2009 Smart Fortwo

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.

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, THE ENGINE WILL REV AND THEN THERE IS ONLY NEUTRAL SHOWING. I HAVE NO REVERSE OR DRIVE. THANK GOODNESS WHEN THIS HAPPENS I HAVE HAD A PLACE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. I TURN THE CAR OFF AND SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES, TURN IT BACK ON AND HAVE ALL THE GEARS. I HAVE TRIED DRIVING IN THE "MANUAL" POSITION BUT IT STILL HAPPENS. LATELY IT IS MORE AND MORE FREQUENT. ONE OF THESE DAYS THIS CAR WILL GET ME SMUSHED. SMART NEEDS TO DO A MAJOR RECALL ON THIS! I AM ONLY THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS CAR AND GOT IT WITH ONLY 18,000 MILES ON IT. I NOW HAVE 35,025 MILES ON IT. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND GIVES A PO803 CODE, WHICH STATES A CLUTCH SENSOR. SMART CARS CODE SAYS IT NEEDS A NEW CLUTCH! WTH!?? AND IF IT NEEDS A NEW CLUTCH THEN WHY DOES THIS ONLY OCCURR IN THE COLDER WEATHER AND NOT THE SUMMER!!??!! I AM SO PISSED! SMART CAR TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR SCREWUP IN THE DESIGN OF THIS CAR! THIS HAS HAPPENED SO MANY TIMES!!!

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.

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.

AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON A HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH, MY CAR'S RIGHT FRONT WHEEL GOT RIPPED APART AND MY CAR GOT UNSTABLE TO THE POINT I ALMOST KILLED MYSELF. MY CAR WAS TOWED AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR'S TPMS STEM VALVE HOLDER BROKE OFF WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENS. THE QUALITY OF THE STEM HOLDERS IS BAD AND BREAKS ALL THE TIME. SMART SHOULD RECALL THESE CARS AND CHANGE THE PIECES THAT COULD SAVE LIVES.

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.

WHERE DO I BEGIN? AFTER ABOUT A YEAR OF OWNING MY SMART CAR, I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DOING ABOUT 70 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY I FEEL MY CAR PULL TO THE RIGHT AND START SHAKING. I PULL SAFELY TO THE SHOULDER TO FIND THE VALVE STEM FOR MY TIRE HAD DETACHED AND MY TIRE WAS NOW FLAT. NOT HAVING A SPARE, I HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK. THE SAME ISSUE HAPPENED TO THE REMAINING 3 TIRES IN THE FOLLOWING MONTHS TO A YEAR. WHILE DRIVING THE VALVE STEM WOULD DETACH AND ALL AIR DEPLETING FROM THE TIRES. I CALLED THE SMART DEALER TO BE TOLD THIS WAS IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE THE VALVE STEMS WERE BOLTED TO THE RIM, WELL CLEARLY NOT SINCE IT HAD HAPPENED TO EVERY TIRE.I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE CYLINDER MISFIRES WITH THIS CAR. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE ALKALOID TIMING SENSOR. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BLOWER MOTOR FOR MY HEAT AND A/C. MY HEADLIGHTS GO OUT EVERY OTHER MONTH. CAR HAS STOPPED BECAUSE A WIRE CAME LOOSE IN THE BATTERY. WHEN I TURN RIGHT OR GO ON AN ONRAMP, I HEAR THIS AWFUL CLUNKING SOUND AS IF SOMETHING IS HITTING A TIN. WHEN I GO OVER BUMPS MY CAR MAKES A SQUEAKING SOUND. WHEN GOING FROM PARK INTO REVERSE...CAR WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR. MY CAR WILL READ P AND N. I HAVE TO TURN MY CAR OFF/ON MULTIPLE TIMES AS WELL AS MESS WITH MY SHIFTER FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES BEFORE I CAN GO ANYWHERE. THE CHERRY ON TOP HAPPENED TODAY ON MY WAY HOME TO AKRON FROM COLUMBUS. AS I AM DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH A SEMI TRUCK BEHIND ME MY CAR STARTED LOSING SPEED, EVEN WHEN PUSHING THE GAS. I ALMOST WAS STRUCK BY THE SEMI DUE TO THE SUDDEN DECREASE OF SPEED BUT THANKFULLY WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY. ONCE STOPPED, ALL LIGHTS CAME ON AND CAR SHUT OFF. PUT MY CAR IN PARK TO TRY TO START MY CAR AGAIN, NOTHING. MY ENGINE WILL REV BUT THE ENGINE WILL NOT TURN OVER. WILL FIND OUT WHAT THAT IS TOMORROW HOPEFULLY. CAR WAS BRAND NEW WHEN PURCHASED AND BOUGHT THE CAR 5YRS AND 1 MONTH AGO. *TR