2008 SMART FORTWO COUPE

POWER STEERING FAILS WHILE DRIVING AND BECOMES LIKE STEERING A MAC TRUCK EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE WHEEL FORCING THE VEHICLE TO GO STRAIGHT INSTEAD OF TURNING CAUSING THE CAR TO COME INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. *TR

Mileage: 61,500

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE NORTH DALLAS TOLLWAY I HEARD A SUDDEN LOUD "POP" NOISE IN THE BACK OF MY CAR WHERE MY ENGINE IS LOCATED. IT WAS STARTLING ENOUGH TO PULL OFF ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY AND EXIT MY CAR IMMEDIATELY TO SEE WHERE THE NOISE CAME FROM. UPON EXITING MY VEHICLE, I SAW COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR WHERE THE ENGINE IS LOCATED FLAMES COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE. I IMMEDIATELY REMOVED MYSELF FROM THE VICINITY OF THE CAR AND WITHIN MOMENTS MY CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. HAD I NOT PULLED OFF TO THE SHOULDER WHEN I DID, MY STORY WOULD NOT BE COMING DIRECTLY FROM ME BUT FROM MY OBITUARY STATING MY CAUSE OF DEATH. I CHECKED WITH MY AUTO INSURANCE TO SEE IF ANY RECALLS HAD BEEN MADE ON MY CAR BUT NONE HAD BEEN MADE. I CURIOUSLY SEARCHED THE INTERNET TO SEE IF ANY OTHER PEOPLE HAD EXPERIENCE SOMETHING SIMILAR WITH THERE SMART CARS TO FRIGHTENINGLY COME UPON THE WEBSITE WWW.SMARTCARSSUCK.COM. TO MY HORROR I SAW PHOTO AFTER PHOTO OF CARS IN VARIOUS STAGES OF BEING ENGULF

Mileage: 80,000

SEVERAL TIMES MY 2008 SMART WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE GEAR.OR START SOMETIMES AS EXPLAINED IN MANY OTHER POST HERE. MB SAID THAT ITS MY CLUTCH ASSEMBY, MB REPORT SAYS (1) TRANSMISSION NEED TO BE REMOVED INSPECT CLUTCH DISK PRESSURE PLATES AND THOWOUT BEARING/ CLUTCH WILL NOT TEACH IN CAUSING ENGINE LAMP COST $1359.00 AND IF THAT DONT WORK (2) CLUTCH ASSEMBY REPLACEMENT OF CLUTCH THOWOUT BEARING PRESSURE PLATE IF NEEDED WHEN TRANSMISSION IS OUT PARTS ONLY $1031.20 THIS CAR ONLY HAS 38,326 MILES ON IT I AM THE 2ND OWNER PAD GOT THE CAR WITH 4,500 MILES ON IT. MB AND SMARTUSA HAVE BEEN NO HELP AT ALL IN THIS MATTER

Mileage: 38,326

SEVERAL TIMES MY 2008 SMART WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE GEAR.OR START SOMETIMES AS EXPLAINED IN MANY OTHER POST HERE. MB SAID THAT ITS MY CLUTCH ASSEMBY, MB REPORT SAYS (1) TRANSMISSION NEED TO BE REMOVED INSPECT CLUTCH DISK PRESSURE PLATES AND THOWOUT BEARING/ CLUTCH WILL NOT TEACH IN CAUSING ENGINE LAMP COST $1359.00 AND IF THAT DONT WORK (2) CLUTCH ASSEMBY REPLACEMENT OF CLUTCH THOWOUT BEARING PRESSURE PLATE IF NEEDED WHEN TRANSMISSION IS OUT PARTS ONLY $1031.20 THIS CAR ONLY HAS 38,326 MILES ON IT I AM THE 2ND OWNER PAD GOT THE CAR WITH 4,500 MILES ON IT. MB AND SMARTUSA HAVE BEEN NO HELP AT ALL IN THIS MATTER

Mileage: 38,326

THIS CAR HAS PERIODICALLY FAILED TO GO INTO REVERSE AND DRIVE. LAST EVENT THAT I EXPERIENCED IS WHEN I ACTUALLY REALIZED IT TO BE AN SAFETY ISSUE. I GOT INTO MY CAR THAT WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVE WAY TO TAKE MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL. I STARTED THE CAR AS USUAL AND PROCEEDED TO PLACE IT IN REVERSE. IT WAS BACKING DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AS I BELIEVED IT SHOULD. A CAR WAS COMING DOWN THE ROAD WHICH WOULD NORMALLY NOT BE A PROBLEM BUT THIS TIME IT WAS DIFFERENT MY CAR WAS NOT TRULY ENGAGED INTO REVERSE AND WOULDN'T AND ALSO WOULDN'T GO INTO DRIVE. MY CAR ROLLED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY INTO THE ROAD INSTEAD. I HAVE A PROBLEM MANEUVERING OUT OF THE WAY AS THE OTHER DRIVER WAS EXPECTING ME TO BE ABLE. I HAD TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND RESTART IT. THE OTHER DRIVER THAT WAS HEADING MY WAY HAD TO SLAM THE BRAKES AND NEARLY HIT US. I BROUGHT THIS PROBLEM UP WITH MERCEDES AND SMART CAR. THEY HAVE BEEN AWARE THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS. WHEN I WAS AT THE SERVICE STATION FOR A TMPS PROBLEM THAT NO ONE ELSE COULD FIX, I T

Mileage: 22,000

I OWN 2 OF THE 2008 SMART FORTWO AUTOMOBILES (PURE & CABRIO). BOTH HAVE PERIODICALLY BEEN BALKY SHIFTERS (STUCK WHEN TRYING TO MOVE THE GEAR SELECTOR OUT OF PARK). ONE HAS BRIEFLY REFUSED TO SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR, INDEPENDENT OF THE GEAR INDICATED. BOTH HAVE BRIEFLY REFUSED TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK... UNTIL TODAY WHEN MY WIFE WAS STUCK IN PARK AT A RED LIGHT. THE ABS LIGHT HAD COME ON, MY WIFE DECIDED TO SEE IF SHE COULD CLEAR THE INDICATOR. SHE QUICKLY PUT IT IN PARK, ENGINE OFF THEN ON, BUT VEHICLE REMAINED STUCK IN PARK. A DEPUTY MOVED TRAFFIC AROUND HER. I ARRIVED & AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS FOR 20 MINUTES, IT FINALLY RELEASED FROM PARK INTO DRIVE. I DROVE IT HOME & THOROUGHLY LUBRICATED THE SHIFTER MECHANISM PER POSTS ON THE SMART CAR OF AMERICA FORUMS. AS I RE-READ THIS THREAD CONTAINING 4 YEARS OF CONTRIBUTORS, THERE IS AN IMPRESSION THAT THE FACTORY RELEASED A 1ST, THEN 2ND GENERATION OF SHIFTER REPLACEMENT HARDWARE. THERE IS ABUNDANT OWNER FEEDBACK THAT THERE IS A RELIABILITY ISSUE IN

Mileage: 38,760

THIS BEING A 2008 SMART PASSION FOR TWO......A LEAKING GAS TANK ON A 4 YEAR OLD VEHICLE......CONTACTED MB/SMART AT THEIR HEADQUARTERS IN NJ...TRYING TO GET THEM TO REPLACE THIS UNDER THE MANUFACTURER DEFECTIVE PART TO NO AVAIL. LOCAL MB/SMART DEALERSHIP CHARGED ME $1717 FOR ITS REPLACEMENT.....NO VEHICLE SHOULD LOSE ITS GAS TANK BEING ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD, ANY BRAND.

Mileage: 39,630

DRIVING ON CA70 SOUTH TOWARDS PLUMAS LAKE BLVD. EXIT, BRAKING LIGHTLY FROM 55 MPH TO 35MPH TO EXIT THE FREEWAY CAUSED ABS AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM (ESP)((ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL)) EXCLAMATION LIGHTS TO LIGHT UP WHICH DENOTED THE ABS AND ESP DISABLED. WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT THE STOP SIGN, THE SMART WAS SHUT DOWN AND RESTARTED TO RESET THE ABS AND ESP FOR SAFETY ONLY TO FIND THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE AND WAS LOCKED INTO PARK. THIS CREATED A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHERE THE CAR WAS UNABLE TO BE SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL TO MOVE THE CAR INTO THE SHOULDER AND THE CAR WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITH CARS EXITING THE FREEWAY (HAZARD LIGHTS WERE ON). TO GET OUT OF A DANGEROUS SITUATION, AN ONLINE FORUM THAT DISCUSSES THE SMART CAR (WWW.SMARTCARSOFAMERICA.COM) SHOWED THAT IF THE SHIFTER IS STUCK INTO PARK TO CHECK AND SEE IF THE BRAKE LIGHTS IN THE REAR WERE WORKING. THE BRAKE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS WERE CHECKED AND THERE WAS NO LIGHT EMITTING

