The SMART car transmission is unlike any ordinary 5 or 6-speed automatic. It is an automated manual gearbox. Which means the vehicle can be driven as a manual or automatic at the flick of a button. The vehicle does not have a clutch pedal and instead operates on sensors and ECU’s.
The system consists of a clutch actuator assembly, a gear shift actuator assembly, and a gearbox ECU. Each of the actuators will also have position sensors. Which sends signals back to the gearbox ECU to determine which gear the vehicle is in or what position the clutch is in. This information along with vehicle speed and other parameters will be used by the gearbox ECU. To calculate the required gear, when the next gear change should take place and when to engage/disengage the clutch.
As many SMART car owners are already aware, this design has many faults and can render the vehicle completely un-drivable.
Common Clutch + Gear Actuator Problems
When the clutch and gear actuators fail on the Mercedes Smart car. It doesn’t always give the same symptom. Below we’ve listed the most common fault symptoms we are aware of so far:
- 3 Bars / Lines Appearing on Gear Change Box
- Slipping Out of Gears
- Getting Stuck in Neutral
- Failing to Select Gears
If your clutch or gear actuator has failed, then you may already be aware of exactly how much it can cost to replace the unit. Each actuator is coded to the vehicle and can cost upwards of £700+Vat each to replace with coding. Furthermore, the replacement unit will only come with a standard 12-month warranty and being that it is such a common failing part, it doesn’t give much confidence that the problem won’t re-occur.
We receive clutch & gear actuators for repair on a daily basis for the following vehicles:
- Smart City
- Smart ForTwo
- Smart ForFour
- Smart Roadster
We have also compiled a short list of part numbers associated to the failing clutch & gear actuator units. Note: this is not a complete list of part numbers, only the most common part numbers we frequently see in our workshops are listed.
Partnumbers | Partnumbers |
---|---|
000 3226 V011 | 01 3981 007 101 |
000 3226 V012 | 01 3981 000 022 |
000 3226 V014 | 01 3981 000 066 |
000 3226 V016 | 01 3981 000 070 |
A 451 250 00 62 | A 454 257 05 79 |
My Mercedes Smart Car Actuator is Faulty – How Can SINSPEED Help Me?
We specialise in the testing and repair of clutch + gear actuator units, not just for Smart cars but for all vehicle makes and models where the vehicles gearbox is controlled by electronic actuators. We’re able to fully bench test and repair the Smart car clutch actuator and gear actuator units. We use new genuine OEM parts when repairing the actuators to ensure each and every repaired clutch/gear actuator meets and exceeds OE specifications.
The repaired actuators will be returned to you with a Lifetime warranty for complete peace of mind and will not require re-coding when fitting back to the vehicle – simply plug & play!
If you have a Mercedes Smart Car with a clutch or gear actuator fault then give us a call today on 0203 815 9441.

Ajaz is a seasoned automotive electronics engineer with deep expertise in remanufacturing vehicle electronics. He has developed skills in all areas of the automotive field, from rebuilding hydraulic steering components, and mechanical gearboxes and reworking intricate vehicle electronics. Ajaz also acquired Bodyteq, a London-based vehicle bodyshop where he has developed extensive knowledge in automotive refinishing.
Alongside his automotive career, Ajaz has built a career in the IT industry, gaining accredited certification as an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, Cloud Architect, and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) specialist.
SMART CAR 2 – 2006 MODEL, THREE LINES APPEAR, DOES NOT WANT TO GO IN GEAR AT ALL.
Hello Mark
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Sophie
SINSPEED
I drive a 2008 Toyota corolla professional steptronic.. It flashes N even when engaged in drive or steptronic…. Even if it engage R it flashes N. Sometimes it does engage D but while on motion it will flash N.. Please help
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Sophie
SINSPEED
Hi, great to gave found ur site, please could you advise on cost of repair to clutch auctator on 2002 smart fortwo 450 600cc
Thank you
Hello Harry
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Sophie
SINSPEED
My smart diesel wont select and sticking in neutral
Hello Dene
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Sophie
SINSPEED
I have a Smart for Two, 799 diesel CDi 2009. Symptoms: autobox lost reverse selection but retained neutral and auto/ first (when manually selected) i.e. soft control, then stuck in auto/ first gear, ie. lost autotip. would like to understand whether symptoms indicate gear or clutch actuator failure or transmission ECU failure.
Hello Andy
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Sophie
SINSPEED
Hi how much to repair my smart 451 clutch actuator please
Hello Gary
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Sophie
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Hi.
I Have 2009 0.8 cdi diesel that starts but will not select any gears
Hello Mark
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Sophie
SINSPEED
I have 3 horizontal line on my 2007 smart car fortwo model dash board and won’t select gear or start,have you any ideas what is wrong.
thanks
seumas
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Sophie
SINSPEED
2008 451 84bhp fortwo. Wife got car stuck and kept revving it and after some smell of burning car will not engage any gear. Suspect it Is actuator, how much to fix, can you advise.
Hello Roland
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Sophie
SINSPEED
Hi, I have a ’57 plate smart two cabrio. It has just started to not find reverse gear, drives well in all forwards gears. The AA have been out and diagnosed a transmission increment sensor error. is this something you guys can help with?
thanks
Drew
Hello Drew
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Sophie
SINSPEED