smart Fortwo Complaints (2008)

177 consumer complaints on file.

#11103933June 26, 2018
SERVICE BRAKES, ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
TRUNK INSIDE THE CAR IS VERY HOT , ENGINE THEY DON'T HAVE A POWER IF I DRIVE I FEEL CAR HAVE A 20HP , I DO NOT FELL MY CAR HAVE A 70HP
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11103809June 25, 2018
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11103795June 25, 2018
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL* 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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11096694May 18, 2018
ENGINE
TL* 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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11096608May 17, 2018
ENGINE
TL* 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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11093725May 14, 2018
ENGINE
TL* 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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11091576May 3, 2018
ENGINE
TL* 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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11083936April 9, 2018
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11083277April 4, 2018
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
VEHICLE BURNED WHILE PARKED. HAVE PHOTOS & ESTIMATE OF TOTAL LOSS. THE LITTLETON GROUP IS A THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11072693February 13, 2018
SEAT BELTS
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11023751September 16, 2017
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11023607September 15, 2017
ENGINE
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
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
#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
#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
#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
#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

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