2015 Smart Fortwo Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2015 Smart Fortwo, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine225.0%
- Electrical112.5%
- Airbags112.5%
- Other / unspecified112.5%
- Seat belts112.5%
- Suspension112.5%
- Fuel system112.5%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
Sunday 3/23 I was driving west on 225 heading towards work, all of a sudden the check engine light comes on and all kinds of other lights on the dash came on. I got pulled over and looked in the rear view mirror I seen flames. Quickly grabbed my stuff and got out of the car. The investigation at the time stated most of the heat was coming from the engine
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SMART FORTWO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF NORTH OLMSTED (28450 LORAIN RD, NORTH OLMSTED, OH 44070, (440) 716-2700) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR CAUSED THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES TO SEIZE. ALSO, THE MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
Sunday 3/23 I was driving west on 225 heading towards work, all of a sudden the check engine light comes on and all kinds of other lights on the dash came on. I got pulled over and looked in the rear view mirror I seen flames. Quickly grabbed my stuff and got out of the car. The investigation at the time stated most of the heat was coming from the engine
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY A SAFE DISTANCE BEHIND A LINCOLN NAVIGATOR WHEN THEY FOR NO REASON SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND STOPPED. I ENDED UP REAR ENDING THE NAVIGATOR. THE REAR OF THE CAR WENT UP INTO THE AIR CAME DOWN AND SPUN AROUND THREE TIMES BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. MY WIFE WAS INJURED. SHE SUSTAINED A BROKEN RIB CUTS AND SCRAPES AND CHEST PAINS. NO AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED IN THE CAR AT ALL.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SMART FORTWO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF NORTH OLMSTED (28450 LORAIN RD, NORTH OLMSTED, OH 44070, (440) 716-2700) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR CAUSED THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES TO SEIZE. ALSO, THE MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2015 Smart ForTwo. The contact stated while buckling the seat belt, he became aware that a metal cable through the eyelet bolted to the frame by the door jamb on the driver's side had started to fray. The contact stated that the vehicle was not driven frequently and felt that there could not be a wear and tear issue. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer. The vehicle had not been diagnosed and had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
CAR HAS MAJOR DELAYS MANY TIMES WHEN YOU HIT THE GAS PEDAL - YOU CAN BE TURNING INTO TRAFFIC AT TIMES AND THERE'S A MAJOR DELAY TO PROPEL THE VEHICLE FORWARD WHEN YOUR FOOT IS ON THE PEDAL - THIS DELAY IN GETTING THE CAR MOVING COULD CAUSE A MAJOR CRASH. MOTOR MOUNTS WEAR OUT UNDER 50,000 MILES SEEMS TOO SOON WHEN COMPARED TO MOST OTHER VEHICLES - SUSPENSION (SHOCKS) COME SUPER HARD FROM THE FACTORY.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
CAR HAS MAJOR DELAYS MANY TIMES WHEN YOU HIT THE GAS PEDAL - YOU CAN BE TURNING INTO TRAFFIC AT TIMES AND THERE'S A MAJOR DELAY TO PROPEL THE VEHICLE FORWARD WHEN YOUR FOOT IS ON THE PEDAL - THIS DELAY IN GETTING THE CAR MOVING COULD CAUSE A MAJOR CRASH. MOTOR MOUNTS WEAR OUT UNDER 50,000 MILES SEEMS TOO SOON WHEN COMPARED TO MOST OTHER VEHICLES - SUSPENSION (SHOCKS) COME SUPER HARD FROM THE FACTORY.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .