Smart Fortwo
Owners filed 346 complaints across 13 model years of the Smart Fortwo. The 2008 drew the most (140); the 2019 the fewest (1).
Model years13
Complaints346
Recalls6
Fires47
Deaths1
Every Smart Fortwo model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 | 1 | — | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | — | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2017 | 7 | 1 | — | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2016 | 21 | 1 | 2 | 5 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2015 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2014 | 13 | 0 | 1 | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2013 | 25 | 0 | 3 | — | Seat Belts | Routine | |
| 2012 | 8 | 0 | — | 2 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2011 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 2 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2010 | 6 | 0 | 1 | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2009 | 100 | 1 | 11 | 3 | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2008 | 140 | 2 | 27 | 7 | Engine | Fatalities reported | |
| 2005 | 2 | 0 | — | — | Air Bags | Routine |
Which Smart Fortwo years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2008 is the weakest year on record, with 140 complaints concentrated in the engine. It carries 2 recalls.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.