[cagney57]

I purchased this 2016 in September 2020 and on the 19th of October it went into the Mercedes dealer because engine light came on...got diagnosed on Friday the 23rd and am still awaiting parts that they ordered and am upset that they treat me like I am a bother.
The car had almost 20,000 miles and I have yet to enjoy it before the winter gets here....I feel like I have bought a lemon as this has happened twice with the engine light in less then 45 days as the tags run out on the 6th of November.

I did get a loaner..a 2019 Toyota Rav4 and I hate it, it's a monster and I want my Smart back.

Also a quick question...the door on the inside of the hatch is missing(the one for storage) how and where can I replace just the lid or can I?
This is a 2016 Passion.

 

[wahi]

Hi Cagney, parts do take time to arrive, even when we had smartcenters back then. In 2010, my shifter replacement took almost a month to arrive / fixed on to my smart by my local smartcenter aka MB Dealer. What exactly needed replaced? What was the CEL and what did it indicate?

 

[smark]

Waiting on parts for any car, doesn’t make it a lemon. A vehicle that can’t be fix, numerous visits to the dealership. Can be considered a lemon. Be Patient, back ordered parts ordered can take a while to get. Be very lucky, they let you have a loaner car. That’s pretty rare.

Have the MB dealership order you the handle, and install it.

 

[Shalmaneser64]

I purchased this 2016 in September 2020 and on the 19th of October it went into the Mercedes dealer because engine light came on...got diagnosed on Friday the 23rd and am still awaiting parts that they ordered and am upset that they treat me like I am a bother.
The car had almost 20,000 miles and I have yet to enjoy it before the winter gets here....I feel like I have bought a lemon as this has happened twice with the engine light in less then 45 days as the tags run out on the 6th of November.

I did get a loaner..a 2019 Toyota Rav4 and I hate it, it's a monster and I want my Smart back.

Also a quick question...the door on the inside of the hatch is missing(the one for storage) how and where can I replace just the lid or can I?
This is a 2016 Passion.

I had my engine light come on because I left the gas cap off. After a few ignition cycles, it went away. Might want to invest in a code reader, or take it to one of the auto parts places that will pull the codes for you. Not every engine light trigger event is catastrophic.

 

[OliverB]

Yes, more specific info is needed. Doesn’t really matter if you don’t like the loaner, they did give you one and you will have it until your car is fixed. Perhaps some others here can give you possible sources, other than a dealer, for the missing cover.

 

[cagney57]

Replying to all....first No one will tell me what codes or what parts it needs....the first two weeks I had it they replaced an oxygen sensor and the next day the engine light came back on and it took two weeks then to get a part.
Days go by before they call me and usually the call is no info at all.
Yes I got a loaner, that I can not afford to put gas in as it is a huge beast, hence the purchase of a smart car.

The first car payment is due on the 6th of November, tags run out then as well and I will be paying almost $300 for all that cost, for a vehicle I got to drive for a week and a half.
Do you all understand my frustration? The dealer I bought it from has no idea about a Smart Car so when they ran the diagnostic on it when I bought it said no codes came up, then a day or two later they got one code for that sensor...light back on and they did not understand any of the codes....that is why it is up in Cleveland now for almost two weeks...it sat there for the first week before they even ran codes and finally ordered parts on the 23rd and as of now I have heard nothing!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tiny-car-guy]

I bought my 2015 fortwo just over a month ago. since mine was a pure it was very basic and did not have the tach/clock so I took it to my Mercedes to have them installed. When I was checking out the service manager was kinda looking me over like I was a McDonald patron who was walking in to a 5 star restaurant. The sales manager came in also to ask how I liked the smart, and got the feeling he was sizing me up to sell me a Mercedes. I was totally ok with that because after all they are a dealership, and they do have to make money. I dropped my car off on a Monday and they finally had the gages installed on Friday. I am like you, and got the feeling my smart car kept getting pushed back. I am happy with the job they did and it was over $330 just to have the small gages on my dash installed and I had already purchased the gages online from smart madness, and the YouTube video shows it taking a half hour to install

 

[cagney57]

That is exactly how I feel...mine was stated as a Passion but vin number brings it up as a Proxy so I am not sure what the hell it is LOL....it is white with black interior, no tach but a nice touch screen multimedia system...nothing else special....I also feel like my car is being pushed aside since the Smart Car is no longer sold in the US and I think they hate working on it...so to me I feel like Mercedes are not standing behind their product and the factory warranty for some things just ran out last week...thank goodness I bought a gold package to extend things for 3 years.

