RoadVitals

2010 Smart Fortwo Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
6
Latest May 9, 2019
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Sep 2, 2011

What this page shows

Our database holds 6 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2010 Smart Fortwo. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–6 of 6

Body & structureElectricalEngine
Filed May 9, 2019
Fire reported

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.

NHTSA ID
11206595
Incident
Mar 25, 2019
Mileage
149,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Nov 30, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 SMART FORTWO. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE BLOWER MOTOR DID NOT WORK AND CAUSED THE WINDSHIELD TO FOG UP. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED SMART CENTER ALBUQUERQUE AT 877-316-3208 (LOCATED AT 1220 S RENAISSANCE BLVD NE, ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87107), BUT WAS UNABLE TO REACH ANYONE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO NHTSA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000.

NHTSA ID
11155249
Incident
Jul 15, 2018
Mileage
30,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 24, 2016

I PURCHASED A NEW 2010 SMART FOR TWO ' CABRIOLE IN MAY, 2011, FROM SMART CENTER PALM BEACH [FL] (AKA. MERCEDES-BENZ OF PALM BEACH). ON DECEMBER 27, 2013, I EXPERIENCED LOUD NOISES UNDER THE FRONT HOOD. I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE SMART CENTER ' GAINESVILLE [FL] (AKA. MERCEDES-BENZ OF GAINESVILLE) WHERE THEY 'FOUND THE RADIATOR COOLING FAN TO HAVE EXCESSIVE PLAY CAUSING THE NOISE.' [SEE R/O NUMBER 6022634 /1, COPY ATTACHED.] THE ODOMETER READ 51501. THE COST FOR THIS REPAIR WAS $962.65, INCLUDING A COURTESY $50- DISCOUNT. ON JUNE 22, 2016, I, AGAIN, EXPERIENCED LOUD NOISES UNDER THE FRONT HOOD AND DROVE THE CAR TO THE SMART CENTER ' TAMPA [FL] (AKA. MERCEDES-BENZ OF TAMPA) WHERE THEY FOUND 'CAUSE: RADIATOR FAN IS FAULTY'. [SEE INVOICE 473583, COPY ATTACHED.] THE ODOMETER READ 93833. THE COST FOR THIS REPAIR WAS $946.69. THE INVOICE AT $991.69 INCLUDES A CHARGE OF $45- FOR WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP REPLACEMENT. I BELIEVE THE SMART FOR TWO RADIATOR FAN ASSEMBLY IS: FIRST, DEFECTIVE IN DESIGN BECAUSE REPLACEMENT REQUIRES THE COMPLETE REMOVAL OF THE CAR FRONT END FASCIA, THE BUMPER, THE WIPERS AND WIPER COWL, THE FRONT SUB FRAME, AND THE COMPLETE REMOVAL OF BOTH THE AIR CONDITIONING ASSEMBLY (INCLUDING RECOVERY OF REFRIGERANT & REPLACEMENT) AND THE RADIATOR ASSEMBLY (INCLUDING COOLANT REMOVAL & REPLACEMENT); AND SECOND: DEFICIENT & SUB-STANDARD IN MATERIALS AND/OR MANUFACTURING BECAUSE ITS USABLE LIFE IS EXCEPTIONALLY SHORT. THE FIRST RADIATOR FAN FAILED AFTER 32 MONTHS / 51,500 MILES AND THE SECOND FAN FAILED AFTER 30 MONTHS / 42,300 MILES. EACH TIME MY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE WAS APPROXIMATELY $950-. I CAN UNDERSTAND THE FAN ASSEMBLY COSTING APPROXIMATELY $170-; BUT INSTALLATION AT A MERCEDES-BENZ DEALERSHIP FOR OVER $600- IS BOTH OUTRAGEOUS AND A TESTAMENT TO THE MANUFACTURER'S DEFICIENT FORETHOUGHT & DESIGN.

NHTSA ID
10876345
Incident
Jun 22, 2016
Mileage
93,800 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 30, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 SMART FORTWO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 7 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FOUR TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,900.

NHTSA ID
10617738
Incident
Mar 15, 2013
Mileage
37,900 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jan 20, 2013

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

NHTSA ID
10493540
Incident
Jan 19, 2013
Mileage
20,025 mi
Fuel system
Filed Sep 2, 2011

SMART CAR REPEATEDLY CUTS ENGINE POWER DURING ACCELERATION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10423058
Incident
Jul 24, 2011
Mileage
3,100 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .