chiefneon Posted January 2, 2021 Report Share Posted January 2, 2021 Howdy! We have a 2016 Smart Car that the key is stuch in the ignition. You can turn the engine on and off but can not remove the key it will not come out of the ignition. I dropped it off at the Mercedes-Benz dealer in Houston. They called back and advised it was the ignition and would have to be replaced. Only problem is the part has to come from Germany and it is on back order. Unknown when the part will come in and we will get our Smart Car back. Only good thing is we are not traveling now and we have been at our homebase in Livingston since the pandemic started. I would hate to be out on the road and this happen. If this is going to be a on-going problem getting parts for the Smart Car we may have to consider other alternatives. Anyone else have problems getting parts for there Smart Car? What would you consider as an alternative means to replace it also? "Happy Trails" Chiefneon Quote "Class of 2007 Fulltimer's" Gary & karen Smoochie & Michaela (fur babies) 2018 Chevorlet 3500 HD/LTZ 2L Custom Hauler 2014 Heartland Cyclone 4000 2016 Smart Car Prime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted January 2, 2021 Report Share Posted January 2, 2021 Smart madness maybe. Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickeieio Posted January 2, 2021 Report Share Posted January 2, 2021 Last spring, we and at least two other folks, had a similar issue involving the key switch. One person took his to the dealer and got that same "replace switch" answer. In each case, we found a small yellow buttone down on the side of the shifter that released the involved pieces. Might you get so lucky? The issue was discussed here in a thread started by me. Search "smart issue". Quote KW T-680, POPEMOBILE Newmar X-Aire, VATICAN Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer. contact me at rickeieio@yahoo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Star Dreamer Posted January 2, 2021 Report Share Posted January 2, 2021 I found this on the smart car forums. https://www.smartcarofamerica.com/threads/key-stuck-in-ignition-2016-key-lock-solenoid-stuck.157037/ Quote 2005 Freightliner Century S/T, Singled, Air ride ET Jr. hitch 2019 46'+ Dune Sport Man Cave custom 5th wheel toy hauler Owner of the 1978 Custom Van "Star Dreamer" which might be seen at a local car show near you! Check out http://www.hhrvresource.com/ for much more info on HDT's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuiteSuccess Posted January 2, 2021 Report Share Posted January 2, 2021 (edited) Just click on each link. Edited January 2, 2021 by SuiteSuccess Quote 2006 Volvo 780 "Hoss" Volvo D12, 465hp, 1650 ft/lbs tq., ultrashift Bed Build by "JW Morgan's Custom Welding" 2017 DRV 39DBRS3 2013 Smart Passion Coupe "Itty Bitty" "Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim & Wilma Posted January 2, 2021 Report Share Posted January 2, 2021 Like most everybody on this forum, I grew up with cars that didn’t have locking ignitions. At least one of my cars was “improved” without the need for even a key to start the car. Having said this, I wouldn’t hesitate to remove the locking solenoid and drive the car without it. It’s maybe a 10 minute job if you haven’t done it before. That’s assuming the solenoid/circuit is compromised and really does need a new ignition switch. Possibly you have the same problem i had, a sticking boot (see reference Carl copied). Good luck and let us know how you resolve this. Quote Jim & Wilma 2006 Travel Supreme 36RLQSO 2009 Volvo VNL730, D13, I-shift, ET, Herrin Hauler bed, "Ruby" 2017 Smart Class of 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim & Wilma Posted January 2, 2021 Report Share Posted January 2, 2021 1 hour ago, Star Dreamer said: I found this on the smart car forums. https://www.smartcarofamerica.com/threads/key-stuck-in-ignition-2016-key-lock-solenoid-stuck.157037/ Funny, that’s the exact problem we had and appears it happened maybe the same date and we were also in Colorado at the time. Too funny. For those of you with a 453 and haven’t yet experienced this problem, I’d recommend you strongly consider doing a preemptive fix and remove/replace the locking solenoid rubber boot. Quote Jim & Wilma 2006 Travel Supreme 36RLQSO 2009 Volvo VNL730, D13, I-shift, ET, Herrin Hauler bed, "Ruby" 2017 Smart Class of 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuiteSuccess Posted January 2, 2021 Report Share Posted January 2, 2021 13 minutes ago, Jim & Wilma said: Funny, that’s the exact problem we had and appears it happened maybe the same date and we were also in Colorado at the time. Too funny. For those of you with a 453 and haven’t yet experienced this problem, I’d recommend you strongly consider doing a preemptive fix and remove/replace the locking solenoid rubber boot. Jim, Not to hijack the thread but is this primarily a 453 issue? Our smart is a 451. Quote 2006 Volvo 780 "Hoss" Volvo D12, 465hp, 1650 ft/lbs tq., ultrashift Bed Build by "JW Morgan's Custom Welding" 2017 DRV 39DBRS3 2013 Smart Passion Coupe "Itty Bitty" "Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted January 2, 2021 Report Share Posted January 2, 2021 20 minutes ago, SuiteSuccess said: Jim, Not to hijack the thread but is this primarily a 453 issue? Our smart is a 451 Yes. Not heard of this on earlier models Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim & Wilma Posted January 2, 2021 Report Share Posted January 2, 2021 34 minutes ago, SuiteSuccess said: Jim, Not to hijack the thread but is this primarily a 453 issue? Our smart is a 451. Good question and I don’t know. I suspect we’d have heard of the issue long before now if common to the 451. Could be the same design with different part supplier. Maybe others will chime in. Quote Jim & Wilma 2006 Travel Supreme 36RLQSO 2009 Volvo VNL730, D13, I-shift, ET, Herrin Hauler bed, "Ruby" 2017 Smart Class of 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Star Dreamer Posted January 2, 2021 Report Share Posted January 2, 2021 I understand it is an issue with the column mounted ignition switch and the earlier models did not have it column mounted. Quote 2005 Freightliner Century S/T, Singled, Air ride ET Jr. hitch 2019 46'+ Dune Sport Man Cave custom 5th wheel toy hauler Owner of the 1978 Custom Van "Star Dreamer" which might be seen at a local car show near you! Check out http://www.hhrvresource.com/ for much more info on HDT's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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