We found the following complaints for SMART FORTWO (2008)
Read complaints for SMART FORTWO (2008)
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. While driving approximately 20 mph, the contact's vehicle was struck by another vehicle on the passenger side. The contact's vehicle rolled over several times and landed on the driver's side. The side air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The driver was fatally injured. The vehicle was not destroyed and was towed from the scene. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and sent an engineer and lawyer to inspect the vehicle. The contact was not provided any further information. The contact stated that they were informed that the vehicle was equipped with the twr air bags, which were included in nhtsa investigation number: [xxx] (air bags). The approximate failure mileage was 20,500.('parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).')*dt
The srs light came on.had the dealer diagnose to find it is an intermittent connection to multiple connectors.service tech advised by software analysis to use contact enhancement fluid or spray.code was cleared.the srs light was out and stayed off for about two weeks. Conclusion is the srs system in these cars are unreliable and safety cannot be guaranteed. Cheap connectors causing issue.this should be a recall for these cars.
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo vehicle. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30-40 mph around a curve, the vehicle flipped.the air bags did not deploy. The police were contacted and a report was filed. The driver received injuries to her back. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where they were pending an investigation from the manufacturer. The failure and the current mileages were approximately 7,000. ....updated 12/03/12 updated 01/05/12
I recently had the airbag light come on my car.i took it in to an authorized smart car shop (mercedes benz).mb informed that the wires from the seat beltunderneath passenger seat were frayed and needed to replace the entire seat system.after paying $400.00, for a new passenger seat belt, the light came off.reading different forums online, many smart car owners have also had exactly the same issues with the wires underneath both the passenger and driver side.
The supplemental restraint system light indicates a malfunction within the system.this is the third time this failure has happen. The first time it happen the dealer said it was a bad ground. The second time it failed the dealer replaced the drivers seat belt. My concern is that the owners manual states, "warninga malfunctioning srs system may not deploy when needed in an accident resulting in serious or fatal injury, or it might deploy unexpectedly and unnecessary which could result in an accident and/or injury to you or to others." in an effort to find out why this happening i went on-line and found a smart car web site ,independent from the manufacture(daimler ag), that had listed many owners with the same problem. The manufacture has a recurring defect that needs to be addressed. This places owners, passengers, and the public, in an unsafe condition. Please address this safety hazard.
Failure to shift out of park into reverse. Gearshift moves but gear display goes blank and chime sounds. Sometimes it will go into drive. It may be a solenoid problem. Very frustrating and it seems to be getting worse over time. I now have 38,000 miles on the car. This issue needs to be looked into. I expect better out of damlier benz.
Gas gauge does not register full on fill ups.
When i drive by an intersection where there are a lot of radio, satellite and cell phone towers, the stability control light comes on and then my car is immobilized. By that i mean that the car is in "d" but won't move. I push or coast to the side of the road and turn the car "off." i wait a couple of minutes and restart. The warning lights stay on but it will allow me to drive off in "d." i then park, do my errands and come back to the car. I start it up, all warning lights stay off and it drives normally. The same thing has happened on both occasions when i have driven by this intersection (mt. Pleasant avenue and prospect avenue in west orange, nj.) the car is a 2008 smart passion coupe.
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.
Engine stops after making a harsh left turn- such as in a u-turn. Checked for physical touching of inserted key and that is not the case.motor starts immediately when placed in neutral and ignition key is turned.
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled without warning. Also, while attempting to reverse, the gear shifter failed to remain in the correct gear. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who diagnosed there was an electrical failure. No repairs were made to the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 29,000.
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo 451 coupe. When the vehicle stopped the air bag light came on and would not shut off. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who reset the computer for the driver's side seat belt connection because it was loose. Three months later that the failure recurred. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer because he paid $150 for the first repair. The failure mileage was 13,000 and the current mileage was 13,400.
.........i not the curren owner for this vehicle but, my smart is affected with the same problem or fault-defect.https://www.iaai.com/vehicle?itemid=31877430&rownumber=9&loadrecent=true..........vehicle won't start...........fuse box. Fail....................thank you.
Attempting to leaving store parking lot, entered car, started engine, moved gear shift to "r" buttransmission does not engage and the "r" does not appear in dashboard display. Try moving shifter to "d" but still no transmission engagement or dash display.. Shift back to "p" that now displays on dash. Try "r" again, nothing. After several attempts to engage transmission fail, turn engine off, and restart. Now it seems to be working correctly. This type of occurrence has happened many, many times over the last year.can't identify what might be causing this issue, i.e. Cold engine, hot engine, rain, hot summer day, cold winter, it happens under any unexpected situation.
2008 smart with unresolved computer control problems. The consumer stated the first issue involved a warning chime that activated when the vehicle was turned off. It happened under various conditions and would not turn off until the vehicle was turned on and off again. The consumer believed the problem was a software issue. The consumer suspected that when the computer was at aparticular cycle point in its series of systems checks, it was waiting for a signal from some sensor which was not received when the power to the particular sensor was shut off prior to the computer warning system powering off. The second issue involved the intermittent wiper system somewhere on the line b38 to the sam control unit. On various occasions, the wipers would go through what appeared to be a start up routine of 5 rapid wipes followed by 3 slow wipes and then return to operating as designed. Occasionally, the issue was corrected by turning the wipers to the off position and back to intermittent, but it didn't always correct the problem.the consumer believed both of the issues were a computer control issue that did not leave error codes that would allow the dealer to identify and correct the problem. The consumer stated while at a stop, the clutch remained engaged for an unusually long period of time before disengaging and releasing pressure. The consumer was informed it was a normal functionality of the vehicle.however, when the speed sensor was replaced, the vehicle displayed significantly different characteristics at stops by disengaging the clutch immediately and not continuing to ride the clutch while stopped for several seconds before disengaging. The consumer believed the riding behavior was a result of the initial failing of the sensor. Also, the axle bolt that secured the hub failed. Updatedconsumer letter 04/14/11
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?
Heater blower motor failure, random occurrence of failure to operate heat or defrost, fogging/freezing windows.
While driving at night at about 45 miles per hour, i was shifting into fifth gear and the car just went blank. The lights went out and all noise ceased to exist. At first it was a bit of a shock, so i immediately pulled off of the road onto the dirt. Luckily there were no cars around as the sudden lose of power could have caused someone to run into me, as i had no lights. After looking around the insde of the car i noticed that the key was in the off position. The key on this car is in the middle console, right next to the gear shift selector. I determined that upon shifting my jacket sleeve had brushed against the key, and becuase the key is so easy to turn off from the on position, the key just turned off while driving. This was the first occurrance of this, as it happend one more time. I have had to remember not to leave my hand down by the shift lever, in fear of turning off the key without knowing it.
