Model year record

2009 SMART Fortwo

1 recall campaign on file for this model year. 141 owner complaints on file.

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 18V273000

Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system

Component: Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system
Manufacturer: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.
Vehicles affected: 42,781
Reported to NHTSA: 2018-04-27
Owners notified: 2018-07-30

Defect description

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2008-2009 smart fortwo cabrio and fortwo coupe vehicles. The rear insulation mat in the engine compartment may deform, deteriorate, and loosen over time, allowing the mat to contact hot exhaust system components.

Safety risk

If the mat contacts hot exhaust system components, it can increase the risk of a fire.

Manufacturer remedy

MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear insulation mat with an improved one, free of charge. The recall began in July 2018. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2018060010.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

Component	Complaints	Median mileage
Power train	28	41,000 mi
Engine	19	50,000 mi
Unknown or other	18	38,500 mi
Electrical system	14	29,120 mi
Engine and engine cooling	9	37,000 mi
Fuel/propulsion system	8	41,000 mi
Structure: body	8	50,000 mi
Air bags	5	70,000 mi
Wheels	5	15,000 mi
Seat belts	4	28,800 mi
Tires	4	9,400 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic	3	74,254 mi
Structure: body: roof and pillars	2	25,000 mi
Suspension	2	9,391 mi
Electronic stability control (ESC)	1	—
Equipment: appliance: air conditioner	1	10,600 mi
Exterior lighting	1	98,000 mi
Fuel system, diesel	1	52,000 mi
Latches/locks/linkages: hood: latch	1	12,000 mi
Other/unknown	1	—
Seat belts: front: retractor	1	14,724 mi
Service brakes	1	4,600 mi
Structure: body: tailgate	1	41,000 mi
Tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems	1	37,000 mi
Vehicle speed control	1	118,000 mi
Visibility/wiper	1	62,000 mi

The 2008 model has about half as many complaints as this one. The 2010 model has 18 times as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.