New owner stranded: shifter stuck in park - Smart Car of America Forums : Smart Car Forum

sspikey · 06-15-2009, 01:07 PM

Is there any way to defeat this issue. I know the earlier 451 had this problem but not the 09. Seems to flash abs light and tc light once I try to shift in to gear.

piglith · 06-15-2009, 01:11 PM

Foot on break and good power. If there is no power then no shift.

Don't park in garage and pull battery and expect to move car by moving to nutral. ;)

sspikey · 06-15-2009, 01:14 PM

No no you don't get it car starts up and all this is the shifter faulty problem not related to power

smrt4her · 06-15-2009, 01:16 PM

Will this thread help?
Shifter stuck in park - Here's the get me home fix.

sspikey · 06-15-2009, 01:39 PM

Very helpful damn I have no tools or grease on me

piglith · 06-15-2009, 01:40 PM

Quote:

No no you don't get it

No I got it, just was suggesting things so that you could better think of possable problems. If you have power and it starts then great.

First the ECU has to recive a break engage before it will alow the shifter to move from park. This could be a problem with the break sensor. Not sure about other ECU requirements (haven't tried them). IE. Rear window closed. It is more likely that Smrt4her's post is the solution and the switch needs lubracating or the shift unit needs replacement.

mvaldes · 06-15-2009, 01:56 PM

If you can't lube the shifter, you can try STOMPING several times on the brake pedal. Some have had success with this since apparently a sticky brake light switch is another thing that can leave you stuck in park. Really hitting the brake pedal hard a few times can unstick it enough to get you mobile and to the dealer for a real fix.

smrt4her · 06-15-2009, 02:02 PM

No tools needed for the quick fix.

Quote:

1. Slip fingers slightly between bottom edge of the cover and the carpet. Pull up and back ,and snap the cover loose, but do pull up over an inch or so. Be gentle.

Prop up front of cover about an inch.

2. On the ground, looking in under the cover from the drivers side, you can see a yellow lever just inside the cover. WITH THE KEY ON , Lift this yellow lever while wiggling and pulling the shifter down, out of park. (Wife used a pen to lift the lever).

3, Do not try to use Park again until the whole shifter box has been replaced.

Does that help?

**jwight** · 06-15-2009, 02:46 PM

Quote:

IE. Rear window closed

No relationship to shifting the car.

sspikey · 06-15-2009, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smrt4her

No tools needed for the quick fix.

Does that help?

YUP!
i gave up the first time since i had nothing whatsoever finally i jammed my fingers in and it somehow worked and got to the dealer only to have the smart car dealer technician look at me like i was a moron for having saved Smart a tow and drove the car there myself.

Silverstar mercedes Decarie in Montreal are really horrible on service.