The cars transmission will not switch to reverse intermittently its an electrical things
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.
Vehicle in my garage, found vehicle battery box and passenger seat flooded due to the air conditioning condensation tube joint located in the battery box disconnected. Vehicle would not start, vehicle will not start, even after emptying the water from thebattery box and recharging the battery. Have a read multiple complaints concerning this issue on the smart blog. Possible electric shock issue as well as all electrical and lights out.
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. The contact stated that the vehicle would inadvertently turn off when the ignition key was accidentally touched. The location for the key was placed between the driver and front passenger seats. The contact also mentioned that the engine overheated when driving at various speeds. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 18v273000 (engine and engine cooling). The contact called midstate auto group inc. At (508) 832-8886 (located at 810 washington st, auburn, ma 01501) and was informed that the parts were not available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and was not able to confirm when the parts were to become available. The contact also stated that the convertible roof did not completely close. The dealer was made aware of the convertible roof failure and informed the contact that the warranty had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 39,000. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
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.
The contact owned a 2008 smart fortwo. The contact stated that the vehicle burst into flames after it was parked. The contact was unaware of how the fire started or where it originated, but it was believed to be near the engine compartment. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to an insurance auto auction. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. A local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,400.
My 2008 smart has a little over 36,000 miles on it.since around 06/16/2015, the gear shift would get stuck and not go into reverse or drive.after a few attempts, it would eventually go into the correct gear.on sunday 06/28/2015, regardless of numbers of attempt, it only goes from p to n and will not shift to reverse or drive.i purchased this car the day it came on the market in may 2008 and picked it up from mb of laguna nieguel.i even purchased an extended warranty on it (5yrs, 75,000 miles) which at the time of purchase, i was told begins after the initial manufacture's warrenty expires.i am now told the extended warranty is already expired.how does a car with under 36,000 start to have transmission problems when all it's services were completed by the dealership at the time it was required?! mb of beverly hills service advisor (john) told me this mornign it would take 2-3 wks be fore i can take the car in and get a loaner car so they can diagnoise the problem, when there are hundreds of smart owners who have complained about this same exact problem on the web.a lego car would probably last longer than this vehicle made by mercedes benz!!
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. After stopping the vehicle, the contact noticed an abnormal odor and observed smoke and flames coming from the engine compartment. The fire department extinguished the fire and determined that the vehicle's insulation caught fire on the heat shield. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 51,000...updated 02/01/16 the consumer stated the vehicle was repaired.
The contact owns a 2008 mercedes-benz smart for two. The contact received a recall notification for nhtsa recall number: 18v273000 (engine and engine cooling), and stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer mercedes benz of palm beach, 4000 okeechobee blvd, west palm beach, fl 33409, confirmed that parts were not available. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. The contact stated that the vehicle would inadvertently turn off when the ignition key was accidentally touched. The location for the key was placed between the driver and front passenger seats. The contact also mentioned that the engine overheated when driving at various speeds. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 18v273000 (engine and engine cooling). The contact called midstate auto group inc. At (508) 832-8886 (located at 810 washington st, auburn, ma 01501) and was informed that the parts were not available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and was not able to confirm when the parts were to become available. The contact also stated that the convertible roof did not completely close. The dealer was made aware of the convertible roof failure and informed the contact that the warranty had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 39,000. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
Within 20 miles of the "check engine" light coming on, the catalytic converter overheated and set the car on fire, burning the car to the ground.
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo passion convertible. The contact stated while driving highway speeds, the vehicle stalled without any warnings. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician diagnosed that the engine wiring harness was touching the body of the vehicle causing a short circuit. In addition, the contact mentioned that the engine warning lamp illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician diagnosed that one of the cylinder valves burned causing the failure and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 39,457 and the current mileage was 48,500.
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. The contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign number: 18v273000 (engine and engine cooling). Also, the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that there were no local dealers near the contact. The failure mileage was 126,000. 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 needed for the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact called mercedes-benz manhattan at (212) 629-1600 (located at 770 11th ave, new york, ny 10019) where it was confirmed that the part was not available. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Went to start car in garagewhen it make an odd sound and smelled of smoke. Tokko car in to dealer and they said top of engine around valves was blown. 46,000 miles on it...been holding on to it waiting for a recall. Car is still in my shed.
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 18v273000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part needed for the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact called smart center albuquerque at (877) 316-3208 (located at 1220 s renaissance blvd ne, albuquerque, nm 87107) and was informed that the part was not available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue, but did not assist. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. While driving 25 mph, smoke emerged from the air vents and flames appeared under the hood. There were no warning indicators illuminated. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The contact's father extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was awaiting diagnostic testing and repairs. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 50,000. The vin was not available.
The contact owned a 2008 mercedes-benz smart fortwo. While the vehicle was parked in a parking garage, the garage attendant called the contact and informed him that smoke was emerging from under the hood. The vehicle caught fire without warning or impact. The fire department extinguished the fire. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but the cause of the fire was not determined. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 205,000.
The contact owned a 2008 smart fortwo. The contact stated while her son was driving the vehicle at 45-55 mph he unexpectedly smelled burning plastic in the vehicle. The contact's son continued to drive the vehicle when he discovered the vehicle emitted smoke from the rear. Shortly after coming to a complete stop the contact's son opened the rear hatch and noticed fire. The fire was extinguished with a water hose and the fire department was not called. There were no injuries. The vehicle was totaled. The dealer was not notified of the fire. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 87,000 the contact stated received nhtsa campaign number: 18v273000 (engine and engine cooling) after the failure occurred.
I learned of a recall on my vehicle earlier this year - i never received a letter because i had moved since i bought the car. The recall was for a sagging insulation mat in the engine compartment, which had apparently caused fires in other smart cars. I contacted my dealer, keeler of latham, who told me the parts were not in for the repair, and suggested i call mercedes, the manufacturer. I called them, gave my updated address, they told me they'd be in touch when the recalled parts were available. I had my car serviced for an unrelated reason a month or so later, they never checked my vehicle to see if the recalled parts were affected. I asked about it, they told me the parts were not yet available. I received a letter from mercedes stating the recall fix was not ready but that it was safe to continue to drive the car. On 7/31/18, my car caught fire. I don't know exactly when, but about an hour after i parked the car at my friend's home, his wife came inside and said "your friend's car is on fire". We went outside, smoke was coming from the back of the car. The fire department came and put out the fire. My car is now totaled. Thankfully no one was hurt. Insurance will pay for part of what it would cost to get me into a new used car, but mercedes has offered only to pay my $500 deductible, or to take a small discount off my purchase of a mercedes or smart car from an authorized mercedes dealer. Mercedes has accepted responsibility for the fire, as their investigation showed it was caused by the sagging insulation mat. I was hoping that something in the law would help force mercedes to make me whole. I just want to be back in a reliable used car without a car payment. If they had repaired the recall in a timely manner, i would still have my car, which was in great shape and had no payment. I don't want to buy a new mercedes car. I thought i should report this. Thanks.
