SMART FORTWO COUPE 2008 Owners Manual
Page 101 of 314
Seat belts
100
>> Controls. Proper use of seat belts
• Do not twist the seat belt when fastening.
• Adjust the seat belt so that the shoulder 
portion is located as close as possible to 
the middle of the shoulder (it should not 
touch the neck). Never pass the shoulder 
portion of the seat belt under your arm.
• Position the lap belt as low as possible on 
your hips (over hip joint) and not across the 
abdomen.
• Place the seat backrest in a position that is 
as upright as possible.
• Never use a seat belt for more than one 
person at a time.• Do not fasten a seat belt around a person 
and another object at the same time. When 
using a seat belt to secure infant or toddler 
restraints or children in booster seats, 
always follow the child seat manufacturer’s 
instructions.
• Check your seat belt during travel to make 
sure that it is properly positioned.
• Make sure that the seat belt is always fitted 
snugly. Take special care to maintain a snug 
fit when wearing loose clothing.
G
Warning!
Do not pass seat belts over sharp edges. 
They could tear.
Do not allow the seat belt to get caught in 
the door or in the seat adjustment mech
anism. This could damage the seat belt.
Never attempt to make modifications to 
seat belts. This could impair the effec
tiveness of the seat belts.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this 
may severely weaken them. In a crash 
the y m ay  no t be  abl e to p r ovid e a de qu a te 
protection.
Damaged seat belts or seat belts that 
were highly stressed in an accident must 
be replaced. Contact an authorized smart 
center. 
Page 102 of 314
Lighting>> Controls.
101 Exterior lamp switch
For safety, smart recommends that you drive 
with your low beam headlamps on during the 
day. In certain countries, local laws dictate 
that low beam headlamps are switched on au
tomatically during operation of the vehicle.i
If you drive in countries where vehicles 
drive on the other side of the road than the 
country in which the vehicle is registered, you 
must have the headlamps modified for 
symmetrical low beams. Relevant information 
can be obtained at any authorized smart cen
ter.Exterior lamp switch Exterior lamp switch (USA only)
M
Lamps off
Daytime running lamp mode
1
1 Canada only.C
Parking lamps
B
Low beam headlamps or high beam 
headlamps
M
Lamps off
C
Parking lamps
B
Low beam headlamps or high beam 
headlamps
U
Automatic headlamp mode* P54.25534331 
Page 103 of 314
Lighting
102
>> Controls. Parking lamps
You can switch on and off the parking lamps 
with exterior lamp switch using the manual 
headlamp mode.
>Switching on: Turn the exterior lamp switch 
to positionC.
The parking lamps come on.
The following lamps also come on:
• Tail lamps
• License plate lamps
• Side marker lamps
Low beam headlamps
You can switch on and off the low beam 
headlamps with exterior lamp switch using the 
manual headlamp mode.>Switching on: Turn the exterior lamp switch 
to positionB.
The low beam headlamps come on.
The low beam headlamp indicator lamp¡ 
in the instrument cluster comes on.
The following lamps also come on:
• Tail and parking lamps
• License plate lamps
• Side marker lamps
Automatic headlamp mode
1
The following lamps come on and go out auto
matically depending on the brightness of the 
ambient light:
• Low beam headlamps
• Tail and parking lamps
•License plate lamps
• Side marker lamps1  Vehicles with rainlight sensor* only.
G
Warning!
If the exterior lamp switch is set to 
positionU, the headlamps will not be 
automatically switched on under foggy 
conditions.
To minimize risk to you and to others, 
activate headlamps by turning exterior 
lamp switch to positionB when 
driving or when traffic and/or ambient 
lighting conditions require you to do so.
In low ambient lighting conditions, only 
switch from positionU toB with 
the vehicle at a standstill in a safe 
location. Switching from positionU 
toB will briefly switch off the 
headlamps. Doing so while driving in low 
ambient lighting conditions may result in 
an accident.
