Smart Fortwo Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 342 consumer complaints across the 10 model years of the Smart Fortwo (2008–2017) that have at least 5 complaints. 2008 has the most, with 140. Across all years, the part named most often is engine (82 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All Fortwo model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 7 | 2,334 | 1 | 63 | — | Not enough data |
| 2016 | 21 | 5,300 | 1 | 60 | — | Falling |
| 2015 | 6 | 16,325 | 1 | 57 | — | Not enough data |
| 2014 | 13 | 6,157 | 1 | 55 | — | Not enough data |
| 2013 | 25 | 13,000 | 0 | 56 | 24 · Fewer | Falling |
| 2012 | 8 | 32,000 | 0 | 58 | — | Not enough data |
| 2011 | 16 | 29,600 | 0 | 54 | — | Rising |
| 2010 | 6 | 33,950 | 0 | 6 | — | Not enough data |
| 2009 | 100 | 38,500 | 1 | 51 | 50 · Typical | Falling |
| 2008 | 140 | 39,228 | 2 | 53 | 93 · More | Falling |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Engine82 23%
- Transmission and drivetrain71 20%
- Electrical system55 15%
- Other or unknown45 12%
- Seat belts34 9.3%
- Fuel system30 8.2%
- Body and structure25 6.9%
- Engine cooling22 6.0%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2010: “My car was in motion on the freewaywhen it seized. When stopped the engine in the back caught fire, my vehicle burned to the ground, there were recalls for this the year before, (for the 2009 Smart car) there are videos documnting this on you tube. My brother who worked for mercedes (the parent company of Smart) as a mechanic told me to see if there were any recalls.”
NHTSA complaint #11206595, filed 2019-05, 149,000 miles2008: “While driving on the highway and we noticed sudden smoke within the car. The car got very hot. We stopped and opened 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.”
NHTSA complaint #11339750, filed 2020-07, 150,000 miles2015: “I was driving on the highway a safe distance behind a lincoln navigator when they for no reason slammed on the brakes and stopped. I ended up rear ending the navigator. The rear of the car went up into the air came down and spun around three times before coming to a stop. My wife was injured. She sustained a broken rib cuts and scrapes and chest pains. No airbags never deployed in the car at all.”
NHTSA complaint #11364499, filed 2020-10, 53,000 milesOther Smart models
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology