Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 14 of 16 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Engine. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Seat Belts. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
16 reports
23,500 miles · Dec 6, 2013
Engine
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. NO APPARENT REASON. CAR DROVE OK BROUGHT TO MB DEALER. THEY RUN DIAGNOSTIC. NOTED THAT CYLINDER 3 MISFIRED AT SOME POINT, BUT EVERYTHING IS FINE NOW. CAR WAS IN WARRANTY THEN. AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. CAR WAS RIDING ROUGH TEMPORARILY. THEN IT WAS OK AND THE LIGHT WE…
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ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. NO APPARENT REASON. CAR DROVE OK BROUGHT TO MB DEALER. THEY RUN DIAGNOSTIC. NOTED THAT CYLINDER 3 MISFIRED AT SOME POINT, BUT EVERYTHING IS FINE NOW. CAR WAS IN WARRANTY THEN. AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. CAR WAS RIDING ROUGH TEMPORARILY. THEN IT WAS OK AND THE LIGHT WENT OFF. LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AROUND 35000 MILES. BROUGHT TO DEALER AGAIN. CAR WAS DRIVING FINE AT THAT POINT. THERE WAS SOME OCCASIONAL HESITATION IN SHIFTING. WAS INFORMED THAT CYLINDER 3 WAS NOT SEATED PROPERLY AND MISFIRING. I WOULD NEED A CYLINDER HEAD REPLACED COSTING ABOUT $7000. AT THIS POINT WARRANTY EXPIRED. AFTER THE CHECK WAS PERFORMED THE CAR WAS IN WORST CONDITION AND COULD NOT BE DRIVEN. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10555017
27,200 miles · Apr 24, 2013
EngineService Brakes
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SMART FORTWO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMED. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT CYLINDER THREE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, IT MADE A SQUEAKING NOISE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SMART FORTWO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMED. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT CYLINDER THREE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, IT MADE A SQUEAKING NOISE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKE STOP LAMP SWITCH; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 28,300.
NHTSA ODI #10509372
25,000 miles · Mar 22, 2013
Electrical SystemPower Train
THE CAR DOES NOT PULL OUT OF PARKING AND DOES NOT TAKE GEARS. IT HAS GONE 4 TIMES WITH THE SAME ISSUES TO THE DEALER TO LEAVE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. AS A LAST RESORT THEY TOLD ME TO CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION 4,000.00 AND NO GUARANTEE THAT THE PROBLEM WILL BE FIX. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE THIS IS ABUSIVE. AND I HAVE NO ONE TO…
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THE CAR DOES NOT PULL OUT OF PARKING AND DOES NOT TAKE GEARS. IT HAS GONE 4 TIMES WITH THE SAME ISSUES TO THE DEALER TO LEAVE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. AS A LAST RESORT THEY TOLD ME TO CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION 4,000.00 AND NO GUARANTEE THAT THE PROBLEM WILL BE FIX. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE THIS IS ABUSIVE. AND I HAVE NO ONE TO HELP BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT MY CREDIT AFFECTED BUT THESE CARS ARE NO GOOD. NOT EVEN THE DEALER KNOWS HOW TO FIX THEM. AND SMART USA SAYS NOTHING CAN BE DONE BECAUSE THEIR OUT OF WARRANTY. BUT MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THIS IS THE 5 TIME MY CAR HAS NOT LEFT THE DEALER FOR 4 AND HALF MONTH WITH DIFFERENT TEST EACH MONTH IS FIX AND WHEN I GO OUT AND RUN IT BY THE END OF THE BLOCK I HAVE TO RETURN TO THE DEALER AND LEAVE IT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10504116
32,000 miles · Dec 4, 2012
Electrical SystemVisibility/wiper
HEATER BLOWER SQUEAKS AND STOPS RUNNING CAUSING VISIBILITY ISSUES AND DISCOMFORT. POTENTIAL DANGER DUE TO LOSS OF VISIBILITY. THERE ARE VERY FEW OF THESE CARS IN THE USA SO PLEASE CONSIDER THIS WHEN LOOKING AT NUMBER OF REPORTED ISSUES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10487276
24,928 miles · Sep 18, 2012
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train
THIS CAR IS JUST OVER A YEAR OLD, ONLY 24,928 MILES ON IT. IT WILL NOT COME OUT OF PARK. I CALLED THE SMART DEALERSHIP OF BUCKHEAD, GA AND THEY TOLD ME TO TRY TO "RE-TRAIN" IT BY TURNING IT ON PART WAY 3 TIMES WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THEN IT WOULD SHIFT. NOPE. I CALLED THEM BACK UP AND THEY SAID THAT I WAS OVER MY 24,000 M…
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THIS CAR IS JUST OVER A YEAR OLD, ONLY 24,928 MILES ON IT. IT WILL NOT COME OUT OF PARK. I CALLED THE SMART DEALERSHIP OF BUCKHEAD, GA AND THEY TOLD ME TO TRY TO "RE-TRAIN" IT BY TURNING IT ON PART WAY 3 TIMES WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THEN IT WOULD SHIFT. NOPE. I CALLED THEM BACK UP AND THEY SAID THAT I WAS OVER MY 24,000 MILE WARRANTY (EVEN IF ONLY BY 928 MILES WHICH IS LESS THAN 2 WEEKS WORTH OF DRIVING FOR ME) AND BECAUSE I DID MY OIL CHANGES SOMEWHERE ELSE THEY WON'T DO THIS AS WARRANTY WORK. (EVEN THOUGH I TOLD THEM I HAD THE RECORDS!) HOW CAN A TRANSMISSION FAIL WITHIN 24,000 MILES! I AM VERY UPSET I EVER BOUGHT A SMART CAR FROM THESE PEOPLE. WHO WOULD ALLOW THIS TYPE OF "QUALITY" OUT THERE. THIS IS THE WORST CAR I'VE EVER OWNED! AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO TELL EVERYONE ABOUT ALL THE ISSUES I'VE HAD WITH THIS PIECE OF GARBAGE. I HAVE A DODGE RAM THAT'S 8 YEARS OLD AND HAS NEVER HAD A PROBLEM! BAD SMART CAR PEOPLE! *TR
NHTSA ODI #10475775
2,500 miles · May 13, 2012
Service BrakesVehicle Speed ControlCrash
STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT BEHIND OTHER CAR. VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD WHILE FOOT WAS ON BRAKE INTO OTHER STOPPED VEHICLE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10458246
Official recalls
0
No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1
DP22005 · Pedestrian Alert Sounds
Opened Jan 27, 2023 · Closed Aug 7, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:propulsion System
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.
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