The automatic headlamp feature is only 
an aid to the driver. The driver is 
responsible for the operation of the 
vehicle’s lights at all times. 
Page 104 of 314
Lighting>> Controls.
103
>Turn the exterior lamp switch to 
positionU.
With the key in starter switch position1, the 
tail and parking lamps, the license plate 
lamps, and the side marker lamps will come 
on and go out automatically depending on 
the brightness of the ambient light.
With the engine running, the low beam 
headlamps, the tail and parking lamps, the 
license plate lamps and the side marker 
lamps will come on and go out automatically 
depending on the brightness of the ambient 
light.Daytime running lamp mode
1
In Canada the daytime running lamp mode is 
mandatory and therefore in a constant mode.
>Turn the exterior lamp switch to 
positionM.i
With the daytime running lamp mode acti
vated and the engine running, the low beam 
headlamps cannot be switched off manually.
You cannot switch on the high beam head
lamps.
The high beam flasher is available at all times.
For nighttime driving you should turn the 
exterior lamp switch to positionB to 
permit activation of the high beam headlamps.When the engine is running, and you
• turn the exterior lamp switch to 
positionC, the low beam headlamps, the 
tail and parking lamps, the license plate 
lamps and the side marker lamps come on.
• turn the exterior lamp switch to 
positionB, the manual headlamp mode 
has priority over the daytime running lamp 
mode. The corresponding exterior lamps 
come on.
1 Canada only. 
Page 105 of 314
Lighting
104
>> Controls.
Combination switch (high beam, 
high beam flasher, and turn sig
nals)>Make sure that the key in the starter switch 
is turned to position1.
Combination switch1
High beam
2
High beam flasherHigh beam headlamps
>Make sure that the low beam headlamps are 
switched on (
page 102).
> Switching on: Push the combination switch 
in the direction of arrow
1 until it engages.
The high beam headlamps come on.
The high beam headlamp indicator 
lampA in the instrument cluster comes 
on.
>Switching off: Pull the combination switch in 
the direction of arrow
2.
The high beam headlamps go out.
The high beam headlamp indicator 
lampA in the instrument cluster goes 
out.High beam flasher
>Pull the combination switch briefly in the 
direction of arrow
2.
Turn signals
Combination switch
1
Turn signals, right
2
Turn signals, left 
Page 106 of 314
Lighting>> Controls.
105
>Switching on: Push the combination switch 
in the direction of arrow
1 or
2.
The corresponding turn signals flash.
The corresponding turn signal indicator 
lampL orK in the instrument 
cluster flashes.
The combination switch resets automati
cally after major steering wheel movement.
i
To signal minor directional changes such 
as changing lanes, push the combination 
switch only to the point of resistance and 
release. The corresponding turn signals will 
flash three times.
Coming home functionVehicles without rainlight sensor:
The interior lamps come on and then go out 
again after 12 seconds every time when you 
lock or unlock the vehicle.
Vehicles with rainlight sensor*:
In addition to the interior lamps, the exterior 
lamps come on and then go out again after 
12 seconds depending on the brightness of 
the ambient light when you lock or unlock the 
vehicle.
When leaving the vehicle
>Remove the key from the starter switch.
>Exit the vehicle.
>Press button
ª
 on the key.
The vehicle is locked.
The interior and exterior
1 lamps come on 
and then go out again after 12 seconds.
When returning to the vehicle
>Press button
©
 on the key either once or 
twice.The vehicle is either selectively or globally 
unlocked.
The interior and exterior
1 lamps come on 
and then go out again after 12 seconds.
Front fog lamps
1  Vehicles with rainlight sensor
G
Warning!
Vehicles with rainlight sensor*:
In low ambient lighting or foggy condi
tions, only switch from positionU 
toB with the vehicle at a standstill in 
a safe location. Switching fromU 
toB will briefly switch off the head
lamps. Doing so while driving in low ambi
ent lighting conditions may result in an 
accident. 