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 18v273000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part needed for the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact called mercedes-benz of san francisco at (415) 553-4280 (located at 500 8th st, san francisco, ca) and was informed that the part was not available. The manufacturer informed the contact that the part would become available at the end of june of 2018 and referred the contact to nhtsa. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 18v273000 (engine and engine cooling). The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The vehicle was taken to motorworld mileone auto group (150 motorworld dr, wilkes-barre, pa 18702, (866) 591-7116), but was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown.
While driving rear motor caught fire.
Received recall on rear insulation mat fire hazard
Was driving at 35 mph at night, lights flashed on/off, her a thump and pop, car and lights shut off, then a large fire erupted in engine compartment. Vehicle was totally destroyed.
As my wife was filling the gas tank it failed to build back pressure that would normally shut off the gas pump. This has occurred twice. Then on mon. The 19th of june after work my wife complained of a strong gas oder inside the vehicle. She drove the car to work on tues. Morning and had the same strong gas smell. She thought that it might be due to overfilling the tank. When she got home on tues. Night we noticed a steady stream of gas pouring out of the vehicle under the car near the passenger side of the vehicle. The gas only streamed out when the engine was running. Once we shutoff the car it would dribble out for a few more minutes then eventually stop. When i turned the car on it would begin flowing fuel onto the ground immediately. I had the car towed to the mercedes benz\smart car dealer located nearest to me. After the car was towed i started to do some research online to determine if this is a common issue. I was surprised to find that there have been many complaints posted to chat room boards regarding a fuel leak and a broken discharge line from the fuel pump to the engine. What i was even more startled to find was literally hundreds of different videos of smart cars catching on fire. I soon discovered that there is an open investigation with the nhtsa for engine fires on model 2008-2009 fortwo smart cars. The investigation number is pe-16-016the dealership called me today and stated that the fuel pump is leaking gas on top of the tank and that the fuel pump will need to be replaced. They have not dropped the fuel tank yet. They witnessed the fuel leak using a mirror. It is now friday at 2:15pm pst, and to late for them to start repairing the fuel pump today. The dealership plans to drop the tank and replace the fuel pump on tues. Morning. I will be there to photograph the location of the break on the fuel line and update this complaint after that.
Takata recall. I was on my way home from work and looked in my rear view mirror and saw smoke. I pulled over to the side of the road only to find my car was beginning to be engulfed in flames. There was no warning, no previous work done on the car...nothing! i was traveling 45 mph on the street. There were no changes in my driving habit or anything like that. I called the police and fire dept. They responded and extinguished the fire. The fire department wrote up a report and determined that the fire started in the engine area. Again, before then, i had no issues with the car, engine or anything electrical. My life was put in danger due to this fire. I reported it to my insurance company and it was an obvious total loss.i am attaching a copy of the fire report for your review.
I purchased a 2008 smart car on 21 oct 13.the check engine light came on at the end of december of 13.i took it in to honest 1 to have it serviced, oil changed, all fluids checked, brakes and engine.i was told that all fluids were great and i paid the bill.the engine light was still on and i went back in.the gentleman worked on it for several minutes and then turned it off.on 30 mar 14 i was driving home from church and the car died in the middle of the road with all the dash board lights coming on, by the grace of god i was able to get over to the right side of the road with outincident.at the smart car dealership i am now told that the engine had no water in the radiator, the head is cracked and the engine seized up.here is the problem..... There was no check engine light and no high temp radiator light show up to say there was a problem.if one had come on you can be sure that i would have had it looked into.i now have to buy a used engine and my concern is that this could happen again.
Trunkinsidethecar isveryhot ,enginetheydon'thaveapower ifi driveifeel carhavea20hp,idonotfell mycarhave a70hp
2008 mercedes-benz smart car. Consumer writes with concern for vehicle catching fire while idle in drive-way following recall and repairs by manufacturer.*as
While driving on the highway and we noticed sudden smoke within the car. The car got very hot. We stopped andopened the engine compartment in the trunk and noticed that the insulation mat in the engine compartment was on fire. We did not notice any causes that could have lead to the burn besides the mat itself.
The contact owns a 2008 smart for two. The vehicle was taken to euro motorcars devon mercedes-benz (214 w lancaster ave, devon, pa 19333, (610) 687-1500) to be repaired per nhtsa campaign number: 18v273000 (engine and engine cooling). After leaving the dealer and driving 35 mph, the contact detected a burning odor inside the vehicle. The contact also mentioned that the brakes failed as the vehicle lost power. The contact detected smoke coming out the rear of the vehicle, which resulted in a fire. A police report was filed. The fire department extinguished the fire. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or independent mechanic for diagnostic testing or repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 37,988. Updated 11/19/18
The contact owns a 2008 mercedes-benz smart fortwo. While waiting to make a turn, the contact noticed smoke emerging from the rear of the vehicle. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and exited the vehicle as it became engulfed in flames. The police arrived and called the fire department to extinguish the fire. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot and retreived by the insurance company. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The contact researched online and found nhtsa campaign number: 18v273000 (engine) for the first time. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 103,000.
Driving on i - 10 down by palm springs.the car started to slow down, shifted to 4th gear.soon after the car slowed down more and pulled over.the engine stopped and wasn't able to restart it.had the car towed to smart riverside, where they said the engine had over heated and blew out the engine.there were no warning that the engine was getting too hot.all fluids were checked, prior to the incident.
Fan blower motor started making noise and had to be replaced.repaired at dealership costs $100 with extended warranty.
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.
2008 smart fourtwo passion.25,380 miles. Car failed to start.towed to dealership and was informed that the cylinder head had cracked. Engine had to essentially be completely rebuilt.initial cost estimate was over $6000.after much haggling it was lowered to $3000.note the smart warranty is 2 years, 24,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 18v273000 (engine and engine cooling). The contact experienced the failure listed in the recall three years ago. The manufacturer was contacted and refused to pay for the repairs, stating that the contact failed to maintain the vehicle at a dealer. The dealer (keeler motor car company, 1111 troy schenectady rd, latham, ny 12110) was contacted; however, the parts were not available for the recall repair. The failure mileage was 48,000.
2008 smart fortwo passion.consumer writes in regards tovehicle engine light and fuel tank problems. The consumer stated the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle was shaking.the consumer was told the vehicle was not being driven enough and the fuel in the tank was old. Seven months later, the consumer returned to the dealer for the same problem. The dealer stated an inspection at a cost of $414.00 would be needed to determine the problem. After the inspection, it was determined the engine needed to be replaced at a cost of $6,037.
