I would say about the same degree of chance as the mod being the cause of a flat tire or maybe roof cracking.
Would you care to detail your wild speculation ?
Many owners have been removing their fuse #11 for years without any damage to ECM ("or whatever else electrical").
Unless you can substantiate your theorem, you have proven your lack of electrical knowledge.
Here's a practicum for said theorem. Open up your computer while it's on, now pull out your video card. Now put it back in. Is the computer expecting the card to just reappear? How's that voltage spike for you?
My point is, for one thing... a simple push button switch doesn't buffer the voltage enough to prevent damage to the ECU circuits, and the ECU is probably not programmed for an on/off toggle during runtime. Do you want to risk it interpreting a stray spark as "cut power to engine?" at 50+mph?
Remember, this little computer is responsible for everything from door locks and headlights to safety systems. If you start unplugging and reattaching fuses deliberately and repeatedly, you're just begging for it.
As previously mentioned, UK gallons are bigger, so the mpg rating will appear higher than US equivalent. If you want to compare side-by-side, go buy an issue of CAR magazine and look up the summaries in back. Also keep in mind the motor options when comparing (note the smart diesel rating).
After sitting in a Yaris at the recent auto expo I'm not holding out much hope for the IQ. The Yaris seats and seating position were just unacceptable when compared to the smart. I was sitting way too high, brushing my head on the roof, and had poor visibility out front.
On the other hand, I hate to admit that I liked the Mini (albeit at almost TWICE the price of a smart), but it's waaay too big for my purposes, and who really needs that extra cylinder anyway?
Keeping the smart....
Last edited by PeteInLongBeach; 01-05-2009 at 11:44 PM.
If you start unplugging and reattaching fuses deliberately and repeatedly, you're just begging for it.
Defeating ESP in this car is asking for it.
Every other MB product has a switch to defeat ESP. The smart does not because of liability reasons. After the initial round failed the Elk/Moose test, ESP (called trust+ back then) was added to keep it in line when things get really hairy.
The handling dynamics/wheel and tire size combo are tuned to make the car understeer by default when things get too aggressive, and the ESP cuts in to get the car back in line. Disabling it seems like the expressway into crashing into a curb, another car, or putting your fortwo on its side.
Just as ABS can pump brakes faster than any human possibly could, ESP can intervene before a driver would even sense things are going awry. I consider myself an excellent driver, as I'm sure most of you are on here - but even then, there are times when the car may know better than we do.
Now - I am miffed that there is not a "traction control" disable portion to the ESP as MB puts in some of their other vehicles. There are times when it is helpful to be able to spin your tires to dig out of a snowdrift or such - and the lack of inclusion of that is irritating... that would be the only time I personally would pull fuse 11.
Every other MB product has a switch to defeat ESP. The smart does not because of liability reasons. After the initial round failed the Elk/Moose test, ESP (called trust+ back then) was added to keep it in line when things get really hairy.
The handling dynamics/wheel and tire size combo are tuned to make the car understeer by default when things get too aggressive, and the ESP cuts in to get the car back in line. Disabling it seems like the expressway into crashing into a curb, another car, or putting your fortwo on its side.
Just as ABS can pump brakes faster than any human possibly could, ESP can intervene before a driver would even sense things are going awry. I consider myself an excellent driver, as I'm sure most of you are on here - but even then, there are times when the car may know better than we do.
Now - I am miffed that there is not a "traction control" disable portion to the ESP as MB puts in some of their other vehicles. There are times when it is helpful to be able to spin your tires to dig out of a snowdrift or such - and the lack of inclusion of that is irritating... that would be the only time I personally would pull fuse 11.
Is it the traction controlor the ESB (or are they one in the same) that caused my situation last week pulling onto the busy highway?
Stability controls have proven to be the #1 life saver in studies over the last few years, couple with abs the number of lives saved is amazing. I had my doubts about it in the smart until a couple of weeks ago when I hit a patch of black ice on I-94 at 55 mph and felt it go to work. As I started to loose traction and skid, the stability control jumped in to keep the car straight. I live in the Chicago area which has its share of bad weather so far this winter and have found that letting the systems do what they are designed to do works great for me. BTW - stability control will be mandatory on all cars and trucks sold in the US starting in 2011.
BTW - stability control will be mandatory on all cars and trucks sold in the US starting in 2011
Isn't it interesting that today you have a choice: you can elect to purchase cars with stability control (if you like it: I do), or you can elect to purchase vehicles without it (if you don't like it, like some posters above).
In the Mini Cooper, for instance, since many years ago, you can elect to purchse stability control: or not.
By 2011, this freedom will have been taken away from you, just like today the government forbids that you own a Toyota iQ which is freely available in the rest of the world.
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