The heating system will automatically maintain a set temp based on the temp you have chosen on the dial. The system will adjust air temp and recirculation to maintain the temp in the cabin. The little black dot inter the mode adjustment knob is a temp sensor. A sure fire way to make HOT air come out is to move the temp lever up to the top.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ but it could be different with the EV.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Are you asking about pre-heat (charge&depart), or heat while driving?

While driving, hot air should come out a few seconds after turning the fan on at least 1 and the temperature setting to something higher than the cabin temperature. If there is only cold air, the heater is broken (happened to someone here before).

Note that you can't get heat without the fan on (e.g. just from air coming through the vents) like you can in a gas car.

 

The only problem with the heat is that I wish it had a temperature setting cooler than 60F. When it is 5F outside, 60F is too warm, more than enough to provide defogging/de-icing and only wastes precious battery pack energy. I end up having to manually cycle the heat on and off.

Curious, what is the lowest temp setting in the (presumably Celsius) Canadian Smart ED's?

 

Check and or replace your cabin air filter, it's easy, if you hear the fan working it's butt off but don't feel any air coming out of the vents, this will be your problem....Hope this helps!

 

Thanks for the replies folks. I have turned the fan on with the temp gauge set around 75 and I get nothing but cool air. Car only has 3000 miles on it, so I doubt the cabin filter needs a change yet. And I am talking about getting warm air when driving the car, not the pre-heat deal. Maybe my heater system is broken - next trip to the dealer won't be until July, so I'll just live with it through the winter unless someone has a link to a fix. Thanks goodness I'm in North Carolina and not Wisconsin.

Len
2014 EV

 

I have turned the fan on with the temp gauge set around 75 and I get nothing but cool air.

That's exactly what happened to my 2014 ED last winter. I brought it in for repair. Luckily, my closest smart center is 15 miles away. If I recall correctly, a heater module needed replaced.

 

My ED blows lava-hot when dial set to 26C (the max). I set the heater to min or max, never in between, and change the fan speed to adjust the heat/cooling. For me, that works well, as when I'm cold, I want hot hot air blowing, and when I'm hot, I want the arctic in my car immediately...

 

How does the heat and AC work on the electric cars? Obviously on a gas engine it heats the water and the water goes through a heater core where a fan blows air across it and into the car and the AC has a compressor and freon to make cool air when the engine is running. Does a EV have a belt that turns a compressor when you want AC? Just asking because I just purchased a 2014 with 3,000 miles on it.

 

The ED has an electric AC compressor (sort-of like your home AC unit). Heat comes from an electric heating cartridge in the air duct (sort-of like your home space-heater).

 

Crazy idea and not to make fun of you, yet have you checked the fuse for the heater?

 

Good suggestion to check the fuse. Just did that and it appeared to be okay. Just looked at it in place. This is the fuse I need to check right:

¡ Coolantpump,electricdrivecomponents,HV interior PTC heater passenger compartment, windshield unit car2go
10 A Red

So would there be any of those other components that would make it obvious that the fuse was blown? I notice no other issues.

I also tried SmartElectric's idea of setting the temp gauge to MAX with the fan on - still nothing but cold air.

Len
2014 EV

 

Check the connection to the heater coil under the dash.

 

I try to do all the work on my own cars, so I have no trouble digging into the issue once I know where to look. I've attached a few under dash photos here:

https://smartcarunderdash.shutterfly.com/pictures/8

If you can point out to me where I need to be looking, I'd appreciate that. It's through forums like this one that I've not had to have to take any of my cars to a repair shop in a long time.

The car is still under warranty, but it's not going to be until about July before I take it in for the annual battery check and deal with any warranty issues. The reason for that is that it is 130 miles to my dealer and I'll likely have to have it towed all or part of the way.

Thanks for all the input folks - much appreciated.

Len
2014 EV

 

I try to do all the work on my own cars, so I have no trouble digging into the issue once I know where to look.

As Yinzer has suggested be careful with DIY in this brave new EV world. 400V will "leave a mark" unlike that of only 12V.

 

Since your car only has 3k miles on it, why not just take it back to the dealer?
My friend's Smart EV had the same problem, he took it back and the dealer fixed it.

