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How to Drive a Smart with Automatic Gearbox

Model: Smart Smart 453 - Years 2014-2022
Part: Transmission

If you have taken your car to the garage, and as a replacement vehicle, they give you a Smart with an automatic gearbox, here’s how to behave: no clutch: you only have the brake and accelerator pedals. Keep your foot on the brake, insert the key, and turn on the ignition. Select the gears by moving the lever forward or backward: "N" for neutral; "R" for reverse; "A/M" for automatic/manual. To engage reverse, you may need to press a button on the lever or lift a ring. If it doesn't start immediately, check that the doors are properly closed. There is no "P" for "park" like in traditional vehicles. When stopping, you must pull the handbrake; if on a slope, the handbrake must be engaged when turning off, otherwise, it may roll away. To start, simply press the accelerator, as you would in a classic automatic.

Posted on 23 February 2026 by ScegliAuto

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