Maintenance and Service

[SmartCarAdvisor]

Hello to all Smart Enthusiasts!

I will be the service advisor for smart when our dealership opens in February. What are some of the common maintenance or service problems you guys have had with your 450?

I am just trying to find out what I am in for!

[Carnut]

Some of our members have a 450, but none have a 451 as yet. Appreciate your question, but premature. You may want to post on the Canadian site as they already started to get deliveries of 451s and have a couple of years of experience with 450 diesels. www.clubsmartcar.com.

Hang around here as I am sure you will learn some choice things.

[Harleyduo]

If you read my story about the trials and tribulations I've been having with the new tire sensors in the 451's, you can get prepared for the next guy that comes along and wants to have an extra set of tires and wheels. Can you find the part number for the rubber grommet and grommet that I need to screw the Schrader sensors into my new STEEL wheels? I got the sensors from Canada, but thought they would come with everything, now I learn that Mercedes pieces them out separately with different part numbers. I've decided to wait and buy them from a Smart Dealer, if I can find one that has them.

Now you have your first homework assignment...let's see what kind of student you turn out to be...(from a retired educator in Michigan)

[SmartCarAdvisor]

Originally Posted by Harleyduo

If you read my story about the trials and tribulations I've been having with the new tire sensors in the 451's, you can get prepared for the next guy that comes along and wants to have an extra set of tires and wheels. Can you find the part number for the rubber grommet and grommet that I need to screw the Schrader sensors into my new STEEL wheels? I got the sensors from Canada, but thought they would come with everything, now I learn that Mercedes pieces them out separately with different part numbers. I've decided to wait and buy them from a Smart Dealer, if I can find one that has them.

Now you have your first homework assignment...let's see what kind of student you turn out to be...(from a retired educator in Michigan)

Our first parts order should arrive next week, no set date. I should know the part number on the grommets then. Smart has shipped our parts order but as of today we do not know what is included in the order. All they have told us is that we are getting $30,000 worth of parts.

[Harleyduo]

Yes, and I worry that nobody will really know what parts will be sought after until after they discover that they don't have them in stock and have to order them. I'm suspecting it's the same as some of the other Mercedes cars since they tend to use just two or three different sensors on the bulk of their models, but I also fear that they won't have a clue as to which one it is, but then I've never had any reason to do business with Mercedes until NOW. A part number would help me find out, so keep me in mind and thanks for the super fast response. If others within the Smart family were as fast, there would be a lot less frustrated people.

[Old smart]

If it turns out that the OEM smart TPMS sensors and mounting hardware are NOT Schrader (M-B has also used Siemens and Beru), I would give “The Tire Rack� a call and explain exactly what you have to work with (wheel and sensor mfg P/Ns) and see if they can supply the appropriate Schrader parts.