2014 Smart Fortwo

Routine

Owners filed 13 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Seat Belts4
000
Engine4
010
Wheels1
000
Service Brakes1
000
Power Train1
000
Electrical System1
000
Air Bags1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Seat Belts
Filed Aug 26, 2023OH

The cable attaching the seatbelt is frayed and only being held on by a few strands of cable. My research into the problem on forums and the internet has shown that this is an issue on the drivers side seatbelt for Smart Car.

Air Bags
Filed Jan 16, 2023ME

The SRS light is on. Technician scanned vehicle and performed guided tests on drivers side seat airbag, found that HE airbag squib is faulty. This is an internal part of the airbag and airbag will need to be replaced.

Service Brakes
Filed Dec 13, 2022CA

The brake booster malfunctioned while I was driving

Seat Belts
Filed Jun 17, 2022MS

Driver’s seatbelt broke at the tensioner as if the cable had been cut with wire cutters. My vehicle has not been involved in a wreck. Under normal driving conditions. Safety issue is if it broke this easily what would’ve happened if I had been involved in an accident? Of course I took the vehicle immediately to a repair shop and the cost to repair is $843.31. Of course the parts have to be ordered. This is a safety issue it’s a law issue you have to have a seatbelt it’s not like I can’t live without the seatbelt. All my research shows that several people have complained about the same incident happening to them I was not driving the vehicle at the time I had just stopped at a store got back in my car and the seatbelt was broken.

EngineFire
Filed Mar 26, 202165,000 milesTX

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SMART FORTWO. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT 60 MPH, WHEN THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE CONTACT NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE RADIATOR HAD BURST. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED PARK PLACE MOTORCARS MERCEDES-BENZ DALLAS (6113 LEMMON AVE, DALLAS, TX 75209) OF THE FAILURE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE EXPERIENCED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AS AN OVERHEATED ENGINE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

Engine
Filed Dec 11, 201926,666 milesVA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SMART FORTWO. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN OIL LEAK. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO EURO MOTORCARS GERMANTOWN (LOCATED AT 19750 GERMANTOWN RD, GERMANTOWN, MD 20874, (301) 601-5500) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE GEAR BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,666.

Power Train
Filed Jul 23, 201930,000 milesFL

LOUD CLANKING NOISE WHILE DRIVING. WAS DIAGNOSED AS FAULTY CONDENSER FAN AND LOSE BOLTS/SCREWS WHICH HOLD IT IN PLACE. MERCEDES-BENZ DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED SAID WILL COST $1,700-$1,800 TO FIX! INTERNET RESEARCH REVEALED TO ME THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT/PROBLEM. I PAID ALMOST $7,000 FOR MY SMART FOR TWO PURE COUPE. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE PAYING AN ADDITIONAL NEARLY $2,000 BECAUSE BOLTS JIGGLED LOSE.I NO LONGER FEEL SECURE IN MY CAR.NOW IM DRIVING IN HOT FLORIDA IN THE SUMMER WITH NO A/C BECAUSE I CANT AFFORD THIS FIX.

Electrical System
Filed Jul 7, 20166,157 milesAZ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SMART FORTWO. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT FIND A FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,157.

Seat Belts
Filed Jun 6, 20152,500 milesWA

THE SHOULDER PORTION OF MY SEAT BELT RIDES ON MY NECK. WHAT IS THE REMEDY FOR THIS SAFETY PROBLEM? REF COMPLAINT #10722112 28MAY15.

Seat Belts
Filed May 29, 20152,600 milesWA

MY SEAT BELT SHOULDER STRAP RIDES ON MY NECK.

Engine
Filed Jan 30, 20151,000 milesCA

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SMART FORTWO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE KEY WOULD MOVE FROM THE RUN POSITION CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKE AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDALS WERE EXTREMELY CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER. THE CONTACT STATED MENTIONED THAT WHEN SWITCH FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, HIS FOOT WOULD GET CAUGHT UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000.

Wheels
Filed Aug 25, 20146,200 milesVA

LOCAL STREET. RAN OVER A ~4 INCH BOLT IN ROADWAY. PUNCTURED TIRE, BUT THEN THE BOLT KNOCKED 4 HOLES IN THE WHEEL (RIM). I DO NOT CONSIDER A BOLT IN THE ROADWAY TO BE AN UNUSUAL HAZARD. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE WHEEL - TIRE COMBINATION IS SUITABLE FOR USE ON PUBLIC ROADS. I BELIEVE THAT THE WHEEL - TIRE COMBINATION PRESENTS AN IMMEDIATE SAFETY HAZARD FOR USERS OF THIS VEHICLE. *TR

Engine
Filed May 15, 2014232 milesWI

WHILE DRIVING AT A STEADY SPEED OF 40MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. YOU COULD HEAR THAT THE CYLINDERS AND PISTONS STOPPED WORKING. THE VEHICLE HAD 2 GALLONS OF GAS. WE PUT IN 2 MORE GALLONS AT THE ADJACENT GAS STATION AND LIMPED HOME AT 30MPH. THE DEALERSHIP PICKED UP THE VEHICLE AT OUR HOME AND DROVE IT FROM MILWAUKEE TO CHICAGO WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY REPLACED THE PURGE VALVE AND ALL 3 IGNITION COILS;COME AND PICK IT UP. ON OUR DRIVE HOME, GOING A STEADY UNINTERRUPTED 40 MPH (NO STOP SIGNS, OR STOP LIGHTS AT ALL) WE DROVE 28 MILES AND THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP REQUESTED ASSISTANCE FROM MERCEDES. MERCEDES DECLINED, STATING THEY WOULD ACCEPT THE PROBLEM WHEN THE DEALERSHIP IDENTIFIED THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. AFTER 10 DAYS THE DEALERSHIP NOTIFIED US THAT THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. WE WAITED THROUGH THE 30 BUSINESS DAY LEMON LAW PERIOD AND FILED FOR RELIEF. *TR

13 of 13 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2008
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20191100Routine
20181000Routine
20177100Routine
201621120Routine
20156010Routine
2014 — this page13010Routine
201325030Routine
20128000Routine
201116010Routine
20106010Routine
20091001110Routine
20081402271Fatalities reported
20052000Routine

Compare every Fortwo year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.