[Mjolinor]

I would leave it as is if it feels OK to drive.

Teaching the clutch is not straightforward and if you are paying a Merc garage to do it then it is possible it will come back worse than it was when it went in.

My 2012 will not teach, it fails every time I try no matter what software I use to do it.

 

[Matrix11229]

Well so far everything seems to be working, no lines on the dash, I didn't even disconnect the battery

So you have only 1 adjustment notch visible ?
How many notches did you have before?
Why did you have to adjust? What codes did have? Did you replace your actuator / re-grease the old one ?

 

[Mjolinor]

What would happen if you pushed the adjustment to the max (meaning no more notches left) , I feel like when I was adjusting mine I have no more room to push further, only one notch left

Can you push the arm back into the actuator. If you only have one notch of movement left then I suspect your arm is stuck further in than it should be.

It should be possible to push the actuator "rod" back into the actuator by a couple of inches and it springs back out again.

 

[vadsoom]

I just posted this in another thread, but it might help here. If the car is experiencing rough shifting, a throttle body reset might help.

• Turn the key to “on” without starting the car.
• Push the accelerator all the way to the floor and hold for five seconds.
• Continue to hold the accelerator and turn the key to “off.”
• Release the accelerator pedal.
• Wait until all the dash lights turn off.
• Start the car normally and try a test drive. If the car was giving hard shifts before, this procedure should help.

 

[Matrix11229]

I have P2802 and P0949 . 2013 Pure.
Just bought it a month ago with money light on and occasional 3 bars of death/no switch in reverse.
I opened the clutch actuator, cleaned with electrical parts cleaner, re-greased.
After ECU reset with a better scanner , cel turned off and wouldn't comeback , including 3 bars of death. I was able to pass state inspection.
However as soon as I hit bumps and cracks on the road ,or do a sharp turn, the cel will come back on.

I'm wondering if there's damage to clutch actuator wire harness... Where could be the possible damage to look for?

 

[SAYO O]

So you have only 1 adjustment notch visible ?
How many notches did you have before?
Why did you have to adjust? What codes did have? Did you replace your actuator / re-grease the old one ?

So you have only 1 adjustment notch visible ? yea ,after the adjustment
How many notches did you have before? I was notch 8(out of 12 ) I believe
Why did you have to adjust? lines on dash
Did you replace your actuator? no re-greased the old one but I should consider looking for a replacement

 

[chetb]

I would leave it as is if it feels OK to drive.

Teaching the clutch is not straightforward and if you are paying a Merc garage to do it then it is possible it will come back worse than it was when it went in.

My 2012 will not teach, it fails every time I try no matter what software I use to do it.

Do you have any theories on why the reteach fails on your 2012? Assuming your transmission input shaft rpm sensor and your engine rpm sensor are working correctly, and your gearbox is able to switch to neutral, the only other component that can affect the reteach is the actuator itself, no?

Is it possible your actuator has lost the ability to control the extent to which the arm is pushed out? i.e, the actuator is just not able to stop at the bite/drag point, and thus the reteach process fails because it cannot find a way to repeatably and gradually increase the input shaft rpm.

Best I can tell, the worm gear drive relies on static friction to hold the arc gear (and thus the arm) at an intermediate position between fully retracted and fully out. Maybe the tip of your motor's worm drive is worn out and not providing enough friction?

I apologize if i'm being dense - i'm new to the analog world of car maintenance and might be making some incorrect assumptions about how the reteach process works.

 

[Matrix11229]

I think the issue is solved.
After a reset with a more sophisticated scanner I still had intermittent cel and 3 bars of death after hitting bumps on the road.
Then I replaced the actuator with one from Amazon and so far so good.
I think the old actuator wires are probably corroded. I'll try to open it up again and see if it's possible to repair.
So in my case, the fix for P2802 and P0949 is a combination of new clutch actuator and a reset with a proper scanner.
No need for Mercedes Star diagnostics.

 

[SAYO O]










Update......... I got the three bars of death and I was stranded for about an hour before the gears engaged ,I was only able to drive if I switch the car into manual mode ,I was only able to use up to gear 2 so it took me about an 1hr to get home while driving 20mph. Anyways I ordered another clutch actuator and installed it today, I didn't disconnect the battery and I put it on the same markings , I didn't even have to reteach anything ,it just worked right out of the box, it was Sachs 3981 000 066 from eBay for $340. only time will tell if I get the 3 bars of death again

 

[Matrix11229]

Congrats!
If check engine light is off and there are no pending codes then it's gonna be fine.

 

[Silver_Bullet_Smart]

I adjusted it last week without disconnecting the battery with no issues. Much better now.

