2009 Smart Fortwo

THE CAR HAS A PROBLEM WITH NOT GOING IN REVERSE WHEN YOU PUT THE GEAR SHIFTER IN 'R' POSITION? USUALLY AFTER DRIVEN AND THE CAR IS WARMED UP. THE CAR JUST ROLLS WHEN PUT IN REVERSE, AS IF THOUGH IT'S IN NEUTRAL.. WHEN GIVING GAS IT JUST REVS THE ENGINE AND NOTHING HAPPENS.. THE CAR IS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. AND IT CAN BE DANGEROUS PUTTING THE CAR IN REVERSE IF IT'S ON A SLOPE. THE VEHICLE CAN ROLL. THIS IS A NORMAL PROBLEM WITH THE 08-09 YEAR. THIS SHOULD DEFIANTLY BE A RECALL ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR TAKEN THE TIME TO READ MY COMPLAINT. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON A SUBURBAN SIDE STREET WHEN SUDDENLY THE ENGINE CUT OFF AND THE CAR CAME ROLLING TO A STOP. FORTUNATELY I WAS NOT TRAVELING FAST AND THERE WAS ROOM TO PULL OVER BUT I COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED IF THE INCIDENT WAS ON A HIGHWAY. A LOCAL MECHANIC COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM SO I EVENTUALLY HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHICH TESTED IT AND FOUND THAT THE COUPLING MOTOR (A COMPONENT OF THE TRANSMISSION) WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR IS RUNNING OKAY NOW BUT THE REPAIRS COST OVER $1,000 AND IT IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD. *TR

I WAS DRIVING FROM WORK WHEN THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. I PURCHASED 4 NEW TIRES AFTER THIS, THEN A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER THE PURCHASE, THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE BLEW OUT. BOTH TIMES THE PRESSURE MONITOR IN THE VALVE LET GO. THIS LEAD TO AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE. VERY DANGEROUS I WROTE SMART, BUT THE NEVER RESPONDED. *TR

THE POLYCARBONATE ROOF HAS CRAZING OR SPIDERWEBBING THROUGHOUT. THIS IS ONLY NOTICEABLE WHEN THE SUN IS OUT. I FEAR THE ROOF WILL FRACTURE AND FALL INTO THE CAR. I HAVE CONTACTED SMART ABOUT REPLACING THE ROOF. THEY HAVE OFFERED TO GIVE ME A NEW ROOF AND I WILL NEED TO PAY FOR THE INSTALLATION AND SEALANT WHICH WILL COST AROUND $500! FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON LINE THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THESE ROOFS IN 2008 AND SOME OF THE 2009 CARS ALSO HAVE THIS ISSUE. MINE BEING ONE OF THEM. I DO NOT FEEL IT IS RIGHT FOR SMART TO ASK ME TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR. I HAVE TRIED TALKING WITH THEIR HEADQUARTERS ABOUT THE ISSUE STATING I FEEL IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX THIS ROOF. THEY TOLD ME MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY SO IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY. I MAINTAIN THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE FROM MANUFACTURE AND FEEL IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. AFTER REQUESTING TO SPEAK WITH A SUPERVISOR NUMEROUS TIMES THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP PUT IN A REQUEST FOR ME. HIS SUPERVISOR CALLED ME AND SAID EITHER ACCEPT THE OFFER OR HE WILL RESCIND THE OFFER. OBVIOUSLY SMART WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT I HAVE A CAR WITH A DEFECTIVE ROOF WHICH I BELIEVE PRESENTS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE. I'VE READ OF OTHER CARS HAVING SUNROOFS THAT HAVE CRAZED AND THEN EXPLODE. SEEING HOW THE ENTIRE ROOF OF MY CAR IS CRAZED, I HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT MY SAFETY AS WELL AS ANY PASSENGER IN THE CAR. SHOULD THE ROOF FRACTURE OR EXPLODE WHILE I'M DRIVING THIS WOULD MOST CERTAINLY CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT TAKES TO HAVE A MANUFACTURER DO A SAFETY RECALL, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT DEFINITELY NEEDS LOOKING INTO. THANK YOU. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SMART FORTWO COUPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY WINDS, THE HOOD FLEW BACK AND STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD, OBSCURING THE CONTACT'S VISION OF THE ROADWAY. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE THE HOOD, HE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS NO LATCH TO SECURE THE HOOD BACK IN PLACE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED HIM TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 12,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 15,000. UPDATED 03/01/13*LJ THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE LATCHES COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN DAMAGED BY SOMEONE OPENING THE HOOD IMPROPERLY. THE CONSUMER STATED THE LATCH PART WAS A POP ON ASSEMBLY THAT APPARENTLY COULD NOT WITHSTAND THE WIND ON THAT PARTICULAR DAY. UPDATED 03/07/13

