smart’s transmission problems

The smart fortwo’s transmission is a racing inspired 5-speed. But it isn’t like driving the same 5-speed you may own now or have grown-up with.

It isn’t a ordinary, garden-variety 5-speed automatic. In actuality, it isn’t a conventional automatic, and it isn’t a – conventional standard gearbox either.

It is more like a smart, automated manual transmission. It is more comparable to a manual transmission that is driven like an – automatic.

Here’s the explanation:

The Smart fortwo’s transmission may be driven in a completely automatic mode or a manual mode. In the manual mode, you use a plus/minus gate on the gearshift or paddles on the wheel to change gears.

Only there is no clutch pedal!

That’s right … in the space-age thought process which led to maximizing mileage and achieving high-comfort drive-ability; the transmission was designed and is guided without the need for a clutch pedal.

So how do you drive it?

Admittedly, there is a minor learning curve for those that are new to the concept – like anything else that is new to the engineering of cars.

Once you realize the subtleties of driving the Smart, you won’t have the “bucking shifts” that you may experience at first. Transmission firmware upgrades and changes may also make the experience more acceptable as you become more familiar with your fortwo.