Smart Fortwo — Recalls, Reliability, Specs & VIN Decoder

The 2008 smart car, has been consistently, shifting into neutral, while driving, usually, when entering, or exiting a highway, or at an intersection (speed changes). The car shifts into neutral, and then usually shuts down, causing the vehicle to be rear ended, from unsuspecting drivers behind this vehicle..the problem started when the car, would not shift into reverse, while parked..smart offered a software fix, to address that issue. Had that done, then problem progressed, to shifting to neutral while driving, and stalling out...at times car, would restart, but it would not shift into gear, indicating only a flashing neutral position. At times, car would not start at all, because would not know what gear it was in...if waited 10-20 minutes, or several hours, it might restart, and shift, for a short period, before it did the same thing again...apparently it's a common problem, with the smart car forums, full of complaints, about the 2008 year, with smart co., at times, authorizing repairs, and replacement with 2009 mechanisms, that do not have the same problems as the 2008 model year. There should definitely be a recall for the 2008 smart car, model year, before someone is killed, entering, exiting a highway, at a railroad crossing, or at an intersection, where the car, shifts into neutral, won't shift out, and shuts off... Thank you *tr

Smart car had history of not going in reverse. "r" would not come up on screen, car would just roll forward, hitting vehicle(s) in front. Then for a couple of months, (2 years) car would go into neutral while driving, (even on highway) coast for a while, then shut down, and not restart. If you waited 10 minutes, it would usually restart. If tried sooner, it either would not restart, or only go into neutral. It would not shift into any other gear. The other day, after approaching hill, at red light, car went into neutral, then shut down, and brakes would not respond quick enough since car turned off, and hit two (2) pedestrians, crossing in intersection. Car would not restart, waited 1 1/2 hours, would restart at times, but stayed in neutral, (10/2013). Had to be towed to smart/mercedes center, quoted me $3000, to change actuater, clutch motor, clutch press, clutch plate, and maybe more if need to replace clutch. Smart forums are all full of the same problems, with the smart cars, especially the 2008. Manufacturer must have been made aware by now, but is ignoring the problem, apparently changed design and clutch plate assembly for 2009 smart cars. But has not recalled 2008 year where problems are common, and very dangerous. *tr

While driving rear motor caught fire. *tr

The Power Electronics Control Unit (ECM), Part No. A453-900-72-11, and the DC-to-DC converter have both failed, rendering this all-electric vehicle completely inoperable. There is no backup propulsion system. The DC-to-DC converter powers safety-critical systems including lighting, turn signals, and hazard flashers — its failure could cause loss of safety-critical functions while driving. Total repair estimate is $20,560.43. The manufacturer Mercedes-Benz USA denied warranty coverage using a Canadian warranty document for the wrong vehicle model. MBUSA has shut down the Smart warranty portal at the dealer level and their website returns no warranty data for Smart vehicles despite active warranty obligations. Smart exited the US market and MBUSA appears to have abandoned warranty support while warranties remain active.

The car has a intermittent problem with shifting into reverse. When shifted the transmission lever to the reverse position the shift indicator on the information center will show blank and a high pitch beeping sound will be heard.

Transmission will go into three bars and not shift on highways and parkways, usually able to safely drive under power to side of road sometimes goes into neutral and have to coast to side. Occurs with elevated ambient moisture. Started at 32,000 miles. Known issue, transmission has a limp mode for this occurrence. Very difficult to diagnose, appears electrical in nature. Smart dealership will not address.

The car does not pull out of parking and does not take gears. It has gone 4 times with the same issues to the dealer to leave with the same problem. As a last resort they told me to change the transmission 4,000.00 and no guarantee that the problem will be fix. Something needs to be done this is abusive. And i have no one to help because i do not want my credit affected but these cars are no good. Not even the dealer knows how to fix them. And smart usa says nothing can be done because their out of warranty. But my complaint is that this is the 5 time my car has not left the dealer for 4 and half month with different test each month is fix and when i go out and run it by the end of the block i have to return to the dealer and leave it. *tr

This car is just over a year old, only 24,928 miles on it. It will not come out of park. I called the smart dealership of buckhead, ga and they told me to try to "re-train" it by turning it on part way 3 times with my foot on the brake and then it would shift. Nope. I called them back up and they said that i was over my 24,000 mile warranty (even if only by 928 miles which is less than 2 weeks worth of driving for me) and because i did my oil changes somewhere else they won't do this as warranty work. (even though i told them i had the records!) how can a transmission fail within 24,000 miles! I am very upset i ever bought a smart car from these people. Who would allow this type of "quality" out there. This is the worst car i've ever owned! And i will be happy to tell everyone about all the issues i've had with this piece of garbage. I have a dodge ram that's 8 years old and has never had a problem! Bad smart car people! *tr

My car was in park and i could not move the gear shift to drive. I am trying to sell the car. Someone bought the car yesterday and i am worried they will want to bring the car back to me. *tr

The contact owns a 2009 Smart Fortwo. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly lost motive power. The vehicle was turned off, the contact waited, and then restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle operated as needed. The failure had occurred several times while driving. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to brake immediately and drifted to the left. The brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard for the vehicle to come to a stop. The ABS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the ABS was faulty and retrieved Diagnostic Trouble Codes: 1314 and C1443. The contact stated that the front brake pads were replaced by the dealer, and the rear brake pads were replaced by a certified mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired for the failure to accelerate, and the failure persisted. The vehicle was purchased on July 17, 2025, and the seller kept the repair issues with the vehicle from the contact and failed to provide information on the previous repairs. The contact stated that the failure recurred after retrieving the vehicle. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 74,254.

I was driving eastbound in the number 1 lane of california highway 24 about 1/4 mile before the tunnel road exit. I heard a noise coming from the engine are of the car, looked at the instrument cluster and noticed that the engine light had illuminated, and experience a sudden loss of power. I pulled off of the highway at the tunnel road exit and stalled on the off ramp. I attempted to restart the engine twice by turning the key. I saw smoke in my rearview mirror, exited the vehicle, and saw flames coming from underneath the vehicle. I called 911 and gave the dispatch operator my location. By the time the highway patrol and local fire department arrived, my car was totaled. The attached photos tell the story of the damage.

My car was in motion on the freewaywhen it seized. When stopped the engine in the back caught fire, my vehicle burned to the ground, there were recalls for this the year before, (for the 2009 smart car) there are videos documnting this on you tube. My brother who worked for mercedes (the parent company of smart) as a mechanic told me to see if there were any recalls.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 smart fortwo. While driving 40 mph, the contact felt heat coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact noticed that the rear carpet and plastic from the trunk cover caught fire. The contact coasted the vehicle to the side of the road and extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The contact called mercedes-benz of tampa (located at 4400 n dale mabry hwy, tampa, fl 33614, (813) 579-2138) where an appointment was scheduled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The vin was included in nhtsa campaign number: 18v273000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided email id number: 1-kemgkl. The approximate failure mileage was 58,232.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 smart fortwo. The contact was not notified, but the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 18v273000 (engine and engine cooling). While the vehicle was in operation, it caught fire in the engine compartment without warning. The fire extinguished on its own and caused catastrophic engine failure. A fire report was filed. The vehicle was towed to mercedes-benz of tysons corner in vienna, va (703-442-8200) and repaired at the contact's expense. The contact wanted to be reimbursed for the repair since the vehicle was included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was not available. *tt

I was on my way to school, the car began making a grinding noise, as i moved to the shoulder it died and the steering wheel locked up, the radio cut off, the horn stayed on, all the wipers went full force and the doors locked. When i finally kicked the door open i went to the front of the vehicle and opened the good. I began so smell burning plastic and went to the driver side again. When i got there, there were flaming drips coming from under the panels. I attempted to put them out but it was futile. I removed myself from the situation and called fire rescue. The whole thing took 2 minutes before the car was toast

I represent the owners of this 2009 smart fortwo vehicle. My client drove the vehicle home after work and parked in the garage. Approximately 30 minutes after parking the vehicle in the garage, my client was awoken by his son who smelled smoke. My client followed the smoke to the garage where he found the vehicle on fire. It appeared the fire started in the engine compartment. The fire spread quickly throughout the garage and into the house. The property damage is extensive, including totaling both vehicles in the garage and extensive property damage to the home.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 smart fortwo. The contact heard a knocking sound under the hood of the vehicle and smoke began to fill the vehicle underneath the steering column. The contact parked and turned off the vehicle; however, the knocking sound and smoke continued. The horn and alarm began to sound. The contact disconnected the battery and flames appeared underneath the dashboard. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was declared un-drivable. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 29,000.

