Smart #1 airbag control unit repair⁽¹⁾

What should be noted about Smart #1 airbag control units?

The airbag control unit of the Smart #1 analyses the crash sensors, triggers the airbags and belt pretensioners, and reports faults via the airbag warning light. After an accident it stores the crash data and locks itself. Airbag24 repairs the control unit you send in.

The Smart #1 is an electrically powered SUV. The control unit is the central unit of the airbag system: it constantly monitors sensors and actuators and stores detected faults in the fault memory. In a crash, it decides which airbags and belt pretensioners are triggered.

A permanently lit airbag warning light indicates a fault in the system. Possible causes include crash data after an accident, ageing of the electronics, voltage problems, for example from the battery, and moisture on connectors and contacts. Not every fault can be repaired; whether a repair is possible only becomes clear once the unit has been examined. As the airbag is safety-relevant, leave any work on the airbag system to a specialist workshop.

Which Smart #1 generations are there?

For the Smart #1 we list the series Brabus, Launch Edition, Premium and Pro. The series differ, among other things, in their drivetrain: the Brabus, for example, has two motors.

• Brabus – series with two motors, one of them on the front axle
• Launch Edition – introductory series for the start of sales in Europe
• Premium – series of the model range
• Pro – series of the model range

The Launch Edition was planned as an introductory series for the start of European sales. Premium and Pro are further series of the model range.

Which series your vehicle has can be seen from its equipment and vehicle documents. For the exact version of the control unit, however, the part number is decisive.

How do I identify my Smart #1 airbag control unit?

The part number on the label of the control unit determines the exact version. Please also note the year of manufacture and the equipment of your vehicle.

Read the part number from the housing before you have the control unit removed. Also note the vehicle identification number (VIN), so that the assignment is unambiguous.

Fault codes such as B1000 and B1053 are given as examples. A fault code alone does not prove a defect in the control unit; only reading out the fault memory shows whether, and which, fault is present.

What airbag equipment does the Smart #1 have?

According to the report of the European NCAP safety programme, the Smart #1 comes as standard with front, side and head airbags as well as a centre airbag. The report does not list knee airbags.

At the front there are airbags for driver and front passenger, side airbags for chest and pelvis, and a centre airbag between the front seats. Head airbags are fitted to all seats, including the rear. Equipment can vary by series and model year; the vehicle documents show which modules are installed in your car.

This is how the repair works: first have the fault memory read out. Then have the battery disconnected and the control unit removed by a specialist workshop. Next, create a repair order online and send in the control unit. Processing usually takes 3–4 working days, during which we check, repair and test the unit at our workshop in Berlin.

The repaired control unit returns with all vehicle data and is ready for use immediately after reinstallation — no coding or programming is necessary.