smart Fortwo Complaints

407 consumer complaints on file.

#11023460September 14, 2017
POWER TRAIN
FIRST START OF THE DAY IT WILL NOT SHIFT INTO R OR D. IT WILL SHOW P AND N WHEN YOU SHIFT BUT IT WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR FOR REVERSE OR DRIVE. YOU HAVE TO RESTART THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES TO GET IT TO SHIFT. JUST SPOKE WITH SMART CAR ON THE PHONE AND THEY DENY KNOWING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. HOWEVER SEARCHING THE WEB YOU WILL SEE ITS VERY COMMON. ITS A FACTORY DEFECT THAT SMART CAR IS DENYING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11022045September 7, 2017
AIR BAGS
AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY PASSENGER SIDE OF MY CAR WAS DEMOLISHED.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11022108September 7, 2017
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
FUEL PUMP CONNECTOR CRACKS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11021653September 5, 2017
SERVICE BRAKES
AT 65MPH ON A FREEWAY TRAVELING STRAIGHT WHEN I HAD TO BRAKE FOR TRAFFIC I EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE. THE VEHICLE SWERVED SEVERELY TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT ENTERING BOTH LANES LUCKILY THEIR WAS NOBODY WAS IN THOSE LANES IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT. THERE WAS SUCH A SEVERE DIRECTION CHANGE I THOUGHT THE VEHICLE WAS GOING TO ROLL OVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO WESTMINSTER MERCEDES-BENZ DENVER CO DEALER WHERE THEY REPORTED TO ME THAT THE BRAKE SENSOR,MASTER CYLINDER AND BRAKE BOOSTER HAVE TO BE REPLACED. IT WAS A VERY UNCONTROLLED STOP!!!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11021082September 1, 2017
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
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 SMELL INSIDE 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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11021097September 1, 2017
POWER TRAIN
THE CAR HAS A INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH SHIFTING INTO REVERSE. WHEN SHIFTED THE TRANSMISSION LEVER TO THE REVERSE POSITION THE SHIFT INDICATOR ON THE INFORMATION CENTER WILL SHOW BLANK AND A HIGH PITCH BEEPING SOUND WILL BE HEARD.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11020473August 29, 2017
SEAT BELTS
SAFE BELT BUCKLE JAMMED OR CAN'T CLICK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11019607August 25, 2017
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
TOP OF FUEL PUMP CRACK AFTER CAR HIT BUMPY ROADWAYS LEAKING FUEL FILLING WITH GASOLINE FUMES
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11024388August 24, 2017
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
MY 2009 SMART FORTWO CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE YESTERDAY AND BURNED. WHEN I WAS PULLING INTO THE LOCAL POST OFFICE, THE CAR?S WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON BY THEMSELVES AND THEN THE HORN BEGAN TO HONK AS WELL. I GOT INTO A PARKING SPACE AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. I SAW SOMETHING COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR BUT NO FLAMES. I GOT OUT AND WENT INTO THE POST OFFICE TO GET MY MAIL. WHILE IN THERE I HEARD SEVERAL PEOPLE YELLING THAT A CAR WAS ON FIRE. I RUSHED OUTSIDE TO SEE MY CAR FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. I LOST ALL MY THINGS IN THE CAR; LAPTOP, TABLET, CELLPHONE AND MOST OF ALL ALL MY BUSINESS PAPERWORK, CONTACTS, ETC.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11011774July 31, 2017
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE, I HAD REACHED ABOUT 40 MILES PER HOUR AND THE CAR JUST DIED. I HADN'T DONE ANYTHING, THE CAR SIMPLY DIED. WHEN I FIRST ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE CAR BACK ON, IT WOULDN'T CRANK. THE LIGHTS, AIR EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL CAME ON, BUT THE CAR DIDN'T CRANK. AFTER WAITING A FEW MINUTES, I TRIED AGAIN AND LUCKILY THE CAR STARTED. BUT THIS SCARED ME AND SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11011565July 30, 2017
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
ON JULY 28 2017 I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY CAR "DIED". LUCKILY I 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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11011100July 27, 2017
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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?
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11010186July 24, 2017
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11010314July 24, 2017
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY DIED-WAS NOT OUT OF GAS- TOOK A WHILE AND STARTED BUT SHOOK VIOLANTLY AND DIDN'T STAY STARTED- WAITED A WHILE LONGER AND IT STARTED AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT HOME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11006774July 21, 2017
POWER TRAIN
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11002583June 30, 2017
STRUCTURE:BODY
THE PAINT ON MY 2009 RED SMART CAR IS PEELING. SOME SMART CARS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR BAD PAINT WHICH COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF THE WINDSHIELD OR ROOF; THE ADHESIVE IS LAID OVER THE PAINT AND IF THE PAINT SOME OFF THE ADHESIVE WILL TOO; THUS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. MY CAR WAS ORDERED IN 2008, BUT I PURCHASED IT IN 2009. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE SMART HEADQUARTERS AND SPOKE WITH ADAM. I HAD THE ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO REPAINT OR REPLACE THE PANELS ON THE CAR. THIS WAS PART OF A "GOODWILL OUT OF WARRANTY GESTURE." ADAM FROM HEADQUARTERS CALLED ME TODAY AND INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT HONOR THE REPAIRS. I'M SO SAD. I'M A SENIOR AND I SAVED UP FOR 3 YEARS TO GET THAT CAR NEW. I HAVE TAKEN IMPECCABLE CARE OF IT, AND IF YOU GOOGLE "RED SMART CARS WITH PEELING PAINT ISSUES" YOU WILL FINE MANY POSTINGS. I'M STUCK WITH THIS CRAPPY LOOKING CAR. IT LOOKS AWFUL. I'M NOT GOOD ON THE COMPUTER, BUT WILL TRY TO GET SOMEONE TO TAKE PHOTOS AND SEND THEM IN. I HAVE BEEN THE SOUL OWNER OF THE CAR, I HAD WASH IT WITH WATER, AND IT IS GARAGE KEPT. I ONLY HAVE 54,000 MILES ON IT. THE STRESS HAS MADE ME QUITE DEPRESSED AS GETTING IN THE CAR I HAVE TO BE REMINDED OF HOW IT LOOKS. THIS CAR WAS TO BE MY LAST CAR DUE TO MY AGE. SO NOW, WHEN SOMEONE ASKS HOW I LIKE MY SMART CAR, I GIVE THEM THE TOUR AROUND MY CAR SO THEY CAN SEE FOR THEMSELVES. THEY JUST SHAKE THEIR HEADS IN AMAZEMENT. I THEN TELL THEM THAT MERCEDES/SMART WILL NOT MAKE IT RIGHT. THIS IS WRONG. VERY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11001183June 24, 2017
STRUCTURE:BODY
THE PANORAMIC ROOF EXPERIENCES WHAT IS CALLED CRAZING WHERE THE ROOF IS COVERED IN FINE CRACKS DUE TO NORMAL EXPOSURE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11001181June 24, 2017
SEAT BELTS
BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11000905June 23, 2017
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
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-16-016 THE 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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10994070June 9, 2017
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
HELLO. I SAW ON THE NEWS THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION ABOUT 2008/2009 SMART CARS. MINE CAUGHT COMPLETELY ON FIRE IN APRIL OF 2012 WHILE DRIVING. I DID NOT KNOW WHERE TO COMPLAIN TO OTHER THAN THE DEALERSHIP UNTIL I SAW THE NEWS. I BOUGHT MY SMART CAR IN DECEMBER OF 2009. WITH IN 9 MONTHS I STARTED HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES. IT WOULD START TURNING OFF WHILE DRIVING THE TURN BACK ON ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER. I TOOK IT IN 4 TIMES AND THEY COULD NEVER FIGURE OUT WAS WAS WRONG WITH IT AND WOULD RETURN IT BACK. ON THE 4TH TIME I DID BRING UP THE LEMON LAW AND THEY KEPT MY CAR FOR A COUPLE WEEKS. A COUPLE MONTHS LATER I WAS ON THE FREEWAY AND MY CAR STARTED GOING ELECTRONICALLY HAYWIRE. THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE GOING CRAZY AND THE DASHBOARD WAS TURNING OFF AND ON. I PULLED OVER ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE IMMEDIATELY. MY SHIFTER WAS STICK FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS AND ONCE I PUT IT ON PARK, I TOOK OUT THE KEYS. WHEN I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON THE WIPERS STARTED GOING CRAZY AGAIN, THE DASHBOARD WENT BLANK, THE DOORS WERE LOCKING AND UNLOCKING AND THE HORN WAS GOING OFF. THERE WAS A WEIRD SMELL AND I LOOKED UP AND THERE WAS SMOKE COMING OUT OF BY THE INSIDE OF MY WINDSHIELD. I GOT SCARED AND IMMEDIATELY GO OUT ONCE THE LOCKS UNLOCKED. AS I OPENED THE PASSENGER DOOR TO GET MY PURSE, I NOTICED FLAMES BY THE PEDALS AND A BLACK BOX THAT MELTED THROUGH THE CAR. I CALLED 911 AS I POURED WATER FROM MY WATER BOTTLE. THAT DID NOT HELP. THE FRONT OF THE CAR BY THEN WAS ON FIRE. I GRABBED MY TWO BOXES FROM MY TRUNK AND WALKED THE THE EMERGENCY LANE AS FAR AS I COULD UNTIL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED. I HAVE SAVED ALL THE TIMES I TOOK MY CAR TO GET CHECKED AT THE DEALERSHIP. THAT IS THE ONLY PLACE I TOOK MY CAR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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