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.
Engine stops after making a harsh left turn- such as in a u-turn. Checked for physical touching of inserted key and that is not the case.motor starts immediately when placed in neutral and ignition key is turned.
The contact owns a 2008 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. Mercedes-benz of cincinnati (8727 montgomery rd, cincinnati, oh 45236, (513) 984-9000) was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Shift lever will not go into park.ignition key cannot be removed.subsequent failures resulted in not being able to select reverse and park with the shift lever, and therefor, unable to remove ignition key.
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,,
Vehicle in my garage, found vehicle battery box and passenger seat flooded due to the air conditioning condensation tube joint located in the battery box disconnected. Vehicle would not start, vehicle will not start, even after emptying the water from thebattery box and recharging the battery. Have a read multiple complaints concerning this issue on the smart blog. Possible electric shock issue as well as all electrical and lights out.
Gas gauge on 2009 smart fortwo will not register full on fill up.car has been to the dealer 3 times to have repaired and they have replaced everything associated with this issue.still cannot fix.
Gas gauge does not register full on fill ups.
Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)vehicle info2008 smartcarstyle:purecolor: silvervin: [xxx] purchase date:september 20, 2008purchase price:$17,000.00beginning mileage: 417dealer information[xxx] description/explanation of eventsbeginning in june 2008 to september 20, 2008, i spent time doing my due diligence regarding the new smartcar and the performance possibilities it would have in my forestry consulting business.i typically drive 4,500 to 5,000 miles per month and my ford f-150 was using approximately 26 gallons of fuel per day at a cost of $4.25 per gallon.this due diligence included meeting with the general manager of smart center seattle and giving him a full description of what work i would be doing and determining how i thought the car would hold up.we even measured the clearance of a showroom car which was acceptable.i was scheduled for a test drive and was completely sold on the car and the benefits of utilizing this vehicle in my profession.i ordered a car and was told it would take up to 15 months before my car would be built and delivered.there is a program where the dealership can sell cars that were ordered and not purchased for one reason or another.the car i eventually purchased was one of these cars.i was called to see if i would like to buy this one instead of waiting the months for my car to be manufactured.with the current cost of fuel at the time, i decided to purchase the car and surplus my ordered car when it came into the dealership.the cost of the vehicle was $17,000.00 plus the dealer prep, tax and so on, for a total price of $19,000. The vehicle had a standard 24,000 mile warranty and i was given the option to purchase an extended warranty for an additional fee, approximately $2000 if i recall correctly.because of the high mileage i drive each year, approximately 70,000 miles, i decide.
Top of fuel pump crack after car hit bumpy roadways leaking fuel filling with gasoline fumes
During routine driving, gradually smelled stronger gasoline odors. Odor remained with car while parked & unused for several days. Smelled strong gasoline odor when engine running while parked in driveway. Observed gasoline is slowly dripping under car, forward of the rear-mounted engine compartment, from hole located in plastic undercar shield. Have read this is a common problem likely with fuel tanks that smartusa or mercedes required to be modified by g&k for an emissions system update prior to retail sale, many owners report gas tank cracks where modification hose fitting added, or leaks at the modified fitting due to adhesive or sealant failure. Worst-case, raw gasoline or gasoline vapors drifting rearward onto hot engine components like exhaust manifold represent a serious fire hazard. I don't yet know the exact source of gasoline leak. There are many reports of the smart fortwo catching fire during operation. Pray this defect will receive attention prior to fatality.
Fracture in the plastic nipple at the top of the fuel pump which connects the fuel pump output to the engine.this condition allowed gasoline to spray all over the bottom of the vehicle.the manufacturer's field representative who was present when the defect was discovered stated that this was due to normal wear and was not a manufacturing defect.
Trunkinsidethecar isveryhot ,enginetheydon'thaveapower ifi driveifeel carhavea20hp,idonotfell mycarhave a70hp
2008 smart passion, 116k miles, maintained at recommended service intervals:condition:vehicle in use, various driving conditions:"old gas" smell inside vehicle after a break from usage of ~4-8 hours."fresh gas" smell outside vehicle near the rear, after vehicle is used.no smellinside or outside if vehicle is left to stand 2-3 days.inspection:no fluid leaks observed under car. Condition is repeating/repeatable.upon removing rh rear lamp inspection plate, gas smell was found to be greater.no visual evidence of overfill on the fuel filler tube observable inside inspection cover. No wet or moist dust/dirt found in or near same.inspected under-car, forward of engine for evidence of leaking, none found.inspected engine compartment fuel rail and fuel returns. No leaks/seeps found.no insulation degradation found, no modifications or foreign material found.concern:similar year/model/mileage smarts have been reported as having caught fire "in the engine compartment". One online resource has documented cracked/broken fuel pump outlet/inlet/bypass nipples (which resulted in an observed pool of gas under the car). Action:further investigation of the fuel tank, pump and vapor-recovery systems are planned.
As my wife was filling the gas tank it failed to build back pressure that would normally shut off the gas pump. This has occurred twice. Then on mon. The 19th of june after work my wife complained of a strong gas oder inside the vehicle. She drove the car to work on tues. Morning and had the same strong gas smell. She thought that it might be due to overfilling the tank. When she got home on tues. Night we noticed a steady stream of gas pouring out of the vehicle under the car near the passenger side of the vehicle. The gas only streamed out when the engine was running. Once we shutoff the car it would dribble out for a few more minutes then eventually stop. When i turned the car on it would begin flowing fuel onto the ground immediately. I had the car towed to the mercedes benz\smart car dealer located nearest to me. After the car was towed i started to do some research online to determine if this is a common issue. I was surprised to find that there have been many complaints posted to chat room boards regarding a fuel leak and a broken discharge line from the fuel pump to the engine. What i was even more startled to find was literally hundreds of different videos of smart cars catching on fire. I soon discovered that there is an open investigation with the nhtsa for engine fires on model 2008-2009 fortwo smart cars. The investigation number is pe-16-016the dealership called me today and stated that the fuel pump is leaking gas on top of the tank and that the fuel pump will need to be replaced. They have not dropped the fuel tank yet. They witnessed the fuel leak using a mirror. It is now friday at 2:15pm pst, and to late for them to start repairing the fuel pump today. The dealership plans to drop the tank and replace the fuel pump on tues. Morning. I will be there to photograph the location of the break on the fuel line and update this complaint after that.
Gear shift lever freezes in park & therefore will not allow car to move.
