The Smart EV is a small electric car that's easy to drive and park in cities. The 2018 version is known for being compact and fun to use, especially in urban areas.
An electric vehicle is a type of car that runs on electricity instead of gasoline. They are usually better for the environment and can save money on fuel.
A PTC heater is a type of heater used in electric cars to warm up the inside. It works by using electricity to create heat that makes the car comfortable.
Reprogramming is when you change the software in a car's parts to make sure they work properly. Sometimes, when you replace a part, you need to update its settings to match the car.
The CPU is like the brain of the car that helps control different parts and processes information from sensors. It makes sure everything works together smoothly.
An e-prom is a special chip in a car that stores important information and can be changed when needed. It helps the car remember settings for its electronic parts.
Renault is a car company from France that makes many different types of cars. If a part has their name on it, it might be used in one of their vehicles.
EVs stands for electric vehicles, which are cars that run on electricity instead of gas. They use batteries to power an electric motor, which helps them move.
A Smart car is a very small car designed for city driving. It's easy to park and great for getting around in busy areas, but it only fits two people.
LIVE
Hi, it's Mark Bossard. I'm here with Bernie Pawlik, Pawlik Automotive in Vancouver, BC,
Canada. Vancouver's best auto service experience 25 times plus they've been voted best in Vancouver
by their customers. We're talking cars. How are you doing, Bernie?
Doing very well. So today's guest is a 2018 Smart EV. Again,
a little bit of a rarity. Yeah, we work on quite a few smart EVs. This is definitely a newer model
than some of the ones we've seen before going on with this vehicle. So there was no heat in the
vehicle, which was kind of disconcerting, especially since it's November in Vancouver
now it's getting really cold. Okay, really cold is not really cold. I know where you live,
it gets really cold. Not around here. So let's get this picture of this little vehicle here.
Tiny little machine, two person vehicle. I like these cars. They're actually really fun to drive.
We work on tons of smart cars. I mean, I like working on them, but I find the gas and diesel ones,
they're just clunky and the gasser ones are getting better and better, but the EVs are fun
because they don't have that clunky transmission shift. So they just kind of zip around. They're
really fun little car. I'm sure they perform pretty well given how light they are. Yeah,
absolutely. So our next image is what? What is this? This is what's called a PTC heater.
This is basically the heater. So you've got your big fat orange cable. Any orange cables are high
voltage lines. So this hooks up directly to the EV high voltage battery. And that basically
sits under the dash, very difficult to access and remove. So a bit of a backstory to this vehicle,
the owner had had it at Mercedes for a bunch of repairs for some other issue. It was there for
quite a while. I guess they were discouraged dealing with them and the cost decided to bring it
to us to fix the heater. So we diagnosed it looked like the heater was a concern, whether or not it
was related to the other repairs. It's like one of those things where it was summertime. So they'd
probably didn't turn the heat on. Then when they needed the heat, then all of a sudden it wasn't
working because it worked before. So whether it was a result of their repairs, probably not. The
heater probably died, but you never know. Those creates a bit of suspicion. Anyway, another view
of the heater, you can see the large plug-in on that cable. Basically this plug-in and then there's
a small connector that goes in that operates all the electronics to switch the heating unit on and
off. There's a sort of top-end view of the heater with some tags and stickers.
Once replaced, was it just plug-and-play or was there extra needed to have?
No, unfortunately not plug-and-play. It requires some extensive reprogramming of the system to
recode the unit and reprogram it. And I keep scratching my head going. I'm not sure why.
So many of these components on cars are like that nowadays. You change a window switch and
you have to reprogram it. It's not true in every car, but a lot of cars and Europeans are possibly
the worst. So is there a CPU or an e-prom in this heating unit? Yeah, there's got to be something
like that or some kind of identification code. What I did notice was interesting is on the picture
that had the tags on it. It has a brand name and it's a Mully part. Mulla, I don't know. It's
probably the more correct German way to pronounce it, but maybe it's just Maul. I don't know. No one's
told me the proper way, but also beside that tag, it says Renault on it. So I found that interesting.
And so I'm thinking that this is probably a part made by a manufacturer, for Mercedes, for Renault,
whoever else uses it. And so from that point of view, it probably does need to be programmed to
the vehicle. So it operates in the correct parameters for that particular vehicle. So maybe
that programming does make a bit of sense when I think of it from that perspective.
So an extra level of repair finishing, I guess, we can call it, that needs to happen in order
for that part to work, because otherwise it won't work. Exactly. And cost. I mean, every vehicle we
work on needs programming, it's usually at least 250 bucks. This one's a shade over 500 to do all
the programming. So it's an additional amount of money that you have to pay almost every time you
do a repair of some sort. Not every vehicle again, but especially on EVs, it's even more critical
because everything's electronic. Yeah. And heater worked great after repair. Yeah, it was fantastic.
Nice to drive in the cold weather with the heat. So if you're looking for service for your smart car
in Vancouver, BC, Canada, the people to see who'd work on lots of these vehicles, all different
types, diesel, gas and electric. People to see are at Pawlik Automotive. You can reach them online
at pawlikautomotive.com. You can book your appointment there or you can call them at 604-327-7112
to book your appointment. You have to book ahead. They're always busy. Pawlik Automotive in Vancouver,
BC, Canada. Thanks so much for watching and listening. Thanks, Bernie.
Thank you, Mark. Thanks for watching.
About this episode
A 2018 Smart EV presented a unique challenge with no heat during the cold Vancouver months. Mark and Bernie discuss the diagnosis and repair process, focusing on the PTC heater, which connects directly to the high-voltage battery. The episode highlights the complexities of modern vehicle repairs, including the need for extensive reprogramming after part replacements. Bernie shares insights on the vehicle's performance and the importance of proper servicing for electric vehicles, making it a valuable listen for those interested in EV maintenance.
