2009 Smart Fortwo

APPEARS THAT MY 2009 SMART FORTWO PASSION AND OTHERS ON THE INTERNET ARE BEING CONFRONTED WITH MANY OF THE SAME EXACT PROBLEMS. VEHICLE WILL NOT GO INTO R (REVERSE) AT TIMES AND THE KEYFOB MAY NEED TO BE REPROGRAMMED FOR NOT WORKING IN THE VEHICLE AT ALL. DON'T KNOW IF IT IS THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE, TRANSPONDER, OR WHAT. I DO KNOW THAT MANY OWNERS ARE FACING THE SAME CHALLENGE. NO NEED FOR A KEY REMAKE, THE KEYS JUST DO NOT TURN THE CAR ON AT ALL. THE PROGRAMMING EQUIPMENT AND OR ALL THAT TROUBLESHOOTING YET MERCEDES TOP EXECUTIVES HAVE NOT AND WILL NOT ADDRESS OWNER CONCERNS. I CAN PULL INTO A PARKING LOT, HANDLE MY BUSINESS IN LETS SAY A SUPERMARKET. COME BACK OUT TO THE CAR AND PUT IN REVERSE AND ONLY N (NEUTRAL) APPEARS. I HAVE TO GO FROM NEUTRAL TO DRIVE THEN REVERSE FOR THE VEHICLE TO GO INTO REVERSE. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE WITH 5 MILES ON IT AND HAVE OVER 100K. ONE DAY ON THE WAY TO WORK IT SHOOK BAD. I PULLED OVER. HAD TO BE TOWED BECAUSE THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN THE ENGINE ON AT ALL. GAVE IT SOME TIME, THE BATTERY, WINDOWS, RADIO AND DASH LIGHT UP, BUT THE IGNITION ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. AGAIN, I HAVE NOTICED ON SEVERAL SITES MANY OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THE KEYS STOPPED WORKING MAY 20, 2020. THE REVERSE ISSUE HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS, DO NOT HAVE A TIME FRAME OF WHEN I FIRST NOTICED IT. THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCE.*DT CONSUMER STATED SHE WOULD LIKE TO DISMISS COMPLAINT.*JB

POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUE WITH SMARTCAR 2009, VIN: [XXX] INTERMITTENT ISSUE WITH GEARBOX SHIFTER NOT ALLOWING CAR TO BE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN TRYING TO BACK INTO A PARKING SPACE, OR LEAVE A PARKING SPACE. IF A SIMILAR SMARCARS ARE STUCK ON TRAIN TRACKS, AND CANNOT MANEUVER TO GET OFF THE TRACKS THIS COULD BE A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THIS IS NOT A ONE OFF ISSUE, IT IS NOTED ON MULTIPLE INTERNATIONAL SMARTCAR BLOGS, HTTPS://WWW.SMARTCAROFAMERICA.COM/FORUMS/F4/REVERSE-DOES-NOT-ENGAGE-140961 HTTPS://WWW.SMARTCAROFAMERICA.COM/FORUMS/F353/WON-T-GO-INTO-REVERSE-SOMETIMES-33556/ HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=4IWBPVZKSZE ADDITIONALLY, THE CONSOLE WILL SHOW A FLASHING "D" AND WRENCHES. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

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!!!!

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. THE WHOLE THING TOOK 2 MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR WAS TOAST

MY 2009 SMART FORTWO CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE YESTERDAY AND BURNED. WHEN I WAS PULLING INTO THE LOCAL POST OFFICE, THE CAR?S WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON BY THEMSELVES AND THEN THE HORN BEGAN TO HONK AS WELL. I GOT INTO A PARKING SPACE AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. I SAW SOMETHING COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR BUT NO FLAMES. I GOT OUT AND WENT INTO THE POST OFFICE TO GET MY MAIL. WHILE IN THERE I HEARD SEVERAL PEOPLE YELLING THAT A CAR WAS ON FIRE. I RUSHED OUTSIDE TO SEE MY CAR FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. I LOST ALL MY THINGS IN THE CAR; LAPTOP, TABLET, CELLPHONE AND MOST OF ALL ALL MY BUSINESS PAPERWORK, CONTACTS, ETC.