Driving to a friends house, about a 10-15 min. Drive... Friend say he smells smoke, look to the right side onto the mirror and its smoke coming from the back side of my car. Open the back to look at the engine - a lot of smoke is coming out and as the smoke is clearing my friend sees flames and we quickly after grab a hose and call 9-1-1. Don't know what caused the fire, firemen said not to start the car called aaa. Firemen said we got lucky it didn't reach the gas tank.

We were driving in Greensboro NC this afternoon on the way to my husbands birthday dinner when off of Bridford? Parkway our 2008 smart car passion for two started malfunctioning all lights flashing on instrument panel & brakes quit & another motorist drove up beside us with window down screaming GET OUT YOUR CAR IS ON FIRE!!! We managed to stop on side of road at woods & jumped out car was on fire looked like under back tires and engine in back! We grabbed what we could save & ran. 911 was called & fire and police came. 2 Witnesses also to event we have photos & videos. Our car burned all the way down to frame! Total loss! We could have died because we couldnt see the fire behind us under car & if not for the man we may have blown up!!

Engine fire destroyed vehicle while driving on Interstate at 65 MPH. Vehicle was serviced and maintained per manufacturer maintenance schedule at authorized dealer. No prior issues with vehicle. Vehicle also passed emission check on 09/29/2021 with no OBD error codes reported during inspection. Mileage: 60K

My car was in motion on the freewaywhen it seized. When stopped the engine in the back caught fire, my vehicle burned to the ground, there were recalls for this the year before, (for the 2009 smart car) there are videos documnting this on you tube. My brother who worked for mercedes (the parent company of smart) as a mechanic told me to see if there were any recalls.

I was on my way to school, the car began making a grinding noise, as i moved to the shoulder it died and the steering wheel locked up, the radio cut off, the horn stayed on, all the wipers went full force and the doors locked. When i finally kicked the door open i went to the front of the vehicle and opened the good. I began so smell burning plastic and went to the driver side again. When i got there, there were flaming drips coming from under the panels. I attempted to put them out but it was futile. I removed myself from the situation and called fire rescue. The whole thing took 2 minutes before the car was toast

My 2009 smart fortwo car caught on fire yesterday and burned. When i was pulling into the local post office, the car?s windshield wipers came on by themselves and then the horn began to honk as well. I got into a parking space and turned off the car. I saw something coming from the front of the car but no flames. I got out and went into the post office to get my mail. While in there i heard several people yelling that a car was on fire. I rushed outside to see my car fully engulfed in flames. I lost all my things in the car; laptop, tablet, cellphone and most of all all my business paperwork, contacts, etc.

Hello. I saw on the news there was an investigation about 2008/2009 smart cars. Mine caught completely on fire in april of 2012 while driving. I did not know where to complain to other than the dealership until i saw the news. I bought my smart car in december of 2009. With in 9 months i started having electrical issues. It would start turning off while driving the turn back on about 30 seconds later. I took it in 4 times and they could never figure out was was wrong with it and would return it back. On the 4th time i did bring up the lemon law and they kept my car for a couple weeks. A couple months later i was on the freeway and my car started going electronically haywire. The front windshield wipers were going crazy and the dashboard was turning off and on. I pulled over onto the emergency lane immediately. My shifter was stick for a couple of seconds and once i put it on park, i took out the keys. When i turned the car back on the wipers started going crazy again, the dashboard went blank, the doors were locking and unlocking and the horn was going off. There was a weird smell and i looked up and there was smoke coming out of by the inside of my windshield. I got scared and immediately go out once the locks unlocked. As i opened the passenger door to get my purse, i noticed flames by the pedals and a black box that melted through the car. I called 911 as i poured water from my water bottle. That did not help. The front of the car by then was on fire. I grabbed my two boxes from my trunk and walked the the emergency lane as far as i could until the fire department arrived. I have saved all the times i took my car to get checked at the dealership. That is the only place i took my car

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 smart fortwo. The contact heard a knocking sound under the hood of the vehicle and smoke began to fill the vehicle underneath the steering column. The contact parked and turned off the vehicle; however, the knocking sound and smoke continued. The horn and alarm began to sound. The contact disconnected the battery and flames appeared underneath the dashboard. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was declared un-drivable. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 29,000.