 

[Smart in Flyover Counrty]

For what it’s worth, there is a secondary procedure that can be performed when replacing the clutch actuator, but it requires a Star Diagnostic machine or similar. It takes only a few minutes and teaches the car the clutch drag position with respect to the actuator.

Newby 1st Post. Have a 2014 451 Cabrio US model w/ 31k miles. Got the P073F code yesterday. Car pulling out of driveway in Drive, would not upshift & went into Neutral- flashing drive indicator, & check engine light w/ Wrench icons on dash. Looking to have a local independent shop which specialized in MB's & other Euro cars do repair. Seeing a bunch of comments regarding use of MB STAR to update/ train car. The shop has a MB STAR computer to my knowledge, would it include SMART too? The car is a weekend and airport mobile and not wanting to sink $1k USD to have dealer do repair. Any thoughts on best way to proceed (I'm thumbs so need to have a garage make repair).
P.S. Trans has a slight leak from Axle Shaft. Do I do both repairs at same time or just keep an eye on it? Car gets about 3k miles per year now.

Plus, Mrs. came home and said our GLC 350e had "Malfunction" w/ 2 gears show up on screen (car under warranty). When it rains it pours w/ Daimler! Not looking forward to spending a few days shuttling cars between shops. Thanks for reading.

 

[Smart in Flyover Counrty]

Newby 1st Post. Have a 2014 451 Cabrio US model w/ 31k miles. Got the P073F code yesterday. Car pulling out of driveway in Drive, would not upshift & went into Neutral- flashing drive indicator, & check engine light w/ Wrench icons on dash. Looking to have a local independent shop which specialized in MB's & other Euro cars do repair. Seeing a bunch of comments regarding use of MB STAR to update/ train car. The shop has a MB STAR computer to my knowledge, would it include SMART too? The car is a weekend and airport mobile and not wanting to sink $1k USD to have dealer do repair. Any thoughts on best way to proceed (I'm thumbs so need to have a garage make repair).
P.S. Trans has a slight leak from Axle Shaft. Do I do both repairs at same time or just keep an eye on it? Car gets about 3k miles per year now.

Plus, Mrs. came home and said our GLC 350e had "Malfunction" w/ 2 gears show up on screen (car under warranty). When it rains it pours w/ Daimler! Not looking forward to spending a few days shuttling cars between shops. Thanks for reading.

I did the Throttle Body reset per vadsoom's post. Check Engine light went away and seems to be shifting fine.
Did run through car wash with undercarriage high pressure wash recently- would this cause an issue w/ moisture??? Car is going to sit for a week while out of town on biz trip- will see how it goes upon return. Taking in for a 1 year service in a few weeks so let's see what MB dealer says (maybe they can clean & lube the clutch actuator??). Would still appreciate any thoughts on those who have dealt w/ this issue.

 

[Matrix11229]

Yeah, high pressure undercarriage wash is not a great idea around such small Smart engine or any engine compartment.
If check engine light went away, then you're fine for now.

Stall in 1st gear + trouble codes

My car had that weird problem where it goes into neutral from 1st gear automatically a few months ago. It just happened again tonight and this time I had a scangauge II connected, here's the codes that came up: P073F - Unable to engage gear 1 U3FFF - ? U3F00 - ? P0008 - Engine system...

www.smartcarofamerica.com

 

[Smart in Flyover Counrty]

Yeah, high pressure undercarriage wash is not a great idea around such small Smart engine or any engine compartment.
If check engine light went away, then you're fine for now.

Stall in 1st gear + trouble codes

My car had that weird problem where it goes into neutral from 1st gear automatically a few months ago. It just happened again tonight and this time I had a scangauge II connected, here's the codes that came up: P073F - Unable to engage gear 1 U3FFF - ? U3F00 - ? P0008 - Engine system...

www.smartcarofamerica.com

Thanks.
I live where there is more salt than asphalt on the roads at times. Will have to wash with high pressure gun instead of automatic method going forward I guess- being mindful of the gear actuator.

 

[vadsoom]

Thanks.
I live where there is more salt than asphalt on the roads at times. Will have to wash with high pressure gun instead of automatic method going forward I guess- being mindful of the gear actuator.

I’m in the same boat there - tons of road salt in use. I typically garage my 2008 smart for winter, but occasionally take it out when I want the higher road-trip MPG. I run it through the car wash almost every time I take it out before it’s garaged again. I’ve never had any issues with water in the connectors or other nasty places that cause functional problems.

That being said, I’ve had the hood blown off multiple times (I added hood latches to prevent it from happening again), had rocker panels detached, and a broken antenna. I still value having my car cleaned, so I’ve taken measures to prevent any more damage, but it think it’s worth it to keep the salt, mud, and corrosion causing crap off my “Mainty Kely.”