operation: engaged or not engaged. Any in-between is only for RPM matching and the clutch is used for only a second or two, rarely during engine braking. So while in an automatic when you lift off the gas, the transmission will coast, a manual on any car will actually begin engine braking, more noticeably in the lower gears and speeds.

The reason the gas pedal makes it smoother is you're almost perfectly matching the RPMs, so any engine braking is lessened. It takes real precision to nail the RPMs like that around 5-10MPH (feather touch on the pedal), and I usually switch to manual 2nd gear whenever possible. It'll downshift right at 5MPH so if I see the speed going down that far, and I expect to come to a full stop, I put it in N for the last few seconds. Don't shift back into D while driving right at 5MPH... it'll shift to 1st, speed up to 6MPH then shift to 2nd, then 1st when it drops to 5MPH again. 4MPH is safe, 7MPH is safe. 5 or 6 are trouble. Computer's not too smart in that area.

[powerofvoodoo]

Thanks for all of the tips regarding the jerking. I'll have to try some of them out. Thankfully, I don't drive in traffic very often.
I guess I'll have to take the car in to get the alarm looked at. My sales guy is going to be upset when/if I finally get the survey - I'm having too many problems/miscommunications with them.

[rfernatt]

Yep, the gas pedal is key. If you're in 1st and have your foot off the gas at 5 mph or so, expect the bucking bronco ride. It's pretty much like any other manual transmission car with the clutch engaged and the engine at idle, jerking along at low speed. The smart has less weight to dampen the effect, so it's probably a bit more noticeable in the smart than larger manual cars/trucks.

So, as others have said, in low speed conditions:

1) Run in manual mode (I do nearly 100%) so you can force the gear selection and not let it change inappropriately during low speed crawling.

2) Keep your distance from the car in front of you to the point that you can leave it in first and give it the smallest amount of gas possible and it will smoothly cruise at low speed (5-10 mph). If it's stop and go, just keep your distance at a constant low speed, instead of 0 - 20 - 0 - 15 - 0 like the impatient people in front of you. Hopefully, you can minimize the bucking, stop/starts, and get better mpg for you and everyone behind you. Of course, be reasonable about it and don't create a huge gap either. Some guy behind you will have an aneurysm if he doesn't reach his exit 15 seconds sooner.

3) Give it some time. It will get better/smoother as things wear in and your experience increases. It really is like learning to drive a new manual transmission car, except you don't have to learn the clutch.

[mvaldes]

Here's another thread on the alarm problem:
Alarming Situation

Most of us that had the problem were able to get by until we could visit the dealer by disarming the motion sensor (push the button with the tow hook symbol on the center console) before locking the car. BTW, the other parts of the alarm system are still functional when you disarm the motion sensor so you're not leaving your baby totally unprotected.

[powerofvoodoo]

Thanks for all the help! I was able to take my car to the Virginia Beach dealership today (I was surprised too - I called them at 2pm and asked them if they could take me in an hour and they made an appointment for 3:30pm). They said that it was the microwave sensor thing and replaced it.
I just wish there was a better (and closer) dealership around me though.