After getting home from school, coming in saying hello to the family i went back out to my car to get my bag. When i approached my car i could hear what i believed to be my radiator fans still running despite the car was turned off. My logic was "maybe a glitch in the computer." so i proceeded to simply turn the car on and then off to see if that would help. Nope, that didn't do the trick. Puzzled i came inside to inform my dad what was going on, while i was talking to my dad i could hear the factory alarm going off, then it started honking, the windshield wipers were running. When i approached my car to see if the there was a chance that i left something on. When i opened the door, i saw smoke coming under the driver side console, then sparks, then fire!!!! I ran and grabbed the hose to put it out before it got worse and possibly losing the car. I have taken the battery out to make sure this doesn't happen. The carpet near the peddles are singled from the fire and the fuse box is exposed and most of the plastic housing has melted away. Sadly my car is outside the warranty so smart will not do anything. So now i am making some calls to see what my next options are. I've called smart customer care and said there is nothing they can do. Not sure what could have caused this to happen, the only upgrade i've done on my smart is just upgrading the horn, but that was when i first got it. I'll post pictures later. Needless to say i'm glad this happened after i parked the car at my house rather then being stuck on the side of road watching it being engulfed in flames and losing my car completely. *tr

We were driving in Greensboro NC this afternoon on the way to my husbands birthday dinner when off of Bridford? Parkway our 2008 smart car passion for two started malfunctioning all lights flashing on instrument panel & brakes quit & another motorist drove up beside us with window down screaming GET OUT YOUR CAR IS ON FIRE!!! We managed to stop on side of road at woods & jumped out car was on fire looked like under back tires and engine in back! We grabbed what we could save & ran. 911 was called & fire and police came. 2 Witnesses also to event we have photos & videos. Our car burned all the way down to frame! Total loss! We could have died because we couldnt see the fire behind us under car & if not for the man we may have blown up!!

An hour or hour and a half after parking the car we noticed that there was smoke coming from the inside of the car. The car had smoke and a electrical fire smell. The fire department was called. They disconnected the battery and the smoke stopped. The actual source could not be identified. The smoke was coming from the engine compartment. The car was totaled. Do i have any legal recourse?

My son was driving down the road when he noticed smoke in the floor board. He was about .5 miles from our house and went to turn around when he noticed fire in the back/engine area of the car. He was able to get out of the car and ran to a house to call 911. As the home owner was calling they heard the car explode. The entire car burned with only the metal frame of the car, seats, etc. Left standing. In september the car passed the state inspection. When my husband and i arrived (which was only minutes from it happening since we were only .5 miles away) the car was engulfed in flames. Thankfully my son was able to get out. I'm also thankful for the rain that had just started because it soaked the previously dry leaves and trees that could've been also engulfed in the flames and caused home/property damage to others.

In my garage i tried to start car after emptying water from flooded battery box and allowing to dry for 4 days. Electrical cable running through battery box caught fire and burned completely through, see picture. Battery box flooded from a/c condensation tube disconnect in battery box, see picture, well documented issue on smartusa blog.

Seat belts do not retract. There were couple of times while in transit on city road, i had to apply brake suddenly and seat belt fail to engage to hold the passenger back . All the time , both seat belts do not retract to their home position when not in use and car is stopped and parked, this caused dents to the car's body and frame around the door when we close the doors. I reported to the local mercedes dealer september 2018. In december, they could only replace the driver side seat belt. The passenger side's belt has been claimed to be backed order till now. I have called numerous times to follow up for the repair and i am still waiting for over 6 months for this faulty seat belt to be repaired. I don't feel safe to drive my car. I lease this new car since october 2017 and the safety issue happened only within a year.

Passenger seat belt stop securing the buckle no apparent reason

The driver side seat belt mount, which in this case is a steel cable, has mostly broken and frayed rendering it unsafe to drive. In the event of an accident, it would certainly break completely. I only noticed it yesterday while cleaning, the breakage would've happened while driving it. I've contacted mercedes USA, and they tell me that my warranty has run out, they can't do anything. Even though this is a mandatory safety feature that has completely failed from normal use.

Driver side seat belt fails to buckle. Nothing lodged in buckle, but mechanism appears to be broken.

The driver side seat belt latch has failed for the second time in 2 years. The male end can not be inserted into the female end.

The metal seat belt connector frayed in to two pieces. Replaced with oem part. It frayed again. It's a 2011 driven by a 75 yr.old senior citizen. Mercedes accused owner of maliciously cutting cable. Extreme safety hazzard.

Safe belt buckle jammed or can't click

My wife was departing with the car and when she tried to insert the seat belt buckle and it would not insert. I called the mercedes dealer and they said it was a common failure but they wanted to charge me for the repair.