 

[smark]

I never had a issue, with service, at the MB dealership. With my $14k smart car. They treated you like gold, like all their MB customers. Discounted vehicle or not. MB fixed everything on our smart car under the extended warranty too. You sit, in the same customer waiting with doctors, lawyers, and sports athletes. Enjoy the same gourmet coffee, and fine pastries. My smart, was washed and detailed, after service. Just like any other Mercedes, after service

Any qualified automotive service department can work on a smart car. It’s not a exotic vehicle. I’ve been using Christian Brothers Automotive on all our vehicles. I’d be glad to have a extended warranty, and a loaner. I’d be really upset, if the dime was coming out of my pocket, for the fix.

To the Op, ask the dealership, if they will loan you a Chevy Spark Instead. It will get 30 mpg city, 38 mpg highway. You can ask!

 

[Tiny-car-guy]

Do you have steel rims with hubcaps? Mine I thought was a passion but looking at the original dealers invoice It was listed as a pure (which as you know is the low end w/o gages or elect windows and hubcaps. If yours has steel rims and hubcaps like mine the parts guy told me that about all of the Mercedes are selling off their stock of inventory and marking it down, I could have bought OEM mag rims from the dealership for less then refurbished or aftermarket on line for $130 each. I guess I am trying to upgrade my pure to a passion. The parts guy at Mercedes told me he has seen a lot of customers ordering replacement smart hub caps because they are getting stollen and they go for $75 each on eBay. I bought some aftermarket Mags just because they were exactly the same as the OEM but were all delivered in less then a week, and I took them down to discount tire to switch the tires and TPS sensors on the new rims. I also picked up a set of 15mm locking lug nuts from the parts for around $60 In case anyone tries to steal my wheels. As you mentioned since they are not importing Smart cars anymore the parts are going to be more valuable then the car itself.

 

[ca smartone]

To the Op, ask the dealership, if they will loan you a Chevy Spark Instead. It will get 30 mpg city, 38 mpg highway. You can ask!

You may end up keeping it

 

[the big e]

To the op I understand how your feeling right now.
Mine had a slight smoke when I got it(figured it was from sitting) well it turned out to be piston rings slowly failing.
Mines sitting at the dealer I got it from and will likely get a replacement engine(dealer owner is waiting on the service contract to make sure it isn’t too early on using it to be sake)
I know them so I feel safe leaving it there(and not sitting in my driveway being barely drivable with the engine in the condition it’s in)

it does make me glad I got the service contract when I did so I don’t pay out of pocket for the repairs.
Give them time they will take care of your car.
Be glad you did get a loaner very few will do that these days(and most give the cheapest vehicle on the lot)
I will mirror what the others have said and suggest a code reader(even those Bluetooth dongles work pretty good for engine codes when in a pinch)
Be patient you will be with your smart soon.

 

[cagney57]

I never had a issue, with service, at the MB dealership. With my $14k smart car. They treated you like gold, like all their MB customers. Discounted vehicle or not. MB fixed everything on our smart car under the extended warranty too. You sit, in the same customer waiting with doctors, lawyers, and sports athletes. Enjoy the same gourmet coffee, and fine pastries. My smart, was washed and detailed, after service. Just like any other Mercedes, after service

Any qualified automotive service department can work on a smart car. It’s not a exotic vehicle. I’ve been using Christian Brothers Automotive on all our vehicles. I’d be glad to have a extended warranty, and a loaner. I’d be really upset, if the dime was coming out of my pocket, for the fix.

To the Op, ask the dealership, if they will loan you a Chevy Spark Instead. It will get 30 mpg city, 38 mpg highway. You can ask!

Hated the Spark and would never own one....for the last 16 years I had my Chevy Cavalier and loved it, and since I always have driven very little (it had about 78,000 miles) I gave it to my brother and bought the used Smart.

 

[cagney57]

Do you have steel rims with hubcaps? Mine I thought was a passion but looking at the original dealers invoice It was listed as a pure (which as you know is the low end w/o gages or elect windows and hubcaps. If yours has steel rims and hubcaps like mine the parts guy told me that about all of the Mercedes are selling off their stock of inventory and marking it down, I could have bought OEM mag rims from the dealership for less then refurbished or aftermarket on line for $130 each. I guess I am trying to upgrade my pure to a passion. The parts guy at Mercedes told me he has seen a lot of customers ordering replacement smart hub caps because they are getting stollen and they go for $75 each on eBay. I bought some aftermarket Mags just because they were exactly the same as the OEM but were all delivered in less then a week, and I took them down to discount tire to switch the tires and TPS sensors on the new rims. I also picked up a set of 15mm locking lug nuts from the parts for around $60 In case anyone tries to steal my wheels. As you mentioned since they are not importing Smart cars anymore the parts are going to be more valuable then the car itself.

