2008 Smart Fortwo Brakes Problems

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!!

NHTSA ID

11484742

Incident

Sep 15, 2022

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.

NHTSA ID

11129626

Incident

Sep 14, 2018

Mileage

124,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

11119003

Incident

Jul 7, 2018

Mileage

139,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

11103933

Incident

Jun 25, 2018

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

NHTSA ID

10936528

Incident

Dec 2, 2016

Mileage

52,000 mi

AT 45 MPH, THE ABS LIGHT AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT TURN ON. THIS DEACTIVATES BOTH THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS MAKING THE CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT OVER 45 MPH. A MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM BEING CRACK IN THE ABS SENSOR RING. ALTHOUGH A KNOWN ISSUE, MERCEDES BENZ, THE MANUFACTURER OF THE SMART CAR, DENIES ANY ISSUES WITH IT. THE REPAIR THAT THEY PERFORMED WAS A REPLACEMENT OF THE RIGHT AXLE SHAFT SINCE THEY DO NOT IMPORT A REPLACEMENT SENSOR RING. THIS IS A REPAIR IN EXCESS OF $700 FOR A $35 PART. THAT PART SHOULD NOT FAIL WITHIN SUCH A RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE. CHOOSING NOT TO REPAIR COULD LEAD TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF ONLY 45 MPH. *JS

NHTSA ID

10579506

Incident

Dec 2, 2013

Mileage

42,000 mi

THE CAR JUST SHUTS OFF AT ANYTIME WHILEDRIVING IN D YOUR JUST A SITTING DUCK CANT USE GEAR TO UNLOCK TRAMMISSION SO IT COULD BE MOVED OUT OF WAY OF ON COMMING TRAFFIC, THERES NO WARNING THE CARS IS IN THE SHOP NOW, THIS HAS HAPPEN TO OTHER SMART FORTWO OWNERS, ITS A DEATH TRAP WATING TO HAPPEN NEEDS TO BE FIXED BEFORE MORE PEOPLE LOSE THERE LIFE, LOOK AT GM .54CENT COULD HAVE SAVED MANY LOSE LIVES. PLEASE HELP THE PUBLIC,, *TR

NHTSA ID

10577830

Incident

Apr 5, 2014

Mileage

43,000 mi

I WAS LEAVING FOR WORK IN MY SMART FORTWO 451 ON A SNOWY MORNING. MY DRIVEWAY IS RATHER STEEP, AND WHILE SLOWLY GOING DOWN THE HILL THE CAR BEGAN TO SLIDE. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND BEGAN SLOWING TO A STOP BUT WAS STILL SLIDING. I PUMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND WAS STILL IN CONTROL OF THE CAR WHEN MY FOOT SLIPPED OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND BECAME WEDGED BETWEEN IT AND THE ACCELERATOR. I TRIED FRANTICALLY TO PULL IT OUT BUT IT WAS STUCK FAST, AND THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING (DUE TO GRAVITY) DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO PULL MY FOOT OUT OF MY SHOE AND DEPRESS THE BRAKE, BUT BY THEN I WAS ALREADY OFF THE DRIVEWAY AND HEADED DOWN THE SIDE OF THE HILL. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO STOP BEFORE ANY DAMAGE WAS DONE, BUT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM HAD IT OCCURRED IN TRAFFIC. AFTER STOPPING I STILL HAD SOME DIFFICULTY REMOVING MY SHOE FROM BETWEEN THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS. I AM A MALE WITH SIZE 12 SHOES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10375542

Incident

Jan 11, 2011

ON MY 2008 SMART CAR PASSION AT 36,585 MILES THE CLUTCH PLATE AND ACTUATOR BECAME DEFECTIVE AFTER ONLY THREE MONTHS OF DRIVING. I REPAIRED THIS ISSUE AND AT 81,000 MILES THE SAME ISSUE ON THE SAME PART BECAME DEFECTIVE. I PUT ON HIGH MILES DO TO THE NATURE OF MY BUSINESS WHICH IS A COURIER COMPANY. I AM WORRIED FOR THE SAFETY OF MY DRIVERS. I HAVE EXPRESSED THIS ISSUE TO THE SMART DEALERSHIP AS WELL AS THE NATIONAL REPS. THEY HAVE NO INTEREST IN EXPLORING THAT THIS COULD BE A MAJOR DEFECT WITH THEIR CAR. BRAKES ARE A ISSUE I TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY SINCE THE AMOUNT OF DRIVING MY EMPLOYEES DO. *TR UPDATED 03/15/10

NHTSA ID

10307796

Incident

Feb 8, 2010

Mileage

36,585 mi