ON JANUARY 1ST 2013, I WAS DRIVING HOME WITH MY PREOWNED 2009 SMART CAR BRABUS, I HIT A AVERAGE SIZE POT HOLE BUT DIDN'T REALLY THINK ABOUT IT MUCH BECAUSE I'M USED TO HITTING THESE POTHOLES. BUT AS I DROVE ON FOR ANOTHER MINUTE, THE CAR STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY TO THE POINT WHERE I HAVE TO STOP ON THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. AND SLOWLY PULL OVER. COME TO FIND OUT THAT MY TIRES WERE POPPED, THE RIMS ARE BENT. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE WHEELS, I FOUND THAT THERE IS NOT ENOUGH CUSHION TO WITHSTAND IMPACTS SUCH AS A DECENT SIZE POTHOLE OR BUMP. I ALSO WENT ON THE SMART CAR OF AMERICA FORUMS, OTHER SMART CAR BRABUS OWNERS ALSO IS GOING THROUGH WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH. IT IS REALLY WEIRD FOR ME ESPECIALLY I'VE DRIVEN THE CAR FOR ONLY 130 MILES. THE SIZE OF THE TIRE(215/35R17) CLEARLY SHOWS THAT THERE IS NOT ENOUGH CUSHION FOR ANY TYPE OF DECENT SIZE IMPACT. *TR

AFTER GETTING HOME FROM SCHOOL, COMING IN SAYING HELLO TO THE FAMILY I WENT BACK OUT TO MY CAR TO GET MY BAG. WHEN I APPROACHED MY CAR I COULD HEAR WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE MY RADIATOR FANS STILL RUNNING DESPITE THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF. MY LOGIC WAS "MAYBE A GLITCH IN THE COMPUTER." SO I PROCEEDED TO SIMPLY TURN THE CAR ON AND THEN OFF TO SEE IF THAT WOULD HELP. NOPE, THAT DIDN'T DO THE TRICK. PUZZLED I CAME INSIDE TO INFORM MY DAD WHAT WAS GOING ON, WHILE I WAS TALKING TO MY DAD I COULD HEAR THE FACTORY ALARM GOING OFF, THEN IT STARTED HONKING, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE RUNNING. WHEN I APPROACHED MY CAR TO SEE IF THE THERE WAS A CHANCE THAT I LEFT SOMETHING ON. WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR, I SAW SMOKE COMING UNDER THE DRIVER SIDE CONSOLE, THEN SPARKS, THEN FIRE!!!! I RAN AND GRABBED THE HOSE TO PUT IT OUT BEFORE IT GOT WORSE AND POSSIBLY LOSING THE CAR. I HAVE TAKEN THE BATTERY OUT TO MAKE SURE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN. THE CARPET NEAR THE PEDDLES ARE SINGLED FROM THE FIRE AND THE FUSE BOX IS EXPOSED AND MOST OF THE PLASTIC HOUSING HAS MELTED AWAY. SADLY MY CAR IS OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY SO SMART WILL NOT DO ANYTHING. SO NOW I AM MAKING SOME CALLS TO SEE WHAT MY NEXT OPTIONS ARE. I'VE CALLED SMART CUSTOMER CARE AND SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. NOT SURE WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN, THE ONLY UPGRADE I'VE DONE ON MY SMART IS JUST UPGRADING THE HORN, BUT THAT WAS WHEN I FIRST GOT IT. I'LL POST PICTURES LATER. NEEDLESS TO SAY I'M GLAD THIS HAPPENED AFTER I PARKED THE CAR AT MY HOUSE RATHER THEN BEING STUCK ON THE SIDE OF ROAD WATCHING IT BEING ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND LOSING MY CAR COMPLETELY. *TR

MY SMART IS NOT GOING INTO REVERSE GEAR. THIS BECOMES VERY DANGEROUS WHEN TRYING TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC WHILE EXITING A DRIVEWAY OR PARALLEL PARKING ON A BUSY STREET. OTHER DRIVERS BECOME IMPATIENT ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE ARE CARS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS BLOCKED BECAUSE OF THE SMART UNABLE TO REVERSE. SMART PROVIDED A SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR THIS KNOWN PROBLEM BUT IT STILL PERSISTS. I HAVE TWO FRIENDS WITH SMART CARS AND THEY BOTH HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I'VE ALSO GOOGLE SEARCHED "SMART CAR REVERSE" AND WHAT POPS UP IS GEAR, PROBLEM AND GEAR PROBLEM. THERE SEEMS TO BE MANY SMART OWNERS WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR

FROM REVIEWING THE SMARTUSA WEBSITE AND OTHER FORUMS ONLINE I HAVE SEEN EXACTLY WHAT ISSUE I AM SEEING. IT SEEMS THAT THERE WAS A BAD BATCH OF AC BLOWER MOTORS. SEEMS AT ONE TIME THEY WERE ON BACKORDER AS THEY WERE REPLACING UNDER THE WARRANTY BUT MY YEAR WAS ONLY 2/24K AND NOW I AM OVER 4 MONTHS OF MY WARRANTY AND WAS HOPING THAT THERE WOULD BE A WAY FOR POSSIBLE RECALL FOR THE BLOWER MOTORS AS MB AND SMART WERE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND I AM NOW LOOKING A 400 DOLLAR REPAIR WITH ONLY 10K MILES. ANY ASSISTANCE WOULD BE APPRECIATED. MANY ONLINE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. MINE IS INTERMITTENTLY WORKING COMING ON GOING OFF HALF SPEED ETC. *JS