Mileage: 25,646

DRIVING ON CA70 SOUTH TOWARDS PLUMAS LAKE BLVD. EXIT, BRAKING LIGHTLY FROM 55 MPH TO 35MPH TO EXIT THE FREEWAY CAUSED ABS AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM (ESP)((ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL)) EXCLAMATION LIGHTS TO LIGHT UP WHICH DENOTED THE ABS AND ESP DISABLED. WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT THE STOP SIGN, THE SMART WAS SHUT DOWN AND RESTARTED TO RESET THE ABS AND ESP FOR SAFETY ONLY TO FIND THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE AND WAS LOCKED INTO PARK. THIS CREATED A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHERE THE CAR WAS UNABLE TO BE SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL TO MOVE THE CAR INTO THE SHOULDER AND THE CAR WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITH CARS EXITING THE FREEWAY (HAZARD LIGHTS WERE ON). TO GET OUT OF A DANGEROUS SITUATION, AN ONLINE FORUM THAT DISCUSSES THE SMART CAR (WWW.SMARTCARSOFAMERICA.COM) SHOWED THAT IF THE SHIFTER IS STUCK INTO PARK TO CHECK AND SEE IF THE BRAKE LIGHTS IN THE REAR WERE WORKING. THE BRAKE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS WERE CHECKED AND THERE WAS NO LIGHT EMITTING

Mileage: 25,646

1.HIGH FAILURE RATE OF HEATER BLOWER MOTORS. 2.HIGH REPLACEMENT COST $340+ (PRICE GOUGING) FOR A BLOWER MOTOR BASED ON THE BELIEVED HIGH CURRENT FAILURE RATE. 3.3 BLOWER FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED IN 54K MILES. 4.VEHICLE WAS NEW IN 4/2008, I AM ORIGINAL OWNER 5.NO HEAT CREATES A HIGH SAFETY RISK TO CONSUMER WHO USE THE VEHICLE IN EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS. 6.NO HEAT CAN CREATE VISIBILITY ISSUE DUE TO INABILITY TO PROPERLY DEFROST THE WINDOWS. 7.NO HEAT PRESENTS A HEALTH ISSUE TO OLDER USERS IN COLD WEATHER WHO MAY HAVE LIMITED CIRCULATION. 8.NO HEAT PRESENTS A SAFETY ISSUE TO OTHER DRIVERS DUE TO: A.POOR VISIBILITY B.DRIVER DISTRACTION DUE TO COMFORT C.DRIVER DISTRACTION DUE TO GAGE PANEL MANIPULATION 9.NO HEAT CREATES A HEALTH ISSUE IN THE EVENT OF BEING STRANDED DUE TO SEVERE WEATHER. FAILURE TO HEAT THE OCCUPANT SPACE COULD LEAD TO SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH. 10.DISASSEMBLY AND REPAIR OF THE BLOWER MOTOR IS NOT PART OF THE CONSUMER REGULAR SERVICE REQUIREMENTS. 11.SMART DOES N

Mileage: 53,945

THE PLASTIC ROOF IN MY 2009 SMART FORTWO HAD BEEN CRACKING SUBSTANTIALLY FROM EITHER HEAT OR CLEANING CHEMICALS. *TR

Mileage: 2,000

CRAZING AND FAILURE OF MAKROLON (POLYCARBONATE) ROOF ON ALL SMART FOR TWO COUPES FROM 2008 TO PRESENT. POLYCARBONATE (PC) MATERIAL THE TRANSPARENT ROOF PANEL IS MADE FROM DISINTEGRATES FROM UV SUNLIGHT OR HEAT BEYOND ITS 150F RATING EXACERBATED BY SMART'S SUNSHADE INSIDE THE CAR. PC IS NOT RESISTANT TO OZONE AND OTHER CHEMICALS LISTED HERE: HTTP://WWW.SHEFFIELDPLASTICS.COM/WEB_DOCS/MAKROLON%20CHEMICAL%20RESISTANCE.PDF MANY OF WHICH ARE IN THE AIR AND IN CLEANING SUPPLIES. FROM THIS MFG WEB..."EXPOSING MAKROLON SHEET TO REPEATED STEAM CLEANING OR DISH WASHING CAN CREATE HYDRAULIC CRAZING. THE RESULT CAN BE A CLOUDING OF THE SURFACE AND ULTIMATELY A LOSS OF PHYSICAL STRENGTH PROPERTIES." TEMPERATURES MEASURED BETWEEN SUNSHADE AND MAKROLON ROOF PANEL IN SC PARKING LOT FAR EXCEEDS 150F SPEC, CAUSING THE OBSERVED FAILURES. THESE FAILURES WILL, EVENTUALLY, CONSUME THE PLASTIC ROOF WHICH WILL FALL ON OCCUPANTS OR EXPLODE OUTWARDS ONTO FOLLOWING TRAFFIC WHEN, NOT IF, THE PLASTIC FINALLY