 

No doubt that would be my first choice since the car is still under warranty. However, read my post above - taking it to the dealer is not convenient or easy to do. Love it if it was an easy and cheap fix I could handle. Otherwise I'll likely turn the seat heaters up to high for the next month and suck it up until it goes in for its battery service in July or August.

Len
2014 EV

 

Mine appears to blow just as hot at a high as a low setting as long as the interior temperature is below the setting.

 

Len,

You should be aware that the heater element is high-voltage i.e.main pack voltage (400V or so) not just 12 volts. Any wires that have bright orange sheaths are high voltage.

The Smart ED factory service manual (by paid subscription) is here: A one-day subscription is $60.00, an one-year subscription is $3098.00!

 

Look in the left side floor of the passengers footwell.

On the gas Smarts, there is a temp sensor there. It gets kicked really easily, and may be unplugged (if present)...

 

I used a company called Montway Auto Transport to ship a car to Chicago. 900 miles, $500...
Pickup was a Wal-Mart parking lot, delivery was a college football parking lot. With most 18 wheel car carriers, the seventh car puts them overweight...
A Smart just might squeeze in...

 

It *seems* like no heat comes out at the lowest temperature setting but with the fan on. But as soon as I move a notch up on the temperature the heat engages. Is this not how it works? I like air flow, even if it's chilly. And I don't always need heat just because it's a little cold out. That's a battery waste. I live in Central Texas, and really don't need a heater.

 

Seth,

Yes. At the notch below "60" (degrees F) it operates as just a fan. Above 60, if the interior temperature is below 60F, it will produce heat.

 

Thanks - if you happen to stumble across it someday, let me know.

Len
2014 EV

 

Len,

The car would not still be under warranty?

I bet that heater unit is very pricey though. I would not be surprised at all if it was four digits.

Regarding the voltages, it is probably safe as a DIY job, but probably a whole lot of disassembly required. Relays cut the high voltage off at a point inside the pack when the car is turned off. Also, DC from a battery pack in not like AC. In the case of high voltage AC, the whole Earth and anything connected to it is at ground potential. In the case of high voltage DC from a battery pack, only the packs negative terminal and anything connected to it is at ground potential. You could grab the positive voltage of the pack all day and nothing would happen. You would need to grab both positive and negative to do any damage to yourself. And unlike 12 volt systems in IC cars, high voltage traction power never connects the vehicle frame to traction pack negative - for fairly obvious reasons.

 

Yinzer - see my post #24 above. Yes, the car is still under warranty. Closest dealer is 120 miles away and my plan is not to go there until I'm due for the annual battery check in July. Probably going to have to tow it part or all the way, so I don't want to have to go through that twice. Now if I had a dealer closer or if I still lived in Pittsburgh, I might not feel the same way, but I can easily make it through a NC winter with just the seat heaters.

I think I may have found what could be the bad part. It is called the heat booster, part # A 451 830 26 00. There is one on e-bay for $1700. Not sure what the dealer MSRP is. At that price, I'm certainly not going to buy one, since it will be covered under warranty.

See MERCEDES A 451 830 26 00, HEAT BOOSTER: Part Info for a parts blow up of the part in question.

Len
2014 EV
3200 miles

 

ebay! great idea. It's this one. $132.

The description says it's for a 2008-13 pure, but the pictures show the right partnumber: A451 830 31 61

 

It's actually a different part number, but it sure looks like the same part in the EPC. However, at $132 for a used part, I think I'll wait to get the new $1700 part under warranty from Mercedes/Smart.

Len
2014 EV

 

We purchased a new 2018 Smart electric ~2 months ago. Our heater is problematic, too. When we first turn it on, no heat, although the available miles drops by ~10. The second time we turn it on that day, we often have heat. Not sure if this pattern will hold, but that's what we've noticed so far.

 

We purchased a new 2018 Smart electric ~2 months ago. Our heater is problematic, too. When we first turn it on, no heat, although the available miles drops by ~10.

Welcome to SCoA, time to head to the smart Center for warranty repair!

 

Replaced heater booster and one motor for flaps. Done by the dealer under warranty. All working well now.

Len
2014 EV Coupe 19,500 miles
2014 EV Cabriolet 16,500 miles