I purchased a smart passion on about september 19, 2008.when i went for a test drive with the sales representative, he was showing me all the features of the car and when he got to the sun shade which blocks out excessive light from the glass roof, the rep. Had difficulty operating the shade and told me that it was being recalled.approximately 1 week after thanksgiving, my shade became completely dysfunctional in the open position.i notified the smart national customer care center by phone & they told me that the shade was not recalled.i've gone online to smart forums and discovered that the shade is dysfunctional in many of the cars.i have not taken it to a repair center yet but plan to asap.this is an obvious visual hazard during bright lighting conditions.on the same vehicle, my wife and i have had multiple occurrences which we are unable to get the back glass to latch in the closed position.once i was over 160 miles from home.i notified the smart customer care center and was told to try to use bungee cords to keep it closed.i went online to a forum and discovered that this too was a common problem with other owners.this is obviously an unsafe method to drive a vehicle due to the potential for the rear glass to come open during travel or allowing water to settle in the vehicle during rain.
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. The contact stated the drivers side seat belt does not latch. The front hood latch came apart causing the hood to separate from the vehicle while driving 55 mph. No one was injured and a crash did not occur. The manufacturer was notified and stated there was no recall and the contact would had to pay for the repair cost andoffered no assistance. The failure mileage was 51,424.updated 12/11/12*ljthe seat belt buckle and hood latch were replaced. Updated 12/12/12
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 fora 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.
It was a very hot day and had been driving on the interstate for about an hour.i slowed down to turn onto ramp and car went out of gear (while driving!).screen went blank.this has happened to me once before in a similar circumstance so i pulled over.turned off car and found advice on the smart car forum (this has obviously happened to others as well).after about 3 times of completing the cycle to reboot the system, it finally worked and i continued on my way.the first time this happened dealer did a software update at my cost ($200+) because it was out of warranty.this car is dangerous...will someone need to die before something is done with a recall of these cars?
In traffic, attempting to parallel park, car fails to shift into"r" must turn car off in middle of road, restart three times to finally get car to engage "r" or "d" to move the car safely out of traffic.1- this has happened to me many dozens of times, i previously reported a similar problem.2- i see many other similar complaints.why has there not been a recall issued?
Put car into reverse. Display would not show reverse nor would it go into reverse. I turned car off, waited until computer reset then turned the key. Car sequenced through the gears to 'relearn' the sequence. I started the car and it still won't find the reverse gear. This is extremely dangerous. Clutch was replaced by dealer 5 months ago and software was upgraded.
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
It will stop working and will not go into drive at all the car just sit there and will not drive at all, this is not good when sitting in traffic lights
While driving car will drive fine..stop to parallel park or reverse...car will not go into reverse gear..or drive gear.... Shutcar offto reset everything then car will not start up for awhile..... If at all taken to smart center to no avil called smart all they want to do is give me a $500 dollar discount on another smart car... And no answer to the current problem im having with a current smart car car only has 43,277 miles
Attempting to leaving store parking lot, entered car, started engine, moved gear shift to "r" buttransmission does not engage and the "r" does not appear in dashboard display. Try moving shifter to "d" but still no transmission engagement or dash display.. Shift back to "p" that now displays on dash. Try "r" again, nothing. After several attempts to engage transmission fail, turn engine off, and restart. Now it seems to be working correctly. This type of occurrence has happened many, many times over the last year.can't identify what might be causing this issue, i.e. Cold engine, hot engine, rain, hot summer day, cold winter, it happens under any unexpected situation.
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. After starting the vehicle, the transmission shifter would not switch to the reverse position. The failure was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified. The failure mileage was 45,000.
Driving on interstate on a hot day.after approx. 1 hour of driving, slowed down to change lanes, put on brakes, screen went blank and there were no gears.nothing...the car was still running, but there was no way to move, as if it was in neutral.went online and found that other owners hadsame problem.went through a computer reset and it ran fine.took it to dealer and they charged me $200 for a software update (after i had to rent a car for $300 to get home).
While driving rear motor caught fire.
Know issue with transmission.will not go into reverse half the time.making it dangerous if needed quickly. Parallel parking on a busy street, the car would not go into reverse, holding up traffic for a very long time.having to push it into the spot! mercedes says it is a software problem. But that should be a recall because that is their problem.many people have had the same issue.driving down the highway at 70mph and the car instantly starts flashing neutral and beeping. Car slows and will not go into gear.we need this car to be recalled!
Vehicle started not going into reverse when shifting into reverse from drive. Also if idling then shifting into reverse it will not go, it would go to neutral.
The cars transmission will not switch to reverse intermittently its an electrical things
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,,
I have a smart fortwo having trouble with the reverse call the dealer they told me that it was a software problem and that this is the second time that they had to up date it so the reverse would work i have call many smart car dealers thru out the states and it is a problem so my question is why isn't this a recall because i have to pay for this because the factory warranty is up and my reverse went forward to i don't think its fair that i have to pay for this since this has been an on going problem with these cars please help.
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. After the vehicle was started and shifted into reverse, it failed to respond. The vehicle was taken to mercedes-benz of orlando (810 orlando ave, maitland, fl 32751, (407) 680-0784) to be diagnosed, but the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure occurred at least four times previously. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 30,000.
Failure to shift out of park into reverse. Gearshift moves but gear display goes blank and chime sounds. Sometimes it will go into drive. It may be a solenoid problem. Very frustrating and it seems to be getting worse over time. I now have 38,000 miles on the car. This issue needs to be looked into. I expect better out of damlier benz.
While driving at night at about 45 miles per hour, i was shifting into fifth gear and the car just went blank. The lights went out and all noise ceased to exist. At first it was a bit of a shock, so i immediately pulled off of the road onto the dirt. Luckily there were no cars around as the sudden lose of power could have caused someone to run into me, as i had no lights. After looking around the insde of the car i noticed that the key was in the off position. The key on this car is in the middle console, right next to the gear shift selector. I determined that upon shifting my jacket sleeve had brushed against the key, and becuase the key is so easy to turn off from the on position, the key just turned off while driving. This was the first occurrance of this, as it happend one more time. I have had to remember not to leave my hand down by the shift lever, in fear of turning off the key without knowing it.
The first time it happened was after starting the car, it would not go into reverse. The dash board shift indicator remained on the "n" , but the gear shift was in reverse. After turning the car off and restarting it,then went into reverse. We lived with problem for a long time, because we, at least had a solution.just recently, september 7, 2013 my wife called me from a shopping plaza telling me that the car would not go into any gear (drive or reverse)it took me about 10 minutes of turning the engine on and off before the car was able to go into drive and reverse.fortunately, she was in a parking lot and not on a highway or trying to parallel on a busy street.this is a serious safety problem, which needs to be rectified by the mercedes people. After viewing the internet, there are many smart car 2008 owners with the same problem. Please advise if a call back has been issued or will be issued.thank you.
