2008 Smart Fortwo

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SMART FOR TWO. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO EURO MOTORCARS DEVON MERCEDES-BENZ (214 W LANCASTER AVE, DEVON, PA 19333, (610) 687-1500) TO BE REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V273000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). AFTER LEAVING THE DEALER AND DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT DETECTED A BURNING ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED AS THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE CONTACT DETECTED SMOKE COMING OUT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH RESULTED IN A FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,988. *TT UPDATED 11/19/18*JB

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 SMART CENTER ALBUQUERQUE AT (877) 316-3208 (LOCATED AT 1220 S RENAISSANCE BLVD NE, ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87107) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE, BUT DID NOT ASSIST. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

I LEARNED OF A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE EARLIER THIS YEAR - I NEVER RECEIVED A LETTER BECAUSE I HAD MOVED SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. THE RECALL WAS FOR A SAGGING INSULATION MAT IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, WHICH HAD APPARENTLY CAUSED FIRES IN OTHER SMART CARS. I CONTACTED MY DEALER, KEELER OF LATHAM, WHO TOLD ME THE PARTS WERE NOT IN FOR THE REPAIR, AND SUGGESTED I CALL MERCEDES, THE MANUFACTURER. I CALLED THEM, GAVE MY UPDATED ADDRESS, THEY TOLD ME THEY'D BE IN TOUCH WHEN THE RECALLED PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. I HAD MY CAR SERVICED FOR AN UNRELATED REASON A MONTH OR SO LATER, THEY NEVER CHECKED MY VEHICLE TO SEE IF THE RECALLED PARTS WERE AFFECTED. I ASKED ABOUT IT, THEY TOLD ME THE PARTS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE. I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM MERCEDES STATING THE RECALL FIX WAS NOT READY BUT THAT IT WAS SAFE TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE CAR. ON 7/31/18, MY CAR CAUGHT FIRE. I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHEN, BUT ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER I PARKED THE CAR AT MY FRIEND'S HOME, HIS WIFE CAME INSIDE AND SAID "YOUR FRIEND'S CAR IS ON FIRE". WE WENT OUTSIDE, SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. MY CAR IS NOW TOTALED. THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS HURT. INSURANCE WILL PAY FOR PART OF WHAT IT WOULD COST TO GET ME INTO A NEW USED CAR, BUT MERCEDES HAS OFFERED ONLY TO PAY MY $500 DEDUCTIBLE, OR TO TAKE A SMALL DISCOUNT OFF MY PURCHASE OF A MERCEDES OR SMART CAR FROM AN AUTHORIZED MERCEDES DEALER. MERCEDES HAS ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FIRE, AS THEIR INVESTIGATION SHOWED IT WAS CAUSED BY THE SAGGING INSULATION MAT. I WAS HOPING THAT SOMETHING IN THE LAW WOULD HELP FORCE MERCEDES TO MAKE ME WHOLE. I JUST WANT TO BE BACK IN A RELIABLE USED CAR WITHOUT A CAR PAYMENT. IF THEY HAD REPAIRED THE RECALL IN A TIMELY MANNER, I WOULD STILL HAVE MY CAR, WHICH WAS IN GREAT SHAPE AND HAD NO PAYMENT. I DON'T WANT TO BUY A NEW MERCEDES CAR. I THOUGHT I SHOULD REPORT THIS. THANKS. - (RECALL RELATED INCIDENT) TS

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 MANHATTAN AT (212) 629-1600 (LOCATED AT 770 11TH AVE, NEW YORK, NY 10019) WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SMART FORTWO. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, SMOKE EMERGED FROM THE AIR VENTS AND FLAMES APPEARED UNDER THE HOOD. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT'S FATHER EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS AWAITING DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND REPAIRS. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SMART FORTWO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INADVERTENTLY TURN OFF WHEN THE IGNITION KEY WAS ACCIDENTALLY TOUCHED. THE LOCATION FOR THE KEY WAS PLACED BETWEEN THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEATS. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE ENGINE OVERHEATED WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V273000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT CALLED MIDSTATE AUTO GROUP INC. AT (508) 832-8886 (LOCATED AT 810 WASHINGTON ST, AUBURN, MA 01501) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CONVERTIBLE ROOF DID NOT COMPLETELY CLOSE. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE CONVERTIBLE ROOF FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 39,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

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.