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Smart FortwoModel year report

2009 Smart Fortwo Problems

Compared with other Smart Fortwo years

Typical for this model

50/100 1.0× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
100filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
38,500miles, 71 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
36 mpgcombined, 1.0L 3-cyl RWD · 33 city / 41 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2009 Smart Fortwo (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2009 Smart Fortwo most often describe transmission and shifting trouble — the car refusing reverse or drive, dropping into neutral, or showing three bars — and many say restarting or a software reflash did not settle it. Engine-compartment and rear-area fire reports, electrical gremlins, and body/trim problems like peeling red paint and roof-panel separation also recur, usually at moderate mileage rather than very low mileage.

  1. Transmission and drivetrain

    Won't shift into reverse or drive, drops into neutral

    • 28 complaints (28%)
    • median 29,360 mi at 7.6 yrs old (24 state mileage)
    • filed 2011–2023

    Owners describe the car failing to engage reverse or drive, with the dash showing N, a blank, or three flashing bars, sometimes right after startup and sometimes while driving at speed. Many say restarting the car or cycling the shifter through the gears restores operation temporarily, and several report the symptom returning after a dealer software update. Complaints also describe the car coasting or losing power when it slips out of gear, and a few mention a faulty coupling motor in the transmission being replaced. Reported from very low mileage (a few hundred miles) up to roughly 125,000 miles, with many between 20,000 and 70,000.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: On a test drive, start from cold and try selecting reverse and drive several times; ask whether the transmission software has ever been reflashed and whether the clutch actuator or coupling motor has been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I bought the car and less than two weeks the transmission went there was flashing and beeping and the car would not go into gear. I bought a 2009 and in 2008 there was a recall on that model for that transmission problem sometimes the car won't start sometimes now and the hood latch is broken”

    NHTSA complaint #11078574, filed 2018-03, 50,000 miles

    “I also have the problem with the transmission. The transmission will not go into reverse or drive after engine starts. It happens about 2 to 3 times a year. It can happen after an overnight stop or just a few minutes. It always works after a few minutes however, a couple of times the non engaging transmission allowed the car to roll into a vulnerable position in the street. I felt lucky there was no traffic.”

    NHTSA complaint #10860443, filed 2016-04, 28,000 miles
  2. Engine

    Engine-bay and rear-area fire reports

    • 27 complaints (27%)
    • median 46,500 mi at 9.6 yrs old (14 state mileage)
    • 11 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2012–2024

    Complaints describe fires starting in the engine compartment, sometimes shortly after the car was parked, and in one case from the rear left bumper area while driving; several say smoke or a burning-plastic smell came first. Owners also report fire-related recalls for the rear engine insulation mat and long waits for parts or for a dealer able to perform the work. Some describe scorched carpet and trunk trim above the rear engine area. Spread evenly from about 13,000 to 121,000 miles; several reports involve the car parked or recently shut off.

    Recall 18V273000

    What to check: Ask whether recall 18V273000 (rear insulation mat) was completed and keep the paperwork; inspect the engine bay for a loose, deteriorated or missing insulation mat and check the rear carpet and trim for heat damage.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I represent the owners of this 2009 Smart Fortwo vehicle. My client drove the vehicle home after work and parked in the garage. Approximately 30 minutes after parking the vehicle in the garage, my client was awoken by his son who smelled smoke. My client followed the smoke to the garage where he found the vehicle on fire. It appeared the fire started in the engine compartment. The fire spread quickly throughout the garage and into the house. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11042163, filed 2017-11, 110,000 miles

    “Today I received a third (3rd) recall notification for my 2009 Smart four two coupe rear engine insulation mat. The notice states the current mat could increase the risk of fire. Each time I have contacted the dealer (55 miles distant) they have informed they are out of stock of this item. I've asked them to notify me when the item is in stock. I have never been notified. Could you please look into this apparent fire hazard. This has been going on for almost 2 years. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11323251, filed 2020-05, 56,000 miles
  3. Electrical system

    Stalling, no-start and warning lights

    • 25 complaints (25%)
    • median 50,000 mi at 7.9 yrs old (23 state mileage)
    • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2011–2025

    Owners report the car shutting off while driving and then failing to restart for a period, sometimes with the dash going dark and accessories behaving erratically — the horn sounding, wipers running, doors locking. Others describe battery drain overnight, a radio drawing current with the car off, blower motors failing, and ABS warning lamps coming on with reduced braking described in some reports. Dealers reportedly could not duplicate the faults or replaced modules and sensors. Mostly between 15,000 and 100,000 miles; several reports involve the first start of the day or after the car sat.