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 havethe 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
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into reverse gear and the failure was experienced several times. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing and the vehicle was not repaired.the approximate failure mileage was 27,000 and the current mileage was 29,942.
The car will not engage reverse at all and sometimes jumps between n, d, or a blank display on the dash readout. When this happens you can move the shifter and it will not select reverse and there is a beeping noise audible from the dash. The car must be rolled back down a hill in neutral or pushed. It has happened about 4 times in the last week. Nothing is being done to correct the failure by replacing parts or repairing parts. Car has only about 27k miles.
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.updated 03/15/10
Gear shift lever freezes in park & therefore will not allow car to move.
Since new.car has problem moving from park into gear, either reverse or drive.even when gearshift moves and indicator light shows gear, does not engage.same problem moving from drive to reverse.gearshift sticks on occasion and is difficult to move.
My car's shifter is stuck in park.i cannot shift to n (neutral), d (drive), or r (reverse).this effectively renders the car inoperable.
I have a transmission problem with my 2008 passionfortwo, which has occurred four times in the 28 months and 13k miles of ownership. I'm happily driving along until i reach my destination, then i need to go into reverse to park. The shifter works flawlessly and the display clearly shows the correct position of the shifter. But, the transmission does not engage, nor will it engage if i reselect drive. The first two times that this happened, i eventually turned off the key and restarted the car and all was well. The last two times, that work-around had no effect. I turned offthe car and let it sit for five minutes and one hour, respectively, and then had no problem selecting any gear.a car that suddenly will not go into gear is dangerous.
It's a problem that happens about once a week, the car won't go into reverse, and sometimes won't go into any gear at all. This has been recurring for 2 years, and the dealership pretends there is no problem. This can be dangerous when in a busy street, or in a slope when you expect to back up while the car rolls down the hill.
The failing part is in the automatic transmission shift lever. The shift lever release button begins to get resistive in it's operation and then fails to actuate all together. In my case this resulted in the dealer service department having to replace the entire shift lever assembly. The failure occurred at approximately 8400 miles. It has been about 500 miles since the repair and i can feel the lever becoming resistive again.
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. The contact stated that while driving 20 mph, the vehicle suddenly shut off without warning. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who stated that the clutch coupling motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 56,150.
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. The contact stated the drivers side seat belt does not latch. The front hood latch came apart causing the hood to separate from the vehicle while driving 55 mph. No one was injured and a crash did not occur. The manufacturer was notified and stated there was no recall and the contact would had to pay for the repair cost andoffered no assistance. The failure mileage was 51,424.updated 12/11/12*ljthe seat belt buckle and hood latch were replaced. Updated 12/12/12
The srs light came on.had the dealer diagnose to find it is an intermittent connection to multiple connectors.service tech advised by software analysis to use contact enhancement fluid or spray.code was cleared.the srs light was out and stayed off for about two weeks. Conclusion is the srs system in these cars are unreliable and safety cannot be guaranteed. Cheap connectors causing issue.this should be a recall for these cars.
The seat belts will not retract, which shows they do not work properly. Concerned they will fail if i'm ever in a crash. :( this happens every time a seat belt is unfastened. The issue has been happening for a few years. Called a local mechanic to ask if they could fix it, but apparently this is considered a safety issue, so they won't touch it. Smart doesn't admit it's an issue even though many other smart owners have complained of the same issue. Please issue a recall so we don't have to worry about our safety as far as the seat belts are concerned.
Car makes loud loud noises and they telling me it was normal nothing wrong i don't think that's true can some one help me it's been like this sense i n ought it at annapolis dealershipseat beltsteering wheelloud noises.
The seat belt will no longer latch on the drivers side.after reviewing the following forum i realized this is effecting several others:http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/forums/f25/seat-belt-buckle-jammed-32961/index2.htmlthis should be recalled before someone gets into an accident with a malfunctioning seat belt.
Seatbelt latch mechanism broke.this, in combination with the fact that the seatbelt mechanism itself frequently fails to retract, suggests that the entire system is faulty.
Seat belt light stays on.came on for no reason.
Both driver and passenger seat belts do not retract
The supplemental restraint system light indicates a malfunction within the system.this is the third time this failure has happen. The first time it happen the dealer said it was a bad ground. The second time it failed the dealer replaced the drivers seat belt. My concern is that the owners manual states, "warninga malfunctioning srs system may not deploy when needed in an accident resulting in serious or fatal injury, or it might deploy unexpectedly and unnecessary which could result in an accident and/or injury to you or to others." in an effort to find out why this happening i went on-line and found a smart car web site ,independent from the manufacture(daimler ag), that had listed many owners with the same problem. The manufacture has a recurring defect that needs to be addressed. This places owners, passengers, and the public, in an unsafe condition. Please address this safety hazard.
Both seat belts, but especially the passenger seat belt, lose tension and are rendered ineffective. They can still be fastened, but there is absolutely no restraint. I requested a repair of at least the passenger-side seat belt during a 11/19/12 car repair and the dealer's representative told me that many smart fortwo vehicles have problems with seat belts. He was reluctant to repair the problem and did not. From reading the complaints about seatbelts of smart vehicles, this last of proper restraint seems to be an on-going problem.
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. The contact stated the drivers side seat belt does not latch. The front hood latch came apart causing the hood to separate from the vehicle while driving 55 mph. No one was injured and a crash did not occur. The manufacturer was notified and stated there was no recall and the contact would had to pay for the repair cost andoffered no assistance. The failure mileage was 51,424.updated 12/11/12*ljthe seat belt buckle and hood latch were replaced. Updated 12/12/12
The srs light came on.had the dealer diagnose to find it is an intermittent connection to multiple connectors.service tech advised by software analysis to use contact enhancement fluid or spray.code was cleared.the srs light was out and stayed off for about two weeks. Conclusion is the srs system in these cars are unreliable and safety cannot be guaranteed. Cheap connectors causing issue.this should be a recall for these cars.
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.
Trunkinsidethecar isveryhot ,enginetheydon'thaveapower ifi driveifeel carhavea20hp,idonotfell mycarhave a70hp
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
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 beingcrack 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.
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,,
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.updated 03/15/10
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.
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.
Car makes loud loud noises and they telling me it was normal nothing wrong i don't think that's true can some one help me it's been like this sense i n ought it at annapolis dealershipseat beltsteering wheelloud noises.
The contact owns a 2008 mercedes-benz smart fortwo. The contact stated that while driving and making a turn, the vehicle loss power assist without warning. The vehicle was taken to new country mercedes-benz located at 1 weston st, hartford, ct 06120, to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,250.
