Smart Fortwo Not Selecting Gears - Brake Light Switch Replacement

In this video I replace the brake light switch on my 2010 Smart Fortwo 451 84 BHP Passion.
The vehicle had been struggling to engage drive or reverse and instead had a flashing N on the instrument cluster, along with a hazard symbol and the ABS warning light illuminated. While diagnosing the fault, I identified the fact that the brake lights were not working and having checked the fuse which was ok, opted to replace the brake light switch. This cured the fault. Part was only £16 from Smart Tune, in the UK.
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Disclaimer - Please be advised that my videos are not instructional and are merely footage of me, with many years of motor trade experience, carrying out vehicle repairs and maintenance. Please conduct your own research, ensure you have the correct tools/necessary expertise and undertake your own due diligence before carrying out vehicle repairs. If in doubt, entrust an automotive technician / car mechanic.
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[@nickb997.1]

All the details with no fluff, excellent video thanks.

[@RealButcher]

Just now I have kind of the same problem. ABS is on and reverse sometimes not possible. It worked, going from N and pushing forward into 1 and then backwards and then in the reverse mode. Only then it would go into reverse... Just looked at the car.. brake lights did not go on! So... the brake light switch... hmm SO glad you exist! Thanks man. Also love the soft and slow explanation you do. Tops! And.. sooo handy.. cableties...

[@jeromemartin575]

Hello, amazing thing, I got the same issue on my 2008 model last week! Thanks for your excellent videos, I follow them since I got the car last November.

[@roycarter6235]

Thank you once again. I have a 2012 Passion. I really like it. I have my own vehicle hoist in one of my big sheds. Problem was..........the car was too small for the hoist arms to swing under. So as I have my own engineering workshop, I made up a special drive on cradle. That enabled me to get at the bottom of the car without too much difficulty. I think I will be relying on your skills and knowledge to make owning this car an enjoyable experience. Cheers

[@autoknight747]

That’s a great way to get around the problem - they really are tiny but amazing cars, packed with technology and the safety of the Tridion. I hope you enjoy the Smart content on my channel and I’m sure there will be more to come.

[@stephenjones271]

I enjoy your videos very much, from San Diego California, I also have a 2008 Smart for two Passion and they have been very helpful reducing my concern about removing the front and rear sections for painting and now the brake switch. Thank You

[@t.d.5804]

Thx for the video ! My 2013 ED has that problem, will fix that switch this weekend.

[@kawasakiman8965]

Brilliant as always a perfect explanation

[@paulbradley4879]

So glad I found this video. Had the exact same problem and this fixed it 😊

[@autoknight747]

Good to hear. It’s surprisingly common and a bit of a lame design, on the basis that such a small component can bring everything to a halt!

[@jurgenberg5941]

Danke! Sehr gutes Video 👍

[@stuhall2433]

Fantastic " thanks very much for posting this." 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@Speedhawq]

Very good Video 👍

[@susanhadden6390]

Thanks I think I got this problem going out to check brake lights.

[@mykhaylobodnar9123]

Thank you! I have the same problem. I'll try to change that switch

[@clanmac66]

I've got exactly the same MY 451 but Cabriolet and my under try really rattles when I hit bumps even minor ones. Even though everything is tightened. I wonder if some of the front glued cable ties was to stop rattles.

[@bertlzansinger]

Cheers Mate! Inspiring, instructive video.

[@christopherl.miller4092]

Thank you so much for these great videos. I'm kind of new at this so, could you please produce a video or point me to one that shows, in detail, the lifting and securing on 4 jack stands of a 451. I am sure that I will need to do a brake and rotor job on my 2013 smart fortwo soon. And, although I can find several videos of how to change rotors and brake pads, I am having trouble finding a detailed video of the process of lifting and putting the car on jack stands.

[@raiderman28]

excellent video , great information

[@BigTruckRVLife]

Excellent videos!! ✌️

[@melietiskabos3641]

Auto knight where are you?

[@isaias1221]

Im have smart car for two and im have reverse lights problems you have any suggestion wear to check

[@Bepissmall]

I've been wondering why your dash looks so much different than my 2010 cabriolet but I can't find anything out about it, did it come like that from the factory?

[@autoknight747]

Mine is totally standard but the instruments differ on later cars which do not have a coolant temperature gauge.

[@Bepissmall]

That's strange, but thanks for responding

[@aureliushogglefart8]

Legend

[@luisrm7818]

Hi friend, your videos are very good to me. I don't know how to speak English, but I understand a lot of what you say in your videos. I have a 2014 smart fortwo automatic, the gear shift does not respond, since I start the vehicle and change the gear shift to neutral, or parking or drive and the car does not respond at all and when I push the car it is in gear while in neutral and if I manage to push it but it is very hard, there are 3 bars on the dashboard, do you think that changing the brake pedal switch will solve the problem, or what problem do you think my vehicle has? Thank you very much in advance.