Driver's side seatbelt will not latch, i'm using the passenger side seatbelt for now. I can't have a passenger in my car because of that broken seatbelt. This happened already before, maybe a year ago and mercedes benz of georgetown wanted me to pay for it after being fixed but i insisted that it's a safety issue and i shouldn't be driving from their shop without having it fixed. So frustrating safety issues that no one wants to take care of it until somebody's dead.

Seat belts for both driver and passenger sides became twisted within the first couple of years of ownership. Despite attempts by service technicians to untwist and repair the mechanism the seat belts remain twisted. Seat belt latch on driver's side finally failed at about 25,000 miles. Both seat belts had to be completely replaced at our expense. Also, the car doesn't always shift from park to reverse properly. It sometimes takes several attempts to get the transmission to engage.

I was driving my smart car to work at 1:30 am. There was some snow on the roads so i left 10 minutes earlier than normal so i could drive slowly. I had to go up a hill and the car fishtailed and crashed into the steel rail.i was going 43 mph in a 55 mph zone when the car fishtailed. I hit the steel rail almost head on. The car is a total loss yet the airbags did not deploy. I hit my head and have a sore back and knee plus i missed a day of work. I do not believe these cars are safe to drive in winter due to the rear wheel drive and the air bags that do not work. Thanks for reading my story.

My car was in motion on the freewaywhen it seized. When stopped the engine in the back caught fire, my vehicle burned to the ground, there were recalls for this the year before, (for the 2009 smart car) there are videos documnting this on you tube. My brother who worked for mercedes (the parent company of smart) as a mechanic told me to see if there were any recalls.

I represent the owners of this 2009 smart fortwo vehicle. My client drove the vehicle home after work and parked in the garage. Approximately 30 minutes after parking the vehicle in the garage, my client was awoken by his son who smelled smoke. My client followed the smoke to the garage where he found the vehicle on fire. It appeared the fire started in the engine compartment. The fire spread quickly throughout the garage and into the house. The property damage is extensive, including totaling both vehicles in the garage and extensive property damage to the home.

While driving rear motor caught fire. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2012 smart fortwo. While driving 60 mph, the passenger side body panel disengaged without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 45,100.

The panoramic roof is crazing! It's unsafe to drive the car because the glass can shattered on top of my head at any giving moment! When it's raining or washing the car at the carwash the roof is also leaking. This is a very common problem with the smart car passion model! A lot of complaints about it!

I bought the car and less than two weeks the transmission went there was flashing and beeping and the car would not go into gear. I bought a 2009 and in 2008 there was a recall on that model for that transmission problem sometimes the car won't start sometimes now and the hood latch is broken

The paint on my 2009 red smart car is peeling. Some smart cars have been recalled for bad paint which could lead to loss of the windshield or roof; the adhesive is laid over the paint and if the paint some off the adhesive will too; thus is a safety issue. My car was ordered in 2008, but i purchased it in 2009. I have contacted the dealership, and the smart headquarters and spoke with adam. I had the estimate of how much it would cost to repaint or replace the panels on the car. This was part of a "goodwill out of warranty gesture." adam from headquarters called me today and informed me that they would not honor the repairs. I'm so sad. I'm a senior and i saved up for 3 years to get that car new. I have taken impeccable care of it, and if you google "red smart cars with peeling paint issues" you will fine many postings. I'm stuck with this crappy looking car. It looks awful. I'm not good on the computer, but will try to get someone to take photos and send them in. I have been the soul owner of the car, i had wash it with water, and it is garage kept. I only have 54,000 miles on it. The stress has made me quite depressed as getting in the car i have to be reminded of how it looks. This car was to be my last car due to my age. So now, when someone asks how i like my smart car, i give them the tour around my car so they can see for themselves. They just shake their heads in amazement. I then tell them that mercedes/smart will not make it right. This is wrong. Very poor customer service.

