Gear Indicator showing 0

[mikerj]

Is the car facing up or downhill? If the box was left in gear and the car crept foward or back, it can put enough stress on the transmission that the shift motor is unable to move the selectors. In this case you need to physically move the car in the other direction to release the pressure on the transmission.

[Squat]

Car is in the garage on the flat. I don't think it has a gear engaged. Will try rocking back and forth once I have got it back together. Thanks.

[Squat]

Hi.

Tried everything I can think of and gear display still showing zero.

• Brake switch tested electrically - all OK
• All gearbox sensors unplugged, cleaned and put back in
• Gear motor and position sensor removed and refitted
• Tried putting into gear and pushing back / forward (no gear engaged so just rolls nicely)
• Checked wires for chaffing - all good
• Checked gear box connectors - all good
• Tried leaving ignition on for 30 seconds before re-starting
• Tried disconnecting the battery overnight
• Lubed the gear actuator
• Checked all fuses

All other ideas welcome!
Anyone know of a mobile mechanic with a Smart car fault reader near Bedford that could run a diagnostics?
(Fudgesmart is the nearest I can find and he is 50 miles away)
Thanks for all the advice so far.

[137699]

For the sake of £7 I'd just change the brake switch - to rule it out...
The number of times I have read that people have "tested the switch - it's fine" only to find out it was the culprit all along....

[Squat]

Thanks
Having tested the switch and taken apart to see what joins to what I wired direct between the 2 terminals on the plug to make sure, and still no go.
You are right, for £7 will give it a go but 99% sure its not that.

[tolsen123]

Switch costs nearly £30 with cover. At least £20 without.

[TheAlmostInvisibleMan]

at least £20

No



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SMART-CAR...frcectupt=true


and it's more than likely this non-branded one for £7 can be made to fit too:


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Febi-Brak....c100005.m1851

[Squat]

Update:
Spent a couple of hours with a mobile diagnostics man with a MBStar.
Only test that it failed was the clutch drag point (Drag Point of Clutch Not Successful.)
Could it be that the clutch is stuck open?

We were able to check that the gear lever positions were being seen by the ECU.
Gears were all able to be selected by the MB Star via the ECU.
Clutch actuator test was carried out. (Plunger was seen moving in and out)
Gear position reset was successful, but did make quite a lot of clattering noises when it did it.
Only thing that didn't work was the clutch drag point. No drop in engine revs.

What would normally cause this? Clutch fork arm thingy stuck? Thrust bearing shot? All ideas welcome before I start ripping into the clutch housing. Thanks

[TheAlmostInvisibleMan]

How old is this 450 ??

[Squat]

53 plate so 2003/4 makes it 16 years old.