The contact owns a 2008 smart car fortwo. While driving 45 mph the contact noticed that the vehicle suddenly began to move to the right. When the contact attempted to turn the steering wheel he noticed that the tires would in the same direction which caused the contact to crash into a mailbox. No one was injured. A police report was not filed. The failure was not diagnosed by the dealer. The current and failure mileages were 23,000. Updated 8/25/10 updated 08/27/10updated 08/30/10
2008 smart for two passion. Consumer writes in regards to rear insulation mat safety recall. *ld
The plastic composite material that makes up the clear roof panel on smart fortwo passion models has been known to "craze" or haze over with fine marks, that catch and reflect the sun. This makes the roof's material appear to wear down due to the sun's uv light. Owners that park their cars in garages have fewer symptoms, and adversely, those who always keep their car outside and exposed to sun see exasperated issues. There have been reports of the material warping due to wear and experiencing leaks around the edges. As the panel is not a sun roof, but instead the vehicle's roof itself, the problem is not cheap to repair. The material has been known to "craze" since the smart fortwo was updated in 2008, and as of 2012 the problem still exists.
There is a leak in the seal for the glass roof and the body, resulting in two problems;1- water has leaked into the passenger compartment.2- very noticeable "wind noise" coming from roof seal area.this seams consistent with recall # 08v-390, however, this vin is not included in that recall.i believe the problem is the same, and should be included with recall # 08v-390.
Drivers side door does not lock.the remote locks all other doors but the drivers side door lock does not work.
While driving rear motor caught fire.
On friday, march 28, 2014, at approximately 4:00 pm while driving home from work (us dept of transportation), the latches that holds the front hood down in the car broke and the hood flew into the street. Luckily there were no cars behind or beside me at the time.i had to pull my car to the shoulder of road and walk about 25 feet to retrieve the hood in the road which cause paint damages to the car.this was very frightening for me. This is truly a safety issue that needs to be resolved and recalled. I brought the car about eight months ago. I called the dealership (mercedes-benz of catonsville) that has serviced my car in the past to report the incident and was instructed to bring the car into the shop the next day.the incident was discussed with the sales manager and general manager, i was informed that these types of cars have this problem.they have not serviced many, but services have been performed on these types of cars. The hood latches are made of plastic and its a "wear/tear" issue.my warranty insurance covered the plastic latches, but i had to pay a deductible.the service department identified the problem and resolved the issue by mounting (4) new plastic locking mechanisms (part number smt 451-757-01-01-c22a). I am afraid that this issue will happen again in time and someone will not be as lucky to avoid an accident or fatal incident.this needs to be investigated asap.
The panoramic roof experiences what is called crazing where the roof is covered in fine cracks due to normal exposure.
The contact owns a 2008 smart fortwo. The contact stated that the vehicle would inadvertently turn off when the ignition key was accidentally touched. The location for the key was placed between the driver and front passenger seats. The contact also mentioned that the engine overheated when driving at various speeds. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 18v273000 (engine and engine cooling). The contact called midstate auto group inc. At (508) 832-8886 (located at 810 washington st, auburn, ma 01501) and was informed that the parts were not available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and was not able to confirm when the parts were to become available. The contact also stated that the convertible roof did not completely close. The dealer was made aware of the convertible roof failure and informed the contact that the warranty had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 39,000. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
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
Valve stem on 2008 smart fortwo tpms (tire pressure monitoring system) is made of aluminum and corrodes due to salt.valve stem is not replaceable so the entire sensor has to be replaced.part was replaced with an aftermarket part (which has subsequently stopped working).old part is available.
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 beingcrack 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.
2008 smart carfortwo,was south bound,when it left the road on the left and the front right tire dug into soft dirt. The vehicle rolled and came to rest upright. According to the police report, the driver had a pre-existing medical condition, which could have led to the accident, but could not be verified. Updated 01/24/12
Shift lever will not go into park.ignition key cannot be removed.subsequent failures resulted in not being able to select reverse and park with the shift lever, and therefor, unable to remove ignition key.
Often times after starting up vehicle and going into reverse vehicle will not reverse. I often times get stuck in spots because i am unable to reverse. This is a safety hazard especially when there is oncoming traffic behind me.
Spontaneously caught on fire while driving
My car started on fire while it was being driven!my friendescaped a fiery death by merely seconds!i have had this car since 2008.i have been very impressed with it for the most part as, other than regularly scheduled maintenance, there have absolutely no problems with the car for the first 100,000 miles.until this incident, i was considering purchasing a new smart car.my friend was driving the car down the freeway yesterday when a driver next to him began flagging him frantically and fortunately forced him off to the shoulder of the road.my friend first thought that he was looking at a case of road rage until his savior jumped out of his truck yelling at my friend to "get out of your car, it is on fire!"my friend jumped out of the car, and within 10 seconds, the very spot where he had been sitting was totally engulfed in flames!he stood there and shot the attached pictures as the car burned, and then after the fire department had put it out.without the assistance of the good samaritan, i suspect that he would be dead or seriously maimed.there was absolutely no warning sign of any kind prior to the incident!it just had it s 100,000 mile oil change last week.i see where this has happened to others.will it take a death or serious maiming before mercedes will be forced to remedy this problem?
I was in an office building when i a city fire marshal came in and informed me my car was on fire in the parking lot.i found this to be very hard to believe as it had been parked for over an hour and one half.the fire dept. Had broken my passenger side window, opened the car and sprayed it with chemicals.i was informed the fire had started from wires in the engine compartment.fortunately, it was caught early and damage was minimal, but the car was not attended nor was the engine hot as it had not been in use for some time.had it been in a closed garage it could have been a disaster.
Vehicle in my garage, found vehicle battery box and passenger seat flooded due to the air conditioning condensation tube joint located in the battery box disconnected. Vehicle would not start, vehicle will not start, even after emptying the water from thebattery box and recharging the battery. Have a read multiple complaints concerning this issue on the smart blog. Possible electric shock issue as well as all electrical and lights out.
Just received my recall #18v273. I have a question : this recall concerns 2008-2009 model years only. Since mb made some sort of change in 2010, how long have they known about this issue ? since 2010 ? why am i just now finding out about it in 2018 ? did mb try to hide this issue ? [xxx]information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).'*pm
The car was in motion the engine cut off then i coasted to a parking lot the vehicle was then stationary i got out and noticed smoke then saw flames coming from the rear of the car by the time i ran a safe distance away the flames had more than doubled.
