Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government
holds on this vehicle.
Owners have filed 13 safety complaints
about the 2014 Smart Fortwo with the US government. Of those, 1 mentions a fire and no death is recorded. No recall campaign has been matched to this year, make and model.
The most complained-about system is the engine,
named in 4 complaints, 31% of the total.
The typical failure was reported at 6,157 miles,
the median across the 9
complaints that gave
an odometer reading.
Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files
· Covers May 2014 to August 2023 · How this is counted
What is on file
13 complaints on file
13
Complaints
0
Describe a crash
1
Mention fire
0
People injured
0
Deaths
A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a
finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts
them.
No recall campaign was matched to this year, make and model. That is not
the same as a clean vehicle: recalls are issued against production
ranges, and the only reliable check is your own VIN.
Which system owners named
Complaints naming each system
ENGINE 4 · 31%
4 31%
SEAT BELTS 4 · 31%
4 31%
AIR BAGS 1 · 8%
1 8%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 · 8%
1 8%
POWER TRAIN 1 · 8%
1 8%
SERVICE BRAKES 1 · 8%
1 8%
SUSPENSION 1 · 8%
1 8%
WHEELS 1 · 8%
1 8%
048
One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 13.
When the complaints arrived
By the year NHTSA received them
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures
happened. They peaked in 2015 at 3.
4 3 2 1
142014152015162016192019212021222022232023
This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure
happened. The range runs from 2014 to 2023.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program
NHTSA has not crash tested the 2014 Smart Fortwo. Its New Car Assessment Program
tests a selection of each year's vehicles and does not reach
motorcycles, heavy trucks, motorhomes or most low-volume models, so
an absence here says nothing about how the vehicle would perform. It
is not a low score.
What owners have reported about this vehicle is below, and it is a
different question: a crash test measures what happens to the people
inside in a controlled impact, while a complaint records what broke
during ordinary use.
Defect investigations
1 on file
An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A
preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering
analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.
Pedestrian alert sounds
DP22005
Closed defect petition · opened January 27, 2023 · closed August 7, 2023 · led to recall 22V063000
the electrical 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.
In owners’ own words
Quoted from the complaint file
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the
people who filed them, not findings of fault.
ENGINE
fire · towed · 65,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SMART FORTWO. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT 60 MPH, WHEN THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE CONTACT NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE RADIATOR HAD BURST. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED PARK PLACE MOTORCARS MERCEDES-BENZ DALLAS (6113 LEMMON AVE, DALLAS, TX 75209) OF THE FAILURE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE EXPERIENCED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AS AN OVERHEATED ENGINE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.
NHTSA complaint 11405076. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
towed · 6,157 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SMART FORTWO. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT FIND A FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,157.
NHTSA complaint 10883432. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SEAT BELTS
The cable attaching the seatbelt is frayed and only being held on by a few strands of cable. My research into the problem on forums and the internet has shown that this is an issue on the drivers side seatbelt for Smart Car.
NHTSA complaint 11540919. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
AIR BAGS
The SRS light is on. Technician scanned vehicle and performed guided tests on drivers side seat airbag, found that HE airbag squib is faulty. This is an internal part of the airbag and airbag will need to be replaced.
NHTSA complaint 11501955. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SERVICE BRAKES
The brake booster malfunctioned while I was driving
NHTSA complaint 11497260. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SEAT BELTS
Driver’s seatbelt broke at the tensioner as if the cable had been cut with wire cutters. My vehicle has not been involved in a wreck. Under normal driving conditions. Safety issue is if it broke this easily what would’ve happened if I had been involved in an accident? Of course I took the vehicle immediately to a repair shop and the cost to repair is $843.31. Of course the parts have to be ordered. This is a safety issue it’s a law issue you have to have a seatbelt it’s not like I can’t live without the seatbelt. All my research shows that several people have complained about the same incident happening to them I was not driving the vehicle at the time I had just stopped at a store got back …
NHTSA complaint 11469708, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
26,666 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SMART FORTWO. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN OIL LEAK. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO EURO MOTORCARS GERMANTOWN (LOCATED AT 19750 GERMANTOWN RD, GERMANTOWN, MD 20874, (301) 601-5500) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE GEAR BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,666.
NHTSA complaint 11288478. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's
lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How
many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by
the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.
Complaints: NHTSA's ODI
complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One
complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall
campaign API, no campaign on file for this vehicle.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI
investigation file, published October 2, 2026.
A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by
us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that
sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.
G
Compiled and maintained by guarledes Independent developer and analyst