I am original owner since feb 09 (manf 12/08) and its now 7 yrs old and reqs new battery. Lifting up floor mat to remove old battery i noticed sticky red oily substance (unkown source but now suspect battery vapor condensation) around top of compartment (mostly where holddown bracket connects). Removing the battery then exposed corroded floor paint from battery acid. In attempting to clean up the mess, i had to remove the battery vent tube exiting the floor. This tube had a spider nest inside about 2" from opening. Wd40 did not penetrate nests end seals & had to extract spider & nest manually. I can not prove this is safety related but im wondering if other vented battery cars have this vent blockage-corrosion problem and also if these blocked fumes were toxic to occupants of my car? I took some phone photo evidence. On unrelated problem. In the last 1-2 years i also have the peeling top clearcoat problem reported by other owners of 2009 red paint (non metalic) which is primarily on hood panel & other top surfaces exposed to direct sun which leaves the dull red base color of the plastic panels. (this is only exhibited on 2009 red models). *tr

There is this horrible problem with the 2009 smart fortwo rally red! The clearcoat is peeling for no reason and there is at least 60 people around the country with the same exact issue with proof and statements to prove it! Mercedes/smart should issue a recall or replace these panels free of charge! This ruins the integrity of the car and even the dealership wont help out because the car is out of warranty or im not "loyal enough" to the dealership! My and everyone else with a red fortwos clear coat is peeling for no exact reason at all, this is a major design flaw with very thin clear coat, i understand if it was just a few cars but we are talking more than 60 cars and lets not forget the safety recall that was made in 2008 for messed up paint as well! Fix this mercedes! I honestly believe something bad can happen in this car, makes me feel very unsafe

After getting home from school, coming in saying hello to the family i went back out to my car to get my bag. When i approached my car i could hear what i believed to be my radiator fans still running despite the car was turned off. My logic was "maybe a glitch in the computer." so i proceeded to simply turn the car on and then off to see if that would help. Nope, that didn't do the trick. Puzzled i came inside to inform my dad what was going on, while i was talking to my dad i could hear the factory alarm going off, then it started honking, the windshield wipers were running. When i approached my car to see if the there was a chance that i left something on. When i opened the door, i saw smoke coming under the driver side console, then sparks, then fire!!!! I ran and grabbed the hose to put it out before it got worse and possibly losing the car. I have taken the battery out to make sure this doesn't happen. The carpet near the peddles are singled from the fire and the fuse box is exposed and most of the plastic housing has melted away. Sadly my car is outside the warranty so smart will not do anything. So now i am making some calls to see what my next options are. I've called smart customer care and said there is nothing they can do. Not sure what could have caused this to happen, the only upgrade i've done on my smart is just upgrading the horn, but that was when i first got it. I'll post pictures later. Needless to say i'm glad this happened after i parked the car at my house rather then being stuck on the side of road watching it being engulfed in flames and losing my car completely. *tr

The contact owns a 2008 Smart Fortwo. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V273000(Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed there was smoke coming from the engine. The contact stated that the vehicle had caught on fire. No warning lights illuminated. The contact exited the vehicle quickly and entered a mechanic shop and a mechanic put on safety gloves to extinguish the fire with a fire hose. The fire was able to be extinguished by the mechanic. The mechanic mentioned that the insulation mat detached from the vehicle and caught on fire. No injuries were sustained. A fire report was not filed since the fire department was not at the scene. A Police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's parents' home where it remained. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000. Parts Distribution Disconnect

The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz Smart ForTwo. The contact stated while parking the vehicle, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was on fire under the hood. The fire department was called to the scene and the fire was extinguished. A fire report was filed. The vehicle was not towed. There was no injury sustained. There was no warning light illuminated. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 18V273000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz Smart ForTwo. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V273000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer scheduled an appointment at the dealer; however, the dealer contacted the contact and decline to honor the recall repair appointment. The contact contacted two dealers and was informed that they do not perform repair on Mercedes-Benz Smart Cars. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz Smart Fortwo. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V273000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer and several unknown dealers were contacted and informed the contact that they did not service Smart vehicles. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2009 Smart ForTwo. The contact stated that on multiple occasions when the vehicle was parked and the gear shifter was shifted, the transmission would only shift into neutral. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond when the accelerator pedal was depressed. Additionally, the tire pressure warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact also received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V273000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, parts to do the recall repair was unavailable. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 smart fortwo. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 18v273000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer (mercedes-benz of oxnard, 1511 auto center dr, oxnard, ca 93036, (805) 665-301) was contacted and confirmed that the parts and tool needed for the repair were not available. The manufacturer was notified and refereed the contact back to the dealer. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. *tt contact states issue has been resolved. *tt

The contact's mother owns a 2008 Smart ForTwo. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V273000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The local dealer was notified of the recall but informed the contact that the recall could not be serviced at their location. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to a dealer that was 180 miles away. The manufacturer was informed that the owner of the vehicle was elderly and would not be able to travel that far a distance yet was offered no additional assistance. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2008 Smart ForTwo. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V273000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer suggested that the vehicle be towed to another local dealer. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 18v273000 (engine and engine cooling). Frank fletcher imports (3111 e 32nd st, joplin, mo 64804, (417) 297-0821) was contacted and it was stated that the dealer was unable to provide the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and referred the contact to the jackie cooper imports (9393 s memorial dr, tulsa, ok 74133, (918) 615-2185) a two and a half hour drive away. The contact was informed that a the vehicle was eligible for pickup and that a representative would call to make the arrangements which was still pending. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The car broke down on exit 231 b in virginia. The smart had a gas tank defect. I was nearly killed. I have taken the car to tysinger motors in virginia multiple times.

