dominus
chieftmc is correct to a point, Kane of
Evilution - Smart Car Encyclopaedia is the out right expert on these cars, and his site offers a lot of info.
Where I have been looking at the SAM (For other reasons) I have read a lot of posts here
smartmaniacs home and oddly enough the SAM has been known to get wet, and if it gets wet all sorts of STRANGE stuff could happen.
1st: find the leak and see if that leak has come in contact with the SAM.
2nd: when it goes into its Lock/unlock loop, does opening the door/back hatch/fuel door stop it?
3rd when you connect the battery, if you push the dash board Lock button does it happen
4th: if none of the above change any thing, disconnect this relay
http://www.fq101.co.uk/receiver.asp (actually a receiver), if it is still cycling chances are your SAM is damaged (if you found water near the SAM, that could be the cause).
You may be able to hook up with someone close to you from the UK site that may be able to help you quicker than we can.
Best of luck
ASM
ps. it's funny there is a guy in the US (a true micro car lover in Mass.) who has a 2001 cab. and it has the EXACT problem, we've tried to hook up for the last year (so I could see if I could assist) but so far it hasn't worked. SSOO if you find a definite root cause/cure please let me know and I'll pass it on
Just an update, I have got my key working again with the car, but the electrical problem persists. when I conect the battery and press either unlock or lock on the key fob, the locking mechanism just starts toing and froing perpetually, just whirring away, the indicators keep flashing, and it keeps going until the battery runs flat or I disconnect the battery. If I turn the key in the ignition to the 'on' position the problem stops and I can use the car, but it starts again the moment I turn the ignition off.
Help me please!!! I am going nuts trying to locate this problem!