    7 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check for battery age and any aftermarket accessories wired to constant power, confirm all warning lamps go out after startup, and ask whether the car has a history of no-start or repeated no-fault-found visits.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “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.”

    NHTSA complaint #11011774, filed 2017-07, 68,000 miles

    “Was driving on the highway when suddenly over heat and check engine light came on, and about 20 seconds later the car loss all power. I almost got hit my the car behind me, but was able to safely pull over to the side of the highway.”

    NHTSA complaint #10694916, filed 2015-03, 46,057 miles
  4. Body and structure

    Peeling red paint and roof/body panel separation

    • 7 complaints (7%)
    • median 47,500 mi at 6.3 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2012–2017

    Owners of red cars describe clearcoat peeling from the body panels, with dealers reportedly offering paintwork only as an out-of-warranty goodwill gesture or declining. Others report the panoramic roof panel lifting and rattling at highway speed, water entering through a cracked seal between roof and body, corrosion at the tailgate latch, and door or speaker-area clanking noises. Typically reported between about 11,000 and 60,000 miles, often on cars several years old.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Inspect the roof panel and its seal for lift or cracks, look for water stains and mold, check clearcoat on red panels, and test the tailgate latch and door handles for corrosion or sticking.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “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. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11002583, filed 2017-06, 54,000 miles

    “The panoramic roof on my passion model has begun to separate from the rest of the car in the front driver side corner. It rattles when the vehicle goes over a bump and wind noise from the panel lifting occurs at 50 MPH and above. Due to the force exerted by the wind and the fact that this panel is merely glued to the rest of the vehicle -not bolted, screwed, or otherwise fastened- the condition is worsening and will continue to do so until I imagine the roof separates completely in a high-speed incident. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10446907, filed 2012-02, 11,617 miles
  5. Other or unknown

    Tire valve stems failing and wheels damaged by road impacts

    • 5 complaints (5%)
    • median 15,000 mi at 4.5 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2013–2015

    Complaints describe tire pressure sensor valve stems cracking or detaching while driving, causing sudden air loss and, in some accounts, loss of stability at highway speed; one owner reports a stem holder breaking apart on the road. Others report tires and rims damaged by ordinary potholes, and short tire life. Mostly reported between about 6,000 and 125,000 miles, on cars with the original or recently replaced stems and wheels.

    What to check: Have the valve stems and TPMS hardware inspected for cracks or corrosion, and check the rims and tire sidewalls for impact damage.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was driving from work when the front drivers side tire blew out. I purchased 4 new tires after this, then a couple of days after the purchase, the rear passenger tire blew out. Both times the pressure monitor in the valve let go. This lead to an immediate loss of tire pressure. Very dangerous I wrote Smart, but the never responded.”

    NHTSA complaint #10512691, filed 2013-05, 48,000 miles

    “On january 1st 2013, I was driving home with my preowned 2009 Smart car brabus, I hit a average size pot hole but didn't really think about it much because I'm used to hitting these potholes. But as I drove on for another minute, the car started shaking violently to the point where I have to stop on the middle of the highway. And slowly pull over. Come to find out that my tires were popped, the rims are bent. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10491528, filed 2013-01, 6,100 miles

Buying note. A 2009 Fortwo is worth a careful mechanical inspection, with priority on the transmission's ability to select reverse and drive reliably, a cold start that behaves normally, and confirmation that recall 18V273000 was done. Service history showing a recent clutch actuator, battery and tire-pressure hardware is a practical plus.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 100 consumer complaints for the 2009 Smart Fortwo. 71 of the complaints include a mileage, and 62% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 38,500 miles. Of all complaints, 3 involved a crash, 11 a fire, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 51 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 2 Smart Fortwo model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 50 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Wheels (5), Brakes (3), Suspension (2), Electronic stability control (1), Equipment (1), Exterior lighting (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1), Vehicle speed control (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).