Mileage: 5,300

I HAVE A 2008 SMART FORTWO AND FOR ABOUT 9 MONTHS NOW THE BLOWER MOTOR HAS BEEN WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. I CAN'T SEEM TO DETECT ANY PATTERN FOR WHEN IT DOES AND DOES NOT WORK. IT SOMETIMES WILL WORK AS SOON AS I START THE CAR, IF NOT IT WILL EVENTUALLY WORK AFTER DRIVING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. IT HAS ALSO NOT WORKED AT ALL FOR HOURS OR SOMETIMES DAYS AND THEN WORK PERFECTLY FOR HOURS AND SOMETIMES DAYS. I CALLED THE DEALER (SMART CENTER OF ENGELWOOD (NJ)) ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY SAID THEY ARE INCREASINGLY COMING ACROSS ISSUES THAT I HAVE DESCRIBED AND THEY RECOMMEND REPLACING THE BLOWER MOTOR AT A COST OF ALMOST $400.00. I WENT ONTO A SMART CAR BLOG WEBSITE AND THERE ARE AN AWEFUL LOT OF SMART CAR OWNERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. IT COULD BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IF THE WINDSHIELD BECOMES FOGGED UP AND THE BLOWER MOTOR DOES NOT FUNCTION, OUTSIDE VISIBILITY WOULD BE DANGEROUSLY OBSTRUCTED. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME BUT I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD

Mileage: 29,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES SMART CAR FORTWO COUPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACTUATOR AND CLUTCH PLATE WERE REPLACED TWICE WITHIN A YEAR. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. WHENEVER HE SHIFT GEARS FROM PARK AND ENGAGE THE BRAKE PEDAL THE GEARS WERE STUCK. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED ON THREE OCCASIONS; HOWEVER, THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 81,000. UPDATED 03/04/10 *BF UPDATED 06/02/10

Mileage: 36,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES SMART CAR FORTWO COUPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACTUATOR AND CLUTCH PLATE WERE REPLACED TWICE WITHIN A YEAR. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. WHENEVER HE SHIFT GEARS FROM PARK AND ENGAGE THE BRAKE PEDAL THE GEARS WERE STUCK. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED ON THREE OCCASIONS; HOWEVER, THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 81,000. UPDATED 03/04/10 *BF UPDATED 06/02/10

Mileage: 36,000

THE SERVICE FLAP (HOOD) ON MY 2009 SMART CAR HAS DETACHED TWICE. IN EACH INCIDENT THE VEHICLE WAS BEING TOWED BEHIND A MOTORHOME. AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT THE DEALERSHIP SENT ME A NEW HOOD AND I INSTALLED IT MYSELF AS THERE WAS NO DEALER WITHIN 1,500 MILES OF MY LOCATION. AFTER THE SECOND TIME AND WITH MORE DAMAGE DONE SMARTUSA IS CLAIMING THAT THE HOOD WAS NOT PROPERLY SECURED BY ME CAUSING IT TO COME OFF. THIS TIME EXTENSIVE DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE VEHICLE. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE AND THAT IN ALL INSTANCES SMARTUSA FAULTS THE OWNERS FOR NOT PROPERLY REPLACING THE HOOD. I AM CONCERNED THAT IF THIS IS A CONTINUING ISSUE AND ALSO HAPPENS WHEN THEN CAR IS NOT BEING TOWED THAT A HOOD FLYING OFF COULD CAUSE A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD. THE HOOD REMAINS ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE BY A STRAP AND WILL FLAP IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER UNTIL SPEED IS REDUCED. THIS COULD CAUSE PANIC AND AN ACCIDENT COULD RESULT. *TR

Mileage: 11,400

I HAVE OWNED MY 2009 SMART FORTWO SINCE DECEMBER 2008 AND HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM OCCUR TWICE. WHILE TOWING THE SMART ON A TRAILER BEHIND MY MOTORHOME ONE OF THE PINS HOLDING THE HOOD BROKE CAUSING THE HOOD TO COME OFF. THE HOOD IS HELD ON BY TWO PLASTIC PINS AND A CLOTH STRAP. THE STRAP RESTRAINED THE HOOD CAUSING IT TO FLAP AROUND THE FRONT OF THE CAR. THIS CAUSED DAMAGE TO ALL THE FRONT PANELS AND THE WINDSHIELD. LUCKILY I WAS NOT DRIVING THE CAR AT THE TIME. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING WHEN THIS HAPPENED IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. *TR

Mileage: 11,500

FUEL GAUGE STICKS AT 7/8 - MANY REPORTS TO SMART CAR OF AMERICA FORUMS. WILL NOT PROPERLY REPORT FUEL LEVELS. *TR

Mileage: 16,513

GEARSHIFT BUTTON IS STUCK. CAR CANNOT BE SHIFTED INTO DRIVE. *TR

Mileage: 11,700

MY NEW SMART CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE OR PARK. THE BUTTON ON THE SHIFTER LEVER WOULD NOT DEPRESS. MANY OWNERS ARE FINDING THIS PROBLEM. THERE IS A DO-IT-YOURSELF FIX LISTED. HOWEVER THIS PROBLEM IS DUE TO FAULTY MANUFACTURE AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND REPLACED. *TR

Mileage: 6,789