I have not seen my car for over two weeks so I can not remember if I have rims or just hubs.
What the car does have...power windows,abs brakes,cruise control,heated seats.....being a woman I do not care about rims etc LOL...Though I did spend 18 months in Auto Mechanics school...but that was many moons ago when a diagnostic machine was the size of small fridge.

I just want my car fixed and to be treated like any other paying person and not put on the back burner because I only paid for a $10,000 clown car and not $200,000 for the whole circus.

 

[smark]

Hated the Spark and would never own one....for the last 16 years I had my Chevy Cavalier and loved it, and since I always have driven very little (it had about 78,000 miles) I gave it to my brother and bought the used Smart.
[/QUOTE]

You not buying the Spark Just using as a loaner to save fuel, over the RAV 4’s. You’re just going to be patients, the dealership service department is waiting on parts. The same issue can happen to any vehicle you buy. No matter the price the car is. I’ve owned some 40 new and used cars, over my life time. Give the dealership a call, ask them the status of your car. Ask for a loaner car that more fuel efficient than the Toyota crossover.

 

[cagney57]

Hated the Spark and would never own one....for the last 16 years I had my Chevy Cavalier and loved it, and since I always have driven very little (it had about 78,000 miles) I gave it to my brother and bought the used Smart.

You not buying the Spark Just using as a loaner to save fuel, over the RAV 4’s. You’re just going to be patients, the dealership service department is waiting on parts. The same issue can happen to any vehicle you buy. No matter the price the car is.
[/QUOTE]
I bought the Smart car from a Toyota dealer and they gave me no choice on a loaner as they had nothing small to loan me.
I understand waiting on parts...what I found out is that my car went in on the 19th and sat until the 23rd before they even looked at it and ran codes...was then told the parts would be there on Tuesday the 27th...my car is still sitting there waiting....tell me you would not be angry or upset and made to feel like you were not being taken serious?

 

[smark]

I bought a brand new 2014 Fiat 500L, the transmission went out 300 miles from our house. 9K miles on the Odometer. Stranded out in the middle of no where. Waited 3 hours for a tow, to the nearest Fiat dealership, in another city. The car sat at that dealership for over a month, waiting for a new transmission to be installed. Fiat gave me a loaner car to drive. Been there, done that.

Personal, I’d get on the phone of the MB/Toyota dealership. Ask the the status of your car. Be Demanding. It’s going to really be up to you to be firm.

 

[PDXsmart]

I bought the Smart car from a Toyota dealer and they gave me no choice on a loaner as they had nothing small to loan me.
I understand waiting on parts...what I found out is that my car went in on the 19th and sat until the 23rd before they even looked at it and ran codes...was then told the parts would be there on Tuesday the 27th...my car is still sitting there waiting....tell me you would not be angry or upset and made to feel like you were not being taken serious?

Ok... now we get the context to the situation. Of course no one there has a clue... especially on the 453's. If you have to get it worked on in a serious nature take it to the MB dealership... yes, you'll pay more but atleast the techs know a little about the car. And stop raggin on the rav4... they actually get pretty good mileage and they've done a good job revamping them... they're a blast to drive. 😄 I get the frustration... but if you're really frustrated you'd demand to know the engine codes and what is going on. If they can't produce that, I'd have a tow truck get it out of there quick and over to the MB shop.

 

[PDXsmart]

Any qualified automotive service department can work on a smart car. It’s not a exotic vehicle. I’ve been using Christian Brothers Automotive on all our vehicles. I’d be glad to have a extended warranty, and a loaner. I’d be really upset, if the dime was coming out of my pocket, for the fix.

Steve it's been a while and I can't remember... did you buy a 453 or just the 451 then the fiat?

 

[OliverB]

You not buying the Spark Just using as a loaner to save fuel, over the RAV 4’s. You’re just going to be patients, the dealership service department is waiting on parts. The same issue can happen to any vehicle you buy. No matter the price the car is.

I bought the Smart car from a Toyota dealer and they gave me no choice on a loaner as they had nothing small to loan me.
I understand waiting on parts...what I found out is that my car went in on the 19th and sat until the 23rd before they even looked at it and ran codes...was then told the parts would be there on Tuesday the 27th...my car is still sitting there waiting....tell me you would not be angry or upset and made to feel like you were not being taken serious?
[/QUOTE]

Dealership shops do have to schedule the work and with COVID they might not have a full staff in the shop. Same goes for the warehouse, they may not be able to process orders in a timely fashion. COVID has disrupted many more aspects of our life than most realize.