2012 SMART Fortwo Problems

Complaints Reported

Complaints by Component

SEAT BELTS

2 complaints

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.

Jan 18, 2022

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILS TO BUCKLE. NOTHING LODGED IN BUCKLE, BUT MECHANISM APPEARS TO BE BROKEN.

Sep 16, 2016

AIR BAGS

2 complaints

VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND AND PUSHED INTO ANOTHER CAR ON INTERSTATE. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

Sep 16, 2016

Crash: 1

Injuries: 2

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SMART FORTWO. WHILE AT A STOP SIGN, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,200.

Oct 28, 2014

Crash: 1

Injuries: 1

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

1 complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SMART FORTWO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FRONT TURN SIGNAL INDICATORS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOKEY MERCEDES-BENZ (19820 US HWY 19 N, CLEARWATER, FL) WHERE THE FAILURE WAS CONFIRMED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED. *TT

Jul 11, 2018

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1 complaint

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.

Mar 17, 2017

STRUCTURE

1 complaint

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.

Jun 16, 2016

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE

1 complaint

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY (5 LANE) IN MY 2012 SMART FORTWO PASSION COUPE IN THE MIDDLE LANE AT 65-70 MPH. ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY ACCELERATOR WAS NO LONGER FUNCTIONAL. I LOOKED DOWN AND SAW THAT MY SPEEDOMETER AND GEAR INDICATOR WERE ALSO NON-FUNCTIONAL. I WAS ABLE TO COAST (DESPITE HEAVY TRAFFIC) TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FAST LANE - IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO GET TO THE SLOW LANE SHOULDER DUE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC. I WAS ABLE TO USE THE BREAKS ONCE I HIT THE SHOULDER (UNSURE IF POWER BRAKES OR NOT) AND ONCE STOPPED WAS UNABLE TO USE AUTOMATIC WINDOWS. I COULD NOT MOVE THE CAR OUT OF DRIVE FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES. AFTER 2 MINUTES I TRIED AGAIN TO MOVE THE CAR OUT OF DRIVE AND WAS ABLE TO PUT IT IN PARK. AT THAT POINT I WAS ABLE TO RE-START THE CAR AND ACCELERATE ENOUGH TO GET BACK ON THE FREEWAY. I CONSIDER MYSELF VERY LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REACH THE SHOULDER (AS IT ENDED ABOUT 200 YARDS DOWN THE FREEWAY). THE EXPERIENCE WAS ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING. *TR

Jul 22, 2012

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4.8/5.0

27 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

How many problems does the 2012 SMART Fortwo have?

The 2012 SMART Fortwo currently has 8 owner-reported complaints according to NHTSA database. These complaints are organized by component to help identify common issues.

What are the most common problems with 2012 SMART Fortwo?

The most common problems reported for the 2012 SMART Fortwo are organized by component above. Each component section shows owner-reported issues, crash reports, and fire incidents to help identify patterns and problem areas.

Where does this 2012 SMART Fortwo problem data come from?

All problem and complaint data for the 2012 SMART Fortwo comes directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database. These are real complaints submitted by actual vehicle owners.