Top of fuel pump crack after car hit bumpy roadways leaking fuel filling with gasoline fumes

Fuel pump connectors cracked leaking fuel.

Electric fuel pump inlet and outlet nipples to fuel hoses broke and caused fuel leakage.

I received a letter from mercedes benz on monday 5/4/2020 letting me know that there was a recall on my car, a rear insulation mat in the engine compartment needs to be changed out to avoid a possible engine fire. I called the mb dealership in anchorage and was told they do not work on smart vehicles. I called the phone number for mbusa to find a dealership or an approved tech to make the repair. I left a message and was called back yesterday 5/7/2020 by [xxx]. He told me that there were no dealership or approved repair centers in alaska and that since i chose to live remote that 'unfortunately' it's my problem. I wrote a letter to the company offering the same possible options to get it fixed that i had suggested to him; 1) send the part and i'll fix it myself; 2) send the part to an independent shop of my choice and pay them to fix it or 3) send a technician to the mercedes benz dealership in anchorage to perform the safety recall repair. The letter was sent back to him and he called me today to reinterate that 'unfortunately' mbusa was not going to do any of these things and that as a second owner of the car they have fulfilled their obligation to me. It's my problem to get it to a dealership of my choosing. All dealerships are in the contiguous 48 states. I asked him if a law suit resulting from a firey death was a concern to mbusa or if they inform people who purchase the vehicles that if they chose to take their car within the united states to an area without a dealership that they were on their own. His response was he had no idea what dealerships tell people and again, while they wouldn't like to have my car catch fire it is really my issue. See attached correspondence. So i am in a spot to either park it or drive it knowing i could have a problem. I can't even sell it without it being fixed. This is now a financial issue & a safety issue. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Electrical fuses tend to cause electrical shorts, with a/c coming on and off at any given time, often when i hit speed bumps. The lights can be caused by this as well hitting the simple right corner turn can pop the light right out. I have repeatedly told them that it needs better shocks. I have replaced the lights both front and back at a very minimum of 12 times a year. That's ridiculous in my eyes.it should be smarter than that!!!!

Fuel pump connector cracks

Fuel leak of unknown origin/cause while stationary, forming a puddle beneath the vehicle overnight. Vehicle otherwise in pristine condition. No accident or other impact took place -- normal drive home, garaged the car, found puddle in the morning and garage filled with gas fumes, observed dripping from underside of car.

I was driving down the city highway - route 283 to get something to eat as i turned my car stalled out completely. Trying to turn over it would try to start but never start. Car has just over 17k miles on it. Thankfully i wasn't in heavy traffic as this could have caused an accident by someone rear-ending me because of the reduced speed and stall. I had to have someone push me up to a parking lot while i waited for a tow truck. A month later i am still waiting on a replacement fuel pump. The original bosch keeps blowing fuses and stalling out. My mechanic test drove it and he had to be towed back to his shop as well because of a stall/blown fuse because of the fuel pump issue. These fuel pumps seem to be on back order because lots of smart cars are having the same issue at the moment with their bosch fuel pumps.

Where do i begin? After about a year of owning my smart car, i was driving on the highway doing about 70 mph when suddenly i feel my car pull to the right and start shaking. I pull safely to the shoulder to find the valve stem for my tire had detached and my tire was now flat. Not having a spare, i had to call a tow truck. The same issue happened to the remaining 3 tires in the following months to a year. While driving the valve stem would detach and all air depleting from the tires. I called the smart dealer to be told this was impossible because the valve stems were bolted to the rim, well clearly not since it had happened to every tire.i have had multiple cylinder misfires with this car. I have had to replace the fuel pump. I have had to replace the alkaloid timing sensor. I have had to replace the blower motor for my heat and a/c. My headlights go out every other month. Car has stopped because a wire came loose in the battery. When i turn right or go on an onramp, i hear this awful clunking sound as if something is hitting a tin. When i go over bumps my car makes a squeaking sound. When going from park into reverse...car will not go into gear. My car will read p and n. I have to turn my car off/on multiple times as well as mess with my shifter for about 5 minutes before i can go anywhere. The cherry on top happened today on my way home to akron from columbus. As i am driving on the highway with a semi truck behind me my car started losing speed, even when pushing the gas. I almost was struck by the semi due to the sudden decrease of speed but thankfully was able to pull off the highway. Once stopped, all lights came on and car shut off. Put my car in park to try to start my car again, nothing. My engine will rev but the engine will not turn over. Will find out what that is tomorrow hopefully. Car was brand new when purchased and bought the car 5yrs and 1 month ago. *tr

