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[Timelord Mitchturbo]

Hi Guys!  
After months and months of my forfour 'The Tardis' stalling at junctions ect and making the whole journey quite scary at times (is it, isn't it?) Situations lol with trial and error and looking up on here... It's now completely fixed... for now !

At first I went to a local garage for its M.O.T and a full service, Passed it and they tightened the slipping fan belt. Had lots of screeching for ages.
I had also asked them If they could clean out my TVA as I described my stalling problem, but they couldn't do it (take the risk) without the right star diagnostic machine... I also showed them the content on this forum on cleaning the TVA but they did sincerely recommend taking her to Smart of Lincoln.
I got an appointment yesterday and they said it was a common fault with the Softouch gear box and also there was a bolt that was too tight in there. They also said that the automatic program was two years out of date and they will put the new update in.
I also told them about the trouble my car door gives me at times.

They fixed all these problems first the gear box with a new updated program and an adjustment of the gear links.
Then the door was going to be done on another day, but they couldn't shut it so they fixed it there and then. New cable, New lock.

They recommend that I use them for my future M.O.T's and full services and quoted me prices and they were around the same price that I've been paying at a non dealership already, so I agreed and they will keep the gear box in check if it develops the problem again.
They also had outstanding and superb people skills and were really nice. All the hot chocolate I could drink and I could look at a couple ForTwo's while I waited and when the ForFour was ready, they offered to wash it for me !

I got in it, and the first thing I noticed was that they had given it a full valet too ! All clean inside and out ! New car smell too ! I started the engine and could already feel the difference in the new program. The Tardis now drives A LOT smoother and feels more stable. Stronger. The drive back was very pleasant and now I feel I can keep her for longer now as long as she keeps getting looked after every year by Smart of Lincoln.

It really does feel like an up to date brand new ForFour ! I'm all excited again.  

[Unknown]

The experience at dealerships does vary and pricing too. I know Smart of Ipswich are quite expensive but always have given top notch service.

I remember about two years ago when my software was updated on my gearbox, the difference was frightening but good. Caught me off guard several times before I got used to the new settings in manual mode.

I do like the look of Smart of Lincoln, they always have nice Smarts outside. Although that stretch of the A46 is fairly distracting with the dealerships. lol

[CrazyG]

Reckon I'll get my 'software' checked out sometime soon.......
Am not aware of it ever being upgraded...so it could be a treat for me as well to have it done.

Glad you are pleased with it Mitch

[Problemchild]

[Bat28]

I've recently been to Smart/Merc of Lincoln for my Brabby .... B service + belt change + MOT 
The prices are "correct" (yes, you can find cheaper) but the service was wonderful 

My car was completely valeted as well, and I had a courtesy car ... I was expecting a Fortwo or basic A-class ... but they lent me a nearly new CLC 220cdi !

I will be back there if I have any thing to do on Brabby, so I highly recommend them !

[CrazyG]

[Problemchild]

Yeah - I know it's for an A service but according to the site it covers forfours too

I'll see how much a B costs but I may just take it to merc for ease

JJ

[Timelord Mitchturbo]

Update: My car stalled again while moving slowly in a traffic jam today    
Hopefully it was just a one off and its not to bad if it happens again in slow moving traffic, its just becomes worrying when it stalls while turning into a junction or halfway while on the junction that the issue can become a death trap... fingers crossed...

JJ you were right all along! I was really surprised on the prices and service! Deffinatly recommend using the main smart dealers from now on.

Also I would recommend getting your Softouch gear box updated if you have one as the smoothness is really noticeable! And a full Vallet once in a while lol.  

[Unknown]

Update: My car stalled again while moving slowly in a traffic jam today    
Hopefully it was just a one off and its not to bad if it happens again in slow moving traffic, its just becomes worrying when it stalls while turning into a junction or halfway while on the junction that the issue can become a death trap... fingers crossed...

JJ you were right all along! I was really surprised on the prices and service! Deffinatly recommend using the main smart dealers from now on.

Also I would recommend getting your Softouch gear box updated if you have one as the smoothness is really noticeable! And a full Vallet once in a while lol.  

Get the TVA cleaned.

And yeah the valet is good although when you have cleaned the leather the week prior then take it for a service and they valet it... hmm... embarrassing it was! haha

[Problemchild]

I still think it's the TVA dude!!

Not sure who your local indie is but they should be able to do it for you (only labour costs really)

Or just do the squirty clean thing

JJ

[CrazyG]

As JJ and The Architect both say...get the TVA off and have it cleaned....or buy a new one and have it fitted by an Indie.
That is the only answer to your problem....so the sooner you get it done the more at ease your mind will be ....OK ? 

[Timelord Mitchturbo]

Yeah, getting my TVA cleaned was my intention in the first place but my Indie garage wouldn't touch it without Mercedes doing the star diagnostics machine on it... Ill see if the stalling prob continues and if it does i will give them a ring, tell them the results of the star diagnostics that merc did and see if they will clean it this time lol...

I might see if smart of Lincoln could clean it next time I POP up but its an hours drive away each time... I would to it myself if I was confident enough, I have absolutly no mechanical skills at all and my DIY is simply Destructive. If I attempt to fiddle with it, there will proberly be a big bang and then a time paradox would happen sending us all into another dimension...

*Mitch Sighs*

[CrazyG]

I take it your 'indie' is not a Smart/MB 'indie' as otherwise they would have the knowledge and be aware of this problem
and the simple cure that there is to it.   Perhaps you should try to make it to such an 'indie' ..or see if there is one that
would come out to you....such as say Forsmart or McSmart.   You could possibly get a better deal by rolling in the price
of the diagnostics with getting it fixed, and all in one appointment rather than 2 !  You've nothing to lose by asking.

[Alex]

Want me to send you a clean one and you just put it on yourself? I just changed mine today as it was starting to act up, and i had a spare clean one and while i was at it another member of our forum who was starting to have serious problems with this came to watch and see if he'd trust me to do his . Of course he wanted me to do his as well and when we took his out it was FILTHY. Lots of black gunk, the MAP sensor was also very clogged. After lots of cleaning i replaced his, took the battery earth lead off for  a few seconds and then put it back on and started the car. He couldn't believe the change. So much smoother, idle revs lower and stable etc.

Interesting fact, the throttle body on the 1.1 (that's what this guy had) is a lot smaller than the one on the 1.3. The diameter of the opening is smaller, and of course the valve inside is too. And it's the same story on the intake manifold mounting face. Smaller diameter hole there as well. The PCD of the four screws is smaller, basically everything is scaled down.

If you want to convince your indie that the TVA needs cleaning, have them undo the hose that comes from the airfilter and stick their finger in the TVA. When they'll see how much black gunk there is, they'll figure it out for themselves.