Example complaints

Transmission and drivetrain: “Car doesn't shift from park to reverse or it goes into neutral this is a safety issue .im not the only person with this issue and apparently Smart knows of this problem.this problem is putting people into neutral when they start and leaving you in the road..they need to be held responsible and knowingly putting people at risk. I was sitting in a parking lot when I couldn't shift into reverse . I've read and heard from others Smart is saying a software error”

NHTSA complaint #11310011, filed 2020-02, 29,600 miles

Engine: “Driving to a friends house, about a 10-15 min. Drive... Friend say he smells smoke, look to the right side onto the mirror and its smoke coming from the back side of my car. Open the back to look at the engine - a lot of smoke is coming out and as the smoke is clearing my friend sees flames and we quickly after grab a hose and call 9-1-1. Don't know what caused the fire, firemen said not to start the car called aaa. Firemen said we got lucky it didn't reach the gas tank.”

NHTSA complaint #10790017, filed 2015-11, 29,000 miles

Other or unknown: “I was on my way to school, the car began making a grinding noise, as I moved to the shoulder it died and the steering wheel locked up, the radio cut off, the horn stayed on, all the wipers went full force and the doors locked. When I finally kicked the door open I went to the front of the vehicle and opened the good. I began so smell burning plastic and went to the driver side again. When I got there, there were flaming drips coming from under the panels. I attempted to put them out but it was futile. I removed myself from the situation and called fire rescue. …”

NHTSA complaint #11091164, filed 2018-05, 67,000 miles

Electrical system: “Electrical fuses tend to cause electrical shorts, with A/C coming on and off at any given time, often when I hit speed bumps. The lights can be caused by this as well hitting the simple right corner turn can pop the light right out. I have repeatedly told them that it needs better shocks. I have replaced the lights both front and back at a very minimum of 12 times a year. That's ridiculous in my eyes.it should be smarter than that!!!!”

NHTSA complaint #11123294, filed 2018-08, 98,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

62% of the 71 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 17,000 and 60,381 miles.

11%0–1023%10–2528%25–5025%50–754%75–1008%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (71 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 38,500 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’11’13’15’1717’19’21’23’25
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2009 Smart Fortwo. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Fortwo · coupe RWDnot rated4 / 3———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2009 Smart Fortwo version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
fortwo convertible RWD1.0L 3-cyl5-speed automatic334136$2,300
fortwo coupe RWD1.0L 3-cyl5-speed automatic334136$2,300

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2009 Smart Fortwo → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 51 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 51 bulletins →

Other model years of the Smart Fortwo

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
201772,3341435—Not enough data
2016215,3001—107 MPGe—Falling
2015616,3251—36—Not enough data
2014136,1571—36—Not enough data
20132513,0000—3624 · FewerFalling
2012832,0000—36—Not enough data
20111629,6000—36—Rising
2010633,9500—36—Not enough data
200910038,5001—3650 · TypicalFalling
200814039,2282—3693 · MoreFalling

All Smart Fortwo model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Smart Fortwo?

Owners of the 2009 Smart Fortwo most often describe transmission and shifting trouble — the car refusing reverse or drive, dropping into neutral, or showing three bars — and many say restarting or a software reflash did not settle it. The issues reported most often: Won't shift into reverse or drive, drops into neutral; Engine-bay and rear-area fire reports; Stalling, no-start and warning lights.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2009 Smart Fortwo have?

NHTSA recorded 100 consumer complaints for the 2009 Smart Fortwo as of Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2009 Smart Fortwo is reported most often?

Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 27 complaints (27% of the total), followed by engine with 19.

Has the 2009 Smart Fortwo been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2009 Smart Fortwo get?

The EPA rates the 2009 Smart Fortwo (fortwo convertible, 1.0L 3-cyl) at 36 mpg combined, 33 city and 41 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,300 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2009 Smart Fortwo reported?

Among the 71 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 38,500 miles and the middle half falls between 17,000 and 60,381 miles; 62% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.