Page 107 of 314
Lighting
106
>> Controls.
i
Fog lamps will operate with the parking 
lamps and/or the low beam headlamps on. Fog 
lamps should only be used in conjunction with 
low beam headlamps. Consult your State or 
Province Motor Vehicle Regulations regarding 
permissible lamp operation.
i
Vehicle with rainlight sensor*:
Fog lamps cannot be switched on manually with 
the exterior lamp switch in positionU. To 
switch on the fog lamps, turn the exterior lamp 
switch to positionB first.
1
Switching front fog lamps on/off>Make sure that the parking lamps or the low 
beam headlamps are switched on.
> Switching on: Press switch
1.
The front fog lamps come on.
The indicator lamp on the switch comes on.
>Switching off: Press switch1 once more.
The front fog lamps go out.
The indicator lamp on the switch goes out. P54.25533731 
Page 108 of 314
Lighting>> Controls.
107 Hazard warning flasher
The hazard warning flasher can be switched 
on at all times, even with the key removed from 
the starter switch.1
Hazard warning flasher switch
>Switching on: Press hazard warning flasher 
switch
1.
All turn signal lamps are flashing.
>Switching off: Press hazard warning flasher 
switch1 once more.
Interior lightingThe interior lamp comes on for a period of 
time when you open the doors, or lock or 
unlock the vehicle with the key.
It goes out
• immediately after switching off the ignition 
with all doors closed,
• after 30 seconds if the doors are not 
opened,
• after 15 seconds if all doors are closed,
• after 10 minutes if at least one door is open.The rocker switch can be set to three differ
ent positions.
1
Interior lamp
2
Switching on the automatic control
3
Off
4
Continuous operation P54.25534131
P82.20295431 
Page 109 of 314
Lighting
108
>> Controls. Automatic control
>Set the rocker switch to position
2.
The interior lamp comes on for a period of 
time.
Switching off
>Set the rocker switch to position3.
The interior lamp is permanently switched 
off.
Continuous operation
>Set the rocker switch to position4.
The interior lamp is permanently switched 
on.
!
When leaving the vehicle, make sure that
• the interior lamp is not set to continuous 
operation.
• none of the doors is left open for a long pe
riod of time.
Doing otherwise could result in a discharged 
battery. 
Page 110 of 314
Windshield wipers
>> Controls.
109 Switching windshield wipers on 
and off
Wiper switch0
Windshield wipers off
1
Intermittent wiping
2
Slow continuous wiping
3
Fast continuous wiping
>Make sure that the key in the starter switch 
is turned to position1.>Switching on: Turn the wiper switch to 
position
2 or
3 depending on the 
intensity of the rain.
!
Do not operate the windshield wipers when 
the windshield is dry. Dust that accumulates 
on a windshield might scratch the glass and/or 
damage the wiper blades when wiping occurs 
on a dry windshield. If it is necessary to oper
ate the windshield wipers in dry weather con
ditions, always operate the windshield wipers 
with windshield washer fluid (
page 110).
!
If anything blocks the windshield wipers 
(leaves, snow, etc.), switch them off immedi
ately.
• For safety reasons, stop the vehicle in a 
safe location and remove the key from the 
starter switch before attempting to remove 
any blockage.
• Remove blockage.
• Turn the windshield wipers on again.
>Switching off: Turn the wiper switch to 
position
0.
Intermittent wipingOnly switch on intermittent wiping under wet 
weather conditions or in the presence of 
precipitation.
Vehicles with rainlight sensor*:
When you select intermittent wiping, the 
sensor is activated. The sensor automatically 
sets a suitable wiping interval depending on 
the wetness of the sensor surface.!
Vehicles with rainlight sensor*:
Do not leave windshield wipers in intermittent 
setting when the vehicle is taken to an auto
matic car wash or during windshield cleaning. 
Windshield wipers will operate in the pres
ence of water sprayed on the windshield, and 
windshield wipers may be damaged as a result. P54.25534731