Smart cars have been discontinued in the United States since 2019. However, if you still own one, you can continue to maintain it with relative ease. The car manufacturer is still providing service options, and you can find the necessary parts.
Ongoing Support and Maintenance
The Smart car was made by Daimler, and the company has put together a website of resources to make it easier to take care of the vehicle. You can search by your location to find a service dealer and get maintenance. The website allows you to search with your zip code, city or state. It is recommended that you get service at a certified Smart center.
The car manufacturer made a routine checklist for every 10,000 miles, which makes it easier for you to schedule service. You want to stay on this schedule to prevent problems from occurring. In general, it is a good idea to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for routine maintenance.
For those who would rather make the repairs on their own, the Smart car website includes DIY resources, such as informative videos. You have access to a variety of how-to videos. They include topics like changing the spark plugs and wiper blades. There is also information on adjusting cruise control and other features.
The resource website includes manuals for the Smart car that cover the 2008 to 2018 model years. It is possible to download either the owner’s manuals or warranty manuals. The documents provide detailed information on the specific model years, which can be useful if you have misplaced your manual and want to check specifics or make repairs. Downloading the manuals also allows you to save them to any device or print them.
Cost of Maintenance and Keeping Your Car
When you consider the overall cost of maintaining and keeping a Smart car, it is comparable to other vehicles on the market and sometimes lower. For example, the cost of insuring a Smart car is less than $1,000 per year, which is lower than the national average. One of the reasons why their car insurance costs less is because the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) is also low.
If you look at the five-year maintenance ownership costs of a Smart car, then you will see that the average for a 2018 fortwo Hatchback electric drive is a total of $5,749. By looking at the maintenance cost breakdown for the Smart car, it is easy to see that the vehicle is relatively normal compared to other cars. The cost of maintenance during year one is $409, $1,859 for year two, $890 for year three, $1,115 for year four and $1,476 for year five.
The cost of repairs is also average and reaches a total of $2,758 for five years. This means that it costs $352 during year one, $539 for year two, $579 for year three, $622 for year four and $666 for year five.
Warranty Information
Although the Smart car was manufactured as part of a division of Daimler AG, it was created from an agreement between Swatch group and Mercedes. This means that the Smart car is covered by the Mercedes-Benz U.S.A. basic warranty. The warranty is for four years and 50,000 miles. In addition, the car has a high voltage battery limited warranty. It covers the electrical components for eight years and 62,000 miles.
If you purchased the car with an additional warranty, then it would be covered for six years and 80,000 miles. However, you had to buy this extra coverage at the time of the vehicle purchase.
Common Repairs Advice
One common and simple repair that Smart car owners often have to do is resetting the service light. The service light is a useful reminder to get regular maintenance. It is important to stick to a schedule for regular maintenance, and the indicator light is helpful for this. However, sometimes it has to be manually reset after a repair is done.
The general rule for resetting the service light is to turn on your car’s ignition and then push the control button two times. Next, you turn the ignition off and push and hold the control button. After this, you can turn the ignition on.
Here is another detailed process for resetting the service light: First, turn on your ignition. However, you do not want start the vehicle. Second, look at your dashboard’s screen and pick the maintenance indicator. The screen should show you a wrench and the mileage. Third, turn off your ignition. Next, push and hold the service button and turn the ignition on again. Continue to hold the button for 10 seconds.
If you have troubling resetting the service light or need other repairs, consider taking your vehicle to a professional service center for help. Although the car is no longer made in the U.S., you can still keep it in good shape and maintained.
