2013 Smart Fortwo

ON FRIDAY FEBRUARY 16TH WHEN TRYING TO START MY 2013 SMART FORTWO BRABUS, THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD STARTED FLICKING, SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT FROM THE AC VENTS, THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE AND EXPLODED, FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED TO BE AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY ON A CITY STREET AT THE TIME. HERE IS A LINK TO AN ARTICLE IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER: HTTP://WWW.EMPORIAGAZETTE.COM/AREA_NEWS/ARTICLE_8D176B4C-1351-11E8-99E4-A352E891F430.HTML AND I'VE ATTACHED A PICTURE OF THE FIRE DEPT. REPORT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SMART FOR TWO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT NOTICED WHITE SMOKE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TOWED TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF SAN FRANSICO DEALER LOCATED AT 500 8TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CAWHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COOLANT DAMAGED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER REFUSED TO DO THE REPAIR DUE TO NEGLIGENCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED A TEN PERCENT DISCOUNT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 33,000. *LN UPDATED 9/7/18*JB

THE "BRAKE MALF" LIGHT WENT ON AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN HILL, COMING HOME FROM WORK. I PULLED TO A SIDE STREET. THE BREAK WOULD WORK IF YOU PRESSED REALLY HARD. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE SMART DEALERSHIP.THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT WATER LEAKED FROM UNDERNEATH THE PASSENGER SEAT AND CORRODED THE FUSE BOX CONNECTED TO THE BREAKS. I ASKED HOW WATER COULD GET THERE HE SAID FROM A SPILL. I INFORMED HIM THAT NOTHING HAS SPILLED ON THAT SIDE AND ASKED IF IT COULD BE FROM THE RAIN OR LEAKING WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID. HE SAID THE RAIN CAN'T GET IN UNLESS THE CAR WINDOW OR DOOR IS OPEN AND THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID IS SOMEWHERE ELSE. THERE WAS NO SPILL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE SO I AM NOT SURE HOW THE FUSE BOX GOT CORRODED. EVEN IF THERE WAS A SPILL, HOW CAN A SPILL INSIDE YOUR OWN CAR CAUSE THE BREAKS TO MALFUNCTION!?? THEY NEED TO FIX THIS DESIGN FLAW!!!! HAVING YOUR BRAKES NOT WORK IS A DEADLY SITUATION FOR ANY DRIVER TO BE IN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SMART FORTWO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MOTOR HESITATED AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS SLOW TO RESPOND AND ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS, BRAKES, AND ROTORS, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CONTACT CONSTANTLY HAD TO CHANGE GEARS BACK AND FORTH DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION BEING SLOW TO CHANGE OVER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MORE THAN TWO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND WAS UNABLE TO SUPPLY A PERMANENT REMEDY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SMART FORTWO. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED A BURNING ODOR AND OBSERVED SMOKE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THAT THE BATTERY CASING MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT CHARGING AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000.

ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED BRIEFLY AND WENT OFF. WITHIN ONE MILE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER. AS I SLOWED TO A STOP, A LARGE CLOUD OF STEAM ERUPTED. CAR WAS IN SHOP FOR OVER A MONTH AND MOST OF THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. NO EXPLANATION OF LACK OF WARNING LAMPS. A SECOND TWO WEEK TRIP TO THE DEALER WAS NEEDED TO RESOLVE ALL THE ISSUES. CAR STILL HAS ENGINE LIGHT ON

1ST MONTH OF OWNERSHIP NOTICED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A PINE NEEDLE ON DRIVERS SIDE OF WINDSHIELD. TRIED TO REMOVE ONLY TO DISCOVER A HAIRLINE CRACK. CALLED DEALERSHIP ONLY TO BE TOLD IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO REPLACE AS IT WAS 99% A ROCK CRACK. IT'S NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY DEALERSHIP BUT WAS TOLD IT WAS CAUSED BY POOR INSTALLATION. THE [XXX] CRACK IS NOW 13 INCHES LONG JUST ACROSS MY LINE OF VISION. MY MILEAGE IS JUST OVER 5000 MILES AFTER 9 MONTHS OF USE AND FIND IT MORE THAN DIFFICULT TO PAY OVER 800.00 FOR REPLACEMENT OF SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY MFG. GRRRRRRRRRR! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR