[designlemon]

I have a 2008 Passion with 28k miles. Driving on the highway for 70 miles, the car stalled out with no warning lights whatsoever. Wouldn't re-start. Had it towed and am now being told by the dealer that it overheated to the point that it literally melted the engine.

How could this happen?? Has anyone else had, or heard of, a similar situation? Shouldn't my temperature gauge have at least come on?

I love my Smart... I was one of the first owners and have always sung their praises to everyone I know. I've never had a problem with this car (other than the sticky transmission we all seem to have). Have babied it with 5k mile oil changes. This just doesn't make sense to me.

I'd appreciate any suggestions, insights, etc. from other Smart owners.

I am so upset...

 

[forestacademy]

Your not the first. No warning light for low coolant.

Some smarts did have an issue with the coolant hose rubbing to the point where it causes a leak

 

[smark]

Very strange, a idiot light didn't light up. Sorry about your car. New engine, or donate you car off. Not much you can do.

 

[Uptown Dog Co]

I have a 2008 Passion with 28k miles. Driving on the highway for 70 miles, the car stalled out with no warning lights whatsoever. Wouldn't re-start. Had it towed and am now being told by the dealer that it overheated to the point that it literally melted the engine.

How could this happen?? Has anyone else had, or heard of, a similar situation? Shouldn't my temperature gauge have at least come on?

I love my Smart... I was one of the first owners and have always sung their praises to everyone I know. I've never had a problem with this car (other than the sticky transmission we all seem to have). Have babied it with 5k mile oil changes. This just doesn't make sense to me.

I'd appreciate any suggestions, insights, etc. from other Smart owners.

I am so upset...

Post your location instead of USA and you might get some helpful suggestions for help in your area. As an example, if you are near Charlotte, NC, I could be pretty specific on how you could save your car without going to a dealer and getting an engine installed for less than half of what a dealer charges.

Uptown Dog Company

 

[Miss Mercedes]

There's not much you can do really short of buying another engine. Sometimes a part fails, causing undesired effects. Apparently your smart had developed a coolant leak (maybe from the hose forest mentioned) and eventually cooked itself.

A lesson for the future: When you fill up on fuel, check your fluids.

Good luck with your poor smart

 

[Brabus007]

hmmmmmmmmmmm
http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/forums/f25/451-hose-info-radiator-hose-wear-30295/

 

[designlemon]

Thank you for the well wishes and speedy replies. I think the hose leak is a likely scenario for my Smart.. I was told the rear hose was split and that's where the leak likely began. Keep in mind that only a few days prior to the meltdown, I had driven from Upstate, NY to NYC... about 400 miles, with no problems whatsoever. There was nothing leaking from the car, and I know there was coolant in the reservoir because I did check fluid levels before leaving on my trip, including oil, and all were fine.

I drove the car around NYC the few days I was there, and again, it was fine. And it was fine for that hour or so that I was on the road before it stalled. So the 'fail' had to have occurred within a very short period of time. Call me crazy, but I think it's fair for me to have expected a warning light to come on if my coolant was leaking out all over my engine.

Was there a recall on the hoses rubbing? I can't find anything.

Thank you all again... I appreciate your time.

 

[designlemon]

wow.

"1000cc fortwo model 451. please watch your water temperatures when driving
because the coolant pipe can rub against the body of the car underneath
where the radiator pipe goes towards the front of the car. In the design,
it was already known to be a problem so some nylon netting was added but
the engine still moves up and down and will cause the pipe to grind and
break. "

 

[Uptown Dog Co]

Has anyone installed a temp gauge?

 

[NCC1701]

Ultragauge, scangauge and other OBD devices display coolant temperature. Too bad the smart doesn't have one in the instrument cluster.

 

[kennyrayandersen]

somtimes those leaks can be VERY small and show up only when hot and pressurized i.e. they don't leave any sign of a leak. Sometime you might get a little bit of an odd sweat smell, and sometimes nothing at all. The fluid level should be checked periodically.

 

[larryw4csc]

Does the engine turn over from the starter, or did it lock up seized? In other words, did it crank, but wouldn't start? If it "melted" it would have sounded like it exploded as the rods bent and snapped. It would have made an awful knocking commotion before that.....NOT just stopped! Mine just stopped....3 TIMES!..no warning lights, no computer codes, no check wallet (engine) light? Sound familiar? Just for fun, see if Fuse 16 (15Amps) is blown. Let me know if it's blown. Mine was NOT alone! Fuse 16 is the fuel pump.

If an engine seized in gear, at any speed, the rear wheels would be locked in a big skid and the knocking would scare you to death right on top of it in a Smart.

Don't trust any dealer service scam....

 

[noodle9]

This is one reason that I got my Ultra Gauge. I can monitor temperature at all times.

 

[jwight]

For the OP, try this contact at smart USA: [email protected], just mention "Quinn" in the subject line

 

[Brabus007]

The darn car needs a low level Warning Horn for the coolant tank (problem solved)... Horn sounds, and you pull over immediately (engine saved)...<)

Heck, even my lowly Power Generator has a low oil level engine cut off built into it...!!!

 

[dhirtle]

seriously? not even a warning icon? that's crazy

 

[jsenka]

This is one reason that I got my Ultra Gauge. I can monitor temperature at all times.

That was the primary reason for getting mine.

 

[Carbon Brabus]

Get ahold of these guys: S&W Race Car Dragster Chassis, Roll bars, Cages, Suspensions, Parts

Tell them you want a chassis built for your smart so you can use a real engine! It'll probably be cheaper than having a stock engine replaced!

The possibilities are endless!

 

[italian81]

I have a 2008 Passion with 28k miles. Driving on the highway for 70 miles, the car stalled out with no warning lights whatsoever. Wouldn't re-start. Had it towed and am now being told by the dealer that it overheated to the point that it literally melted the engine.

How could this happen?? Has anyone else had, or heard of, a similar situation? Shouldn't my temperature gauge have at least come on?

I love my Smart... I was one of the first owners and have always sung their praises to everyone I know. I've never had a problem with this car (other than the sticky transmission we all seem to have). Have babied it with 5k mile oil changes. This just doesn't make sense to me.

I'd appreciate any suggestions, insights, etc. from other Smart owners.

I am so upset...

Very common problem at our dealership. Weve been getting alot of customers coming in with the same problem. The car overheats blowing the headgasket and in some cases warping the head. This is caused by a lack of coolant which we think has something to do with the poor design of the head gasket. It sucks and most of the times it happens to cars that have over 20k

 

[chieftmc]

Very common problem at our dealership. Weve been getting alot of customers coming in with the same problem. The car overheats blowing the headgasket and in some cases warping the head. This is caused by a lack of coolant which we think has something to do with the poor design of the head gasket. It sucks and most of the times it happens to cars that have over 20k

Could "retorquing" the head help ???

(prior to damage of course )