HELLO. I SAW ON THE NEWS THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION ABOUT 2008/2009 SMART CARS. MINE CAUGHT COMPLETELY ON FIRE IN APRIL OF 2012 WHILE DRIVING. I DID NOT KNOW WHERE TO COMPLAIN TO OTHER THAN THE DEALERSHIP UNTIL I SAW THE NEWS. I BOUGHT MY SMART CAR IN DECEMBER OF 2009. WITH IN 9 MONTHS I STARTED HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES. IT WOULD START TURNING OFF WHILE DRIVING THE TURN BACK ON ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER. I TOOK IT IN 4 TIMES AND THEY COULD NEVER FIGURE OUT WAS WAS WRONG WITH IT AND WOULD RETURN IT BACK. ON THE 4TH TIME I DID BRING UP THE LEMON LAW AND THEY KEPT MY CAR FOR A COUPLE WEEKS. A COUPLE MONTHS LATER I WAS ON THE FREEWAY AND MY CAR STARTED GOING ELECTRONICALLY HAYWIRE. THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE GOING CRAZY AND THE DASHBOARD WAS TURNING OFF AND ON. I PULLED OVER ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE IMMEDIATELY. MY SHIFTER WAS STICK FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS AND ONCE I PUT IT ON PARK, I TOOK OUT THE KEYS. WHEN I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON THE WIPERS STARTED GOING CRAZY AGAIN, THE DASHBOARD WENT BLANK, THE DOORS WERE LOCKING AND UNLOCKING AND THE HORN WAS GOING OFF. THERE WAS A WEIRD SMELL AND I LOOKED UP AND THERE WAS SMOKE COMING OUT OF BY THE INSIDE OF MY WINDSHIELD. I GOT SCARED AND IMMEDIATELY GO OUT ONCE THE LOCKS UNLOCKED. AS I OPENED THE PASSENGER DOOR TO GET MY PURSE, I NOTICED FLAMES BY THE PEDALS AND A BLACK BOX THAT MELTED THROUGH THE CAR. I CALLED 911 AS I POURED WATER FROM MY WATER BOTTLE. THAT DID NOT HELP. THE FRONT OF THE CAR BY THEN WAS ON FIRE. I GRABBED MY TWO BOXES FROM MY TRUNK AND WALKED THE THE EMERGENCY LANE AS FAR AS I COULD UNTIL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED. I HAVE SAVED ALL THE TIMES I TOOK MY CAR TO GET CHECKED AT THE DEALERSHIP. THAT IS THE ONLY PLACE I TOOK MY CAR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SMART FORTWO. THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE AND SMOKE BEGAN TO FILL THE VEHICLE UNDERNEATH THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONTACT PARKED AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE KNOCKING SOUND AND SMOKE CONTINUED. THE HORN AND ALARM BEGAN TO SOUND. THE CONTACT DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND FLAMES APPEARED UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DECLARED UN-DRIVABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000.

