[Ahsan Sarwar]

Hi, having an intermittent issues on my smart. When i start the car up from cold it engages reverse right away without any clunk or sound. Very smoothly too. But if the car has been running for a while say an hr and i try to put it into reverse it will make a jerky motion or clunky sound and if i do the reverse switch a bit abruptly it will make two clunking and jerky motions and go into reverse. I had an issue where it wont go into reverse at all once and CEL came in with code for not going into reverse. I have contacted my mercedes dealer to see if the car has the recent updates (it does have 2.00 as it does go into manual mode while driving). Any advice on this? too me it seems that it could be the fluid as well. Thanks

 

[Miss Mercedes]

Mine occasionally makes a really loud clunk when engaging Reverse as well. It's been that way for the past 120,000 miles. Back when it first started happening at 20,000 miles (under warranty), the dealership insisted that there was nothing wrong and I guess they haven't been wrong so far.

Somewhere around 90-100k miles, the transmission used to throw codes and enter limp mode when inching forward in first gear. Usually I'd clear the code, restart the car, then continue on. That went on intermittently for like 5k miles and hasn't returned since.

 

[Ahsan Sarwar]

I think when mine wont reverse it went into limp mode. Which went away surprisingly after leaving the car off for 2-3 mins. This is very weird. Not sure if this is mechanical or software.

 

[jimvw57]

Mine does that occasionally. If I put it in D for a bit, then try reverse, it usually works. . But only when I start it up after sitting for 9-10 hours.

 

[MegaChar]

Mine will do that if i'm parked on a hill and I didnt engage the parking brake or the car is parked with one side leaning slighly. Might be how the transmission is set at in those situations but I could be wrong.

 

[Jeb Baker]

Yes, elsewhere I have also written to always apply the hand brake before taking your foot off the brake, this prevents the park pawl from being weighted by the vehicle. Check out what your owner's manual says. (p125 in the 2008 manual) Most Americans seem to me never engage the hand brake (including my wife, and she gets mad when I do in her car!).

As the car gets older(mines at 110k miles), this issue occurs more often, but usually if I engage D first and creep forward an inch, brake then slowly go to N and then R, the car engages, sometimes with a loud clunk. The car's worse gear engagement (D or R) is after I've previously had to run the car aggressively. The car still wants to race after restarting, and unless I retrain it, the car lurches quite noisily into Drive or Reverse and continues noisily off the stop line. Very annoying.

 

[toymaker17]

Mine makes the same clunking noise and sometimes the double mostly when cold. I'm thinking maybe the transmission mount may be the weak link. Anyone have any ifo on this?

 

[Ahsan Sarwar]

Yes, elsewhere I have also written to always apply the hand brake before taking your foot off the brake, this prevents the park pawl from being weighted by the vehicle. Check out what your owner's manual says. (p125 in the 2008 manual) Most Americans seem to me never engage the hand brake (including my wife, and she gets mad when I do in her car!).

As the car gets older(mines at 110k miles), this issue occurs more often, but usually if I engage D first and creep forward an inch, brake then slowly go to N and then R, the car engages, sometimes with a loud clunk. The car's worse gear engagement (D or R) is after I've previously had to run the car aggressively. The car still wants to race after restarting, and unless I retrain it, the car lurches quite noisily into Drive or Reverse and continues noisily off the stop line. Very annoying.

Pretty accurate description of whats happening in mine. Its almost as if i need to treat this transmission as it is made of glass!

 

[Ahsan Sarwar]

Mine makes the same clunking noise and sometimes the double mostly when cold. I'm thinking maybe the transmission mount may be the weak link. Anyone have any ifo on this?

I dont think this will be the mount. I generally get the single or double clunk when it is hot outside or i have been driving aggressively. In cold start it doesnt do anything. Goes into gear quite smoothly. I am think if i need to change the transmission fluid or gear oil.

 

[toymaker17]

According to Evolution the front mount is a weak poorly made soft rubber part that frequently breaks.I believe what I'm hearing is the front of the engine lifting and even vibrating while driving.I ordered a new mount from a co. in Germany and take a shot.

 

[Ahsan Sarwar]

According to Evolution the front mount is a weak poorly made soft rubber part that frequently breaks.I believe what I'm hearing is the front of the engine lifting and even vibrating while driving.I ordered a new mount from a co. in Germany and take a shot.

That is interesting. Is it difficult to replace? have you had other issues such not going into gear etc?

 

[toymaker17]

It never did not go into reverse just skipped a couple of times. You can get all the information and picture instrutions just about to do any repair on a Smart by subscribing to Evolution for 10 pounds a year. Amazing amount of information.