Failed component - air conditioner (fan works but no cold air). Operation has been erratic. In the summer, this was a nuisance. In the winter, it is as serious as brake loss! i have now had three occurances of ninety percent loss of visibility as a result of complete fogging of all windows. This is the result of the right ambient temp., humidity and interior temp. Incidents occurred after driving approximately 10 to 15 miles and were virtually instantaneous (less than 30 seconds). An ac/heat blend is needed to dehumidify windows. The local dealer had this car for one week (oct 15 to oct23, 2010 while it was still a nuisance problem). Did not repair because problem could not be duplicated. First complete loss of visibility on this car occurred on nov. 5th. When i was informed by my dealer that there were no service bulletins, a letter was sent to smart customer service (address provided by local dealer)in bloomfield hills, mi. On nov. 17, 2010 and received by them on nov. 19th. No response to date. Repeat phone calls resulted in no solution. My final attempt was stopping at the dealer on jan 17th to determine if a service bulletin was issued for this problem. According to my service advisor, no bulletins had been issued and i am not alone with this complaint. My three incidents happened on city streets allowing me to safely move my vehicle to the shoulder and play with the controls until the ac kicked in. My greatest concernis having this occur while driving at a higher rate of speed or having a guard rail prevent a safe stop!(this did happen with their loaner on walden creek rd which, fortunately, is a very little traveled mountain road. I was forced to stop on the road & play with controls until ac kicked in. That vehicle had less than 100 miles on the odometer. Date of occurrence for this new loaner was saturday, oct. 23rd, incident was reported to dealer.)
On july 28 2017 i was driving on the highway and my car "died". Luckilyi was able to coast to the side of the road and the car that was following me also pulled over and the man was yelling that my car was on fire.i had no previous warning. No smell, no sounds, no alarms--nothing other than my car died while i was on the highway.i had gotten out to see what i could of the situation (not mechanically inclined), saw smoke and small flames so went to get keys and cell pnone out of car and 2 other people were parked in front of me, having passed by me, and were yelling "get out of the car it is on fire"by now, only a few minutes later, the rear of my car was entirely engulfed in flames. The smoke inside the car now was thick, grayish in color, while the exterior seemed to me melting before my eyes! the entire car was destroyed. All that is left is the basic metal frame.several bystanders took video and pictures of this as it was horrible and fast.i did not hear anything when i was driving to alert me there was a problem initially. If the car hadn't died, as fast as this happened, i would be dead i am sure.as far as i know there were no recalls on this car. I had less than 30000 original miles on the vehicle and all mandatory upkeep was performed (oil changes etc)there are chp files im sure, i have a claim in with my insurance (usaa) and as i said there is video documentation of the fire.at this point my car, and virtually everything in it is charcoal.the car is not salvageable.i was a shocked beyond belief that such a thing could happen to a well maintained vehicle and i am still afraid to think of driving alone.
Vehicle burned while parked. Have photos & estimate of total loss.the littleton group is a third party administrator.
Strong odor of gasoline in and around the car but no visible leak. Learned on the that this 2008 car if prone to fire. Took it to dealer and did not find a problem am i driving a little ww2 mercedes oven?
I am the owner of http://www.smartcarsucks.com . I created this website which has documented every instance of a smart car fire i have been able to find on the web since 2012. My complete story of what happened and what followed is at the beginning of that website. At the time i believed that every car fire was documented by the police and would be forwarded to the proper reporting agency which is why i never reported it before. I saw that there was an investigation of these cars which is why i am reporting it now. If you need anymore information i can be contacted.
Not sure if you are interested in a canadian complaint (sorry, used the closest state and zip code for address) but i think this is important. After replacing the muffler on our smart car, as i drove away i smelled a burning odor. Thinking it was just burn off from the new parts i continued driving. Not much further away at a stop a man approached me and said there was smoke coming out the back. I got out to look and the amount of smoke quickly increased and was coming out through the rear body panel sections. I have video of this. I opened the hatch on the engine compartment and smoke poured out. I called the mechanic who immediately came and drove it back to the shop (not sure why he thought that was a safe thing to do?) they reported that the fire wall fire insulation was deteriorating and a large chunk had fallen down onto the engine and was smoldering. As a result they ripped all the fire insulation off the engine compartment door hatch. Could this be the cause of all these reported fires? i consider myself lucky that a fire didn't break out as i was on my way to pick up my 93 year old father.
After stopping at a stop sign, i begin to turn right onto another street and the car's transmission slipped out of gear and into neutral.i tried to put the car back into drive, but the car would not go into gear.i started and stopped the car several times and the car still would not go into either reverse or drive.i was pushed into a parking lot.i have had previous problems with the car's transmission before.there have been multiple occasions when i started the car and could not get the car to go into reverse.after i turned the car off and on several times, the car would finally shift into reverse.
We have been driving my wife's 2008 smart-for-two since approximately 2-month after purchase without rear-view mirror. The mounting(metal) tab that was glued to the inside of the windshield had came loose and we have been told by the dealer that they are trying to find out from the factory in what to do. Apparently this is a very common problem on the smart-for-two. Is there a dot requirementto have rear-view mirror on all motor vehicle operating on us highways?
Heater blower motor failure, random occurrence of failure to operate heat or defrost, fogging/freezing windows.
The plastic composite material that makes up the clear roof panel on smart fortwo passion models has been known to "craze" or haze over with fine marks, that catch and reflect the sun. This makes the roof's material appear to wear down due to the sun's uv light. Owners that park their cars in garages have fewer symptoms, and adversely, those who always keep their car outside and exposed to sun see exasperated issues. There have been reports of the material warping due to wear and experiencing leaks around the edges. As the panel is not a sun roof, but instead the vehicle's roof itself, the problem is not cheap to repair. The material has been known to "craze" since the smart fortwo was updated in 2008, and as of 2012 the problem still exists.
2008 smart with unresolved computer control problems. The consumer stated the first issue involved a warning chime that activated when the vehicle was turned off. It happened under various conditions and would not turn off until the vehicle was turned on and off again. The consumer believed the problem was a software issue. The consumer suspected that when the computer was at aparticular cycle point in its series of systems checks, it was waiting for a signal from some sensor which was not received when the power to the particular sensor was shut off prior to the computer warning system powering off. The second issue involved the intermittent wiper system somewhere on the line b38 to the sam control unit. On various occasions, the wipers would go through what appeared to be a start up routine of 5 rapid wipes followed by 3 slow wipes and then return to operating as designed. Occasionally, the issue was corrected by turning the wipers to the off position and back to intermittent, but it didn't always correct the problem.the consumer believed both of the issues were a computer control issue that did not leave error codes that would allow the dealer to identify and correct the problem. The consumer stated while at a stop, the clutch remained engaged for an unusually long period of time before disengaging and releasing pressure. The consumer was informed it was a normal functionality of the vehicle.however, when the speed sensor was replaced, the vehicle displayed significantly different characteristics at stops by disengaging the clutch immediately and not continuing to ride the clutch while stopped for several seconds before disengaging. The consumer believed the riding behavior was a result of the initial failing of the sensor. Also, the axle bolt that secured the hub failed. Updatedconsumer letter 04/14/11
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