I AM ORIGINAL OWNER SINCE FEB 09 (MANF 12/08) AND ITS NOW 7 YRS OLD AND REQS NEW BATTERY. LIFTING UP FLOOR MAT TO REMOVE OLD BATTERY I NOTICED STICKY RED OILY SUBSTANCE (UNKOWN SOURCE BUT NOW SUSPECT BATTERY VAPOR CONDENSATION) AROUND TOP OF COMPARTMENT (MOSTLY WHERE HOLDDOWN BRACKET CONNECTS). REMOVING THE BATTERY THEN EXPOSED CORRODED FLOOR PAINT FROM BATTERY ACID. IN ATTEMPTING TO CLEAN UP THE MESS, I HAD TO REMOVE THE BATTERY VENT TUBE EXITING THE FLOOR. THIS TUBE HAD A SPIDER NEST INSIDE ABOUT 2" FROM OPENING. WD40 DID NOT PENETRATE NESTS END SEALS & HAD TO EXTRACT SPIDER & NEST MANUALLY. I CAN NOT PROVE THIS IS SAFETY RELATED BUT IM WONDERING IF OTHER VENTED BATTERY CARS HAVE THIS VENT BLOCKAGE-CORROSION PROBLEM AND ALSO IF THESE BLOCKED FUMES WERE TOXIC TO OCCUPANTS OF MY CAR? I TOOK SOME PHONE PHOTO EVIDENCE. ON UNRELATED PROBLEM. IN THE LAST 1-2 YEARS I ALSO HAVE THE PEELING TOP CLEARCOAT PROBLEM REPORTED BY OTHER OWNERS OF 2009 RED PAINT (NON METALIC) WHICH IS PRIMARILY ON HOOD PANEL & OTHER TOP SURFACES EXPOSED TO DIRECT SUN WHICH LEAVES THE DULL RED BASE COLOR OF THE PLASTIC PANELS. (THIS IS ONLY EXHIBITED ON 2009 RED MODELS). *TR

THE VEHICLE FAILS INTERMITTENTLY TO SHIFT FROM BRAKE TO REVERSE OR FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURS, ALL THAT IS SEEN ON THE FRONT DASHBOARD IS A BLANK SCREEN AND THE CAR ALERT SYSTEMS LETS OUT A CONTINUOUS BEEPING DENOTING THE FAILURE OF THE SHIFT. IT SOMETIMES REQUIRES IMMEDIATE TURNING OFF OF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTING IN ORDER TO GET TO THE DESIRED GEAR. SELDOM THAT DOES NOT WORK, AND TURNING OFF AND WAITING 10 MINUTES SEEMS TO ALLOW GEAR SHIFTS. THIS IS DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY IN THE REVERSE TO DRIVE FAILURE AS WHEN COMING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY ON A BUSY ROAD, IT MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THIS HAS OCCURRED AFTER WARRANTY AND I WAS TOLD THERE IS A MERCEDES BENZ SOFTWARE UPGRADE MEANT TO SOLVE IT. BUT THIS IS A CHARGED SERVICE. AS A SAFETY ISSUE, I IMPLORE THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE A CHARGED BUT REQUIRED SAFETY RECALL. UPON VIEWING THE COMPLAINTS IT SEEMS A FEW OTHER SUFFER THE SAME DEGREE OF FAILURES. AS THE CAR IS A NICHE BRAND, THE CONSUMER BASE IS SMALLER AND YOU DO NOT HAVE AS LARGE A COMPLAINT POOL AS A HONDA ACCORD, WHICH IS FAIRLY POPULAR AND HAS A LARGE CONSUMER BASE. I HUMBLY REQUEST THE NHSTA MAKE DAIMLER AG AND MERCEDES BENZ USA RESPONSIBLE TO REPAIR THIS AND HAVE EVERY SMART ON THE ROAD'S TRANSMISSION SOFTWARE UPGRADED FREE OF COST.

UPON STARTING CAR, ATTEMPT TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE. CAR SHOWS EITHER A BLANK WHERE THE GEAR (P, R, N, D) WOULD NORMALLY APPEAR, OR SHOWS 'N' WHEN SHIFTER IS IN THE 'R' POSITION. IF 'N' IS SHOWING, CAR BEGINS BEEPING AS IT WOULD IF SEATBELT WEREN'T FASTENED. SHIFTING INTO 'D' MAKES NO DIFFERENCE, CAR CAN ONLY HAVE 'N' OR 'P' SELECTED AT THIS POINT. CAR MUST BE SHIFTED INTO PARK AND THEN TURNED OFF AND BACK ON (SOMETIMES MULTIPLE TIMES) FOR THE PROBLEM TO RESOLVE.