[Double D]

I just bought my 2009 Passion a month ago. It drove great until the last few days. Occasionally from a stop when letting off the brake the car seems like it dumps the clutch and the car lurches forward. Then it slams into second gear with a bang sound. One time it stalled after lurching. Then the ABS light comes on. Then it drives normal while the light is on. I don't know if it's related. It doesn't shift hard into any of the higher gears just second after the lurch in first. Any helpful info is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Jo e Lefors]

Some of what you talk about is normal operation of this gearbox.
PM sent

 

[Jo e Lefors]

Double D good talking to you.
I hope some of my suggestions made sense and give you somethings to look at.
Good luck and keep us updated on your results.
Take Care

 

[smark]

Welcome to the forum. So you car drove fine when you first bought? Slamming, in to 2nd gear, with a bang, doesn’t sound normal. The one way the ABS indicator flashes, is under a wet, or slick conditions.

if you ever driven a manual transmission car. You treat the smart car the same way. Between shifts, you let your foot off the gas pedal between shifts. While the clutch actuator, mechanically operates the clutch. No jerky shifting. From a start, give the car some gas, so it doesn’t jerky lurch. It won’t bog down from a start.

That should take care of you shifting issue.

 

[Jo e Lefors]

Double D good talking to you.
I hope some of my suggestions made sense and give you somethings to look at.
Good luck and keep us updated on your results.
Take Care

Here is that link I told you about.
This requires a subscription, but well worth it for any smart owner: Evilution - Smart Car Encyclopaedia

 

[smark]

I’ve gotten information off evilution, with out a subscription. Was just on it.

Evilution | Smart Car Encyclopedia

www.evilution.co.uk

 

[the big e]

Double d
If you drive the car aggressively it will dump the clutch like that(ask me how I found out hehe)
Anyway you best drive it in manual mode and like a regular manual(trust me once your timing is right it will shift as smooth as silk)

 

[Double D]

Thank you everyone for all the great advice. I'll keep you posted on how it's running.

 

[Jo e Lefors]

Thank you everyone for all the great advice. I'll keep you posted on how it's running.

 

[smark]

Thank you everyone for all the great advice. I'll keep you posted on how it's running.

 

[the big e]

👍

 

[Jeb Baker]

if you ever driven a manual transmission car. You treat the smart car the same way. Between shifts, you let your foot off the gas pedal between shifts.

Wait what? 😱 No No No! I never let my foot off the gas while accelerating my 08. Otherwise it would lurch like hell. Just drove it like it had an automatic transmission, letting the car shift without ever letting up on the gas. Ran smooth as silk, and quickly too. Letting up on the gas between shifting only confuses the car, just drive like you have no idea what kind of car tranny is in there. This is why the smart car got poor reviews by the car magazines. Every reviewer saw the word "manual" and tried "helping" the car shift by letting up on the gas, then wrote awful reviews on how poorly it shifted. DON"T let up on the gas, it will shift just fine with no "help" from the driver. OMG!

 

[the big e]

Wrong.
I’ve watched many of the videos and everyone of them used regular drive mode.
Smark is right.
I know as I do it myself in mine.
Auto mode bucks on me shifting from first to second whereas manual mode and throttle modulation makes it pretty much smooth.(auto mode also shifts too early for me)

 

[gtdump]

It seems to me that if I've driven the car aggressively is seems to shift odd, but if I disconnect the battery for a while, things reset. Might be worth a try.

 

[the big e]

^ it does.
It corrects itself on the next drive cycle though.
I found out the hard way.

 

[jwight]

Hate to see the myth of "lift between gears" is still alive. In "D" the car responds to throttle position and how fast your foot gets to that position. Plant your foot in it as rapidly as you can and the car will run through the gears faster than we could shift with the paddles. If you hesitate on the throttle or lift your foot, the car thinks you want to slow down and backs off. At that point pressing on the throttle again forces the car to reverse course and try to accelerate - usually reported as "bucking."

 

[smark]

You lift you foot off the gas. Like driving a manual transmission. No Herky jerky shifting. It not a regular automatic transmission. Between 1st, and 2nd gear. It with shift like butter.

 

[the big e]

^ agreed.
I’ve done it both ways.
Regular drive mode is ok for flat roads but not on hills.
I use manual so it doesn’t upshift too early on hills and lug the engine too much.

 

[jwight]

Try using the throttle to hold gears on hills. These cars love to rev, so no worries about "over revving." Not saying you can't lift off between gears, just that it isn't necessary.

 

[Jo e Lefors]

Hate to see the myth of "lift between gears" is still alive. In "D" the car responds to throttle position and how fast your foot gets to that position. Plant your foot in it as rapidly as you can and the car will run through the gears faster than we could shift with the paddles. If you hesitate on the throttle or lift your foot, the car thinks you want to slow down and backs off. At that point pressing on the throttle again forces the car to reverse course and try to accelerate - usually reported as "bucking."

Totally agree with you. The myth persists.
I remember these discussions back in 2011 when I had my first smart.
Advice was back then just keep your foot right where it's at on the accelerator and let the car shift by itself.
100% of the time I use the paddle shifters and shift myself. I don't leave up on the gas and the car does just fine. There is no reason to lift up on the gas pedal because the car does it automatically and replies the gas.
Like the title says automated manual.
The turbo charged engine with the dual clutch gearbox is still better.