[@richardmawdsley2589]

Thank you! that is very useful. I have a 2003 City coupe with no brake lights but I am able to select gears. I have checked bulbs etc. Is it still possible that the switch is faulty? I notice it is 2 pole switch with 4 pins . Is it possible that the feed to the bulbs and the feed to enable gear selection are separate within the switch? many thanks

[@autoknight747]

It’s plausible but would have to see a wiring diagram to confirm.

[@richardmawdsley2589]

@@autoknight747 Thanks for your reply, unfortunately I can't find a diagram. I'll get out there and check the switch and will let you know .

[@user-um4ih9jv4k]

Great

[@melietiskabos3641]

I have same problem What to do for this ? What number fuse for this?

[@tarbetbalfour6811]

excellent

[@brianfreeman8290]

I wonder whether it's prudent to renew that switch as a precaution, after x amount of miles ?

[@autoknight747]

I’ve been wondering the same but then the new component may also develop a fault too. It’s astonishing to think that the vehicle depends so heavily on one component that has the potential to bring it all to a halt.

[@jeromemartin575]

@@autoknight747 indeed! I had to get the car towed so the cost of this failure is at least 10 times more than cost of the part… 10 years maintenance for it does worth it I think.

[@EmilysDadd]

.... and I thought the 452 Roadster's brake switch was hard to reach! It's above the brake pedal so you end up lying upside down in the footwell! lol

[@autoknight747]

Lol, so much to remove for such a simple little switch that has the ability to bring the whole car to a halt!

[@guillermocano8974]

The best

[@cassthor407]

Would it make sense to change the break light switch if the break lights are still working but the car has trouble shifting to drive and reverse? I also go into neutral attempting to drive or reverse but my break lights mostly work. Finding the lights need to be changed after only a few months after replacement.

[@autoknight747]

I would want to establish if the brake lights are working when the car is actually having the selector issue, before condemning the switch and replacing it. There are other things that can cause these issues like clutch/actuator.

[@ashstonk]

Hey bro, I’m so glad I find your channel I have got a smart MHD 09and I recently encountered some problem with what seems to be electrical, what would happen is that I will drive the car and all of a sudden the eco light will start flashing and then the car will just slipped out of gear. Although it shows A on the gear selector. I will then have to switch the car off for maybe two minutes and then it will work like nothing has happen. Can you please advise what might be causing this

[@Prince-su4ro]

Did you find the solution 😢 mine just gave in after doing all the above every time

[@ashstonk]

@@Prince-su4ro hey buddy, so of me changing the brake light switch what I did did, was pull the battery power for about 30 minutes and while that is happening, I go under the car pull back the black rubber on the actuator and spray, some white grease inside as much as I can leave that and now my car has been a year without any problem at all

[@Prince-su4ro]

@@ashstonk thank you I’ll give it a try

[@glenjamindle]

I'm curious what made you go after the brake light switch? Was there any prior diagnosis?

[@autoknight747]

It is very logical. These vehicle require foot on brake in order to select gears. So if the vehicle believes there is no foot on brake it will not allow gear selection. First step- does it have that signal. It didn’t as no brake lights. It would be very bad luck for all brake light bulbs to have failed, next step - switch.

[@willfreethemfreethem7671]

Is the box that the brake light switch is in... is it sealed?

[@autoknight747]

Lid/cover is sealed with a bead around the perimeter. Brake pedal enters it from the interior and the rubber gaiter at the base of brake pedal prevents dust/water ingress from above.

[@willfreethemfreethem7671]

How do you disconnect the brake light switch do you just pull it it seems really stuck in there the electrical wire

[@autoknight747]

@@willfreethemfreethem7671 It’s an electrical connector and they are very tight!

[@willfreethemfreethem7671]

@@autoknight747 ok my fingers feel blistered and I cheated and used a flat head to pry it up a lil but I got it thank you!

[@sussexexternalcleaning6276]

🔥🔥🔥

[@stevenchapman7685]

Need some advice , smart is stuck in auto

[@autoknight747]

First step is to check you have brake lights and that your battery is good. If both ok then select neutral, foot hard on brake and hold it there, then turn ignition on but do not start the car. Keep pedal pressed and after a while you should hear a serious of clicks and clunks as a reset occurs. Hopefully you should return to neutral. Beyond that it would need a physical inspection/disgnosis. It’s so difficult to diagnose remotely.

[@stevenchapman7685]

@@autoknight747 thanks so much for getting back, there is no brake lights but some reason the bloke looking at it managed to get it stuck in automatic , apparently the battery is flat so not sure if that made it stick in auto, charging battery then will see how that goes