Stopped at a red light behind other car. Vehicle rolled forward while foot was on brake into other stopped vehicle. *tr

I have a 2009 smart for two passion model on 7/21 i went to go into a parking place at a small shopping area and the brakes slowed me down but would not allow me to come to a complete stop. I was going very slow but could not stop thus i hit the window of a furniture store. It broke the window and the only damage to my car wee cuts in the plastic from the falling glass as it took them 2 hours to pick it up. The police filed a report, no one was injured, the air bags did not deploy, and i went such a short distance i did not have time to think about putting on the emergency brake. There was no warning that i am aware of. All i remember is pushing the brake pedal all the way to the floor and it would not stop. There are factory floor mats in the car and i have many pictures. It has been at the dealer since the accident and they said they cannot find anything wrong. Smart is suppose to send a representative to see it. I really have little faith in this dealership and you can never reach anyone to talk to all you get are voicemails and no call back. Finally got through on wed 7/28 when they said they found nothing wrong. It is still at smart of trevose (pa). *tr

We were driving in Greensboro NC this afternoon on the way to my husbands birthday dinner when off of Bridford? Parkway our 2008 smart car passion for two started malfunctioning all lights flashing on instrument panel & brakes quit & another motorist drove up beside us with window down screaming GET OUT YOUR CAR IS ON FIRE!!! We managed to stop on side of road at woods & jumped out car was on fire looked like under back tires and engine in back! We grabbed what we could save & ran. 911 was called & fire and police came. 2 Witnesses also to event we have photos & videos. Our car burned all the way down to frame! Total loss! We could have died because we couldnt see the fire behind us under car & if not for the man we may have blown up!!

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 smart fortwo. The contact stated that the check engine light illuminated, the vehicle was taken to the dealer to have a diagnostic performed. The failure was located at cylinder three. The contact also stated that while the brake pedal was depressed, it made a squeaking noise. The dealer replaced the brake stop lamp switch; however, the engine failure was not corrected. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 27,200 and the current mileage was 28,300.

The contact owns a 2009 Smart Fortwo. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly lost motive power. The vehicle was turned off, the contact waited, and then restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle operated as needed. The failure had occurred several times while driving. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to brake immediately and drifted to the left. The brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard for the vehicle to come to a stop. The ABS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the ABS was faulty and retrieved Diagnostic Trouble Codes: 1314 and C1443. The contact stated that the front brake pads were replaced by the dealer, and the rear brake pads were replaced by a certified mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired for the failure to accelerate, and the failure persisted. The vehicle was purchased on July 17, 2025, and the seller kept the repair issues with the vehicle from the contact and failed to provide information on the previous repairs. The contact stated that the failure recurred after retrieving the vehicle. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 74,254.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 smart fortwo. The contact stated that the abs system warning light remained illuminated and caused the traction control to also fail. The dealer advised that the abs module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 4,600.

Abs & brake icons were lit on the dashboard when i started the car on 9/13/2018. Mechanic found abs module to be full of water, which corroded connector pins in the abs module, causing the abs system to fail. Lack of abs could result in damage to car or personal injury.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. While driving approximately 35 mph, the anti-lock brake indicator illuminated. In addition, the alternator seized and all the warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to prime motor cars (137 us route 1, scarborough, me 04074, 207-510-2250) for an unknown recall repair, but the technician stated that the failure was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that there was no recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 139,000. *tt *tr

Trunk inside the car is very hot , engine they don't have a power if i drive i feel car have a 20hp , i do not fell my car have a 70hp

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. The contact observed an abnormal odor coming from the vehicle without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the shocks were leaking fluid onto the brakes and that the brakes and shocks needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 52,000...updated 02/09/17 *bf *cn