2008 SMART FORTWO Unknown Or Other Problems

Engine fire destroyed vehicle while driving on Interstate at 65 MPH. Vehicle was serviced and maintained per manufacturer maintenance schedule at authorized dealer. No prior issues with vehicle. Vehicle also passed emission check on 09/29/2021 with no OBD error codes reported during inspection. Mileage: 60K

JUST RECEIVED MY RECALL #18V273. I HAVE A QUESTION : THIS RECALL CONCERNS 2008-2009 MODEL YEARS ONLY. SINCE MB MADE SOME SORT OF CHANGE IN 2010, HOW LONG HAVE THEY KNOWN ABOUT THIS ISSUE ? SINCE 2010 ? WHY AM I JUST NOW FINDING OUT ABOUT IT IN 2018 ? DID MB TRY TO HIDE THIS ISSUE ? [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM

SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING

Mileage: 100,000

VEHICLE BURNED WHILE PARKED. HAVE PHOTOS & ESTIMATE OF TOTAL LOSS. THE LITTLETON GROUP IS A THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR.

ON JULY 28 2017 I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY CAR "DIED". LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CAR THAT WAS FOLLOWING ME ALSO PULLED OVER AND THE MAN WAS YELLING THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. I HAD NO PREVIOUS WARNING. NO SMELL, NO SOUNDS, NO ALARMS--NOTHING OTHER THAN MY CAR DIED WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAD GOTTEN OUT TO SEE WHAT I COULD OF THE SITUATION (NOT MECHANICALLY INCLINED), SAW SMOKE AND SMALL FLAMES SO WENT TO GET KEYS AND CELL PNONE OUT OF CAR AND 2 OTHER PEOPLE WERE PARKED IN FRONT OF ME, HAVING PASSED BY ME, AND WERE YELLING "GET OUT OF THE CAR IT IS ON FIRE" BY NOW, ONLY A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE REAR OF MY CAR WAS ENTIRELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE SMOKE INSIDE THE CAR NOW WAS THICK, GRAYISH IN COLOR, WHILE THE EXTERIOR SEEMED TO ME MELTING BEFORE MY EYES! THE ENTIRE CAR WAS DESTROYED. ALL THAT IS LEFT IS THE BASIC METAL FRAME. SEVERAL BYSTANDERS TOOK VIDEO AND PICTURES OF THIS AS IT WAS HORRIBLE AND FAST. I DID NOT HEAR ANYTHING WHEN I WAS DRIVING TO ALERT ME THERE WAS A PROBLEM INITIALLY. IF THE CAR HADN'T DIED, AS FAST AS THIS HAPPENED, I WOULD BE DEAD I AM SURE. AS FAR AS I KNOW THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THIS CAR. I HAD LESS THAN 30000 ORIGINAL MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND ALL MANDATORY UPKEEP WAS PERFORMED (OIL CHANGES ETC) THERE ARE CHP FILES IM SURE, I HAVE A CLAIM IN WITH MY INSURANCE (USAA) AND AS I SAID THERE IS VIDEO DOCUMENTATION OF THE FIRE. AT THIS POINT MY CAR, AND VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING IN IT IS CHARCOAL. THE CAR IS NOT SALVAGEABLE. I WAS A SHOCKED BEYOND BELIEF THAT SUCH A THING COULD HAPPEN TO A WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE AND I AM STILL AFRAID TO THINK OF DRIVING ALONE.

Mileage: 28,235

NOT SURE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A CANADIAN COMPLAINT (SORRY, USED THE CLOSEST STATE AND ZIP CODE FOR ADDRESS) BUT I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT. AFTER REPLACING THE MUFFLER ON OUR SMART CAR, AS I DROVE AWAY I SMELLED A BURNING ODOR. THINKING IT WAS JUST BURN OFF FROM THE NEW PARTS I CONTINUED DRIVING. NOT MUCH FURTHER AWAY AT A STOP A MAN APPROACHED ME AND SAID THERE WAS SMOKE COMING OUT THE BACK. I GOT OUT TO LOOK AND THE AMOUNT OF SMOKE QUICKLY INCREASED AND WAS COMING OUT THROUGH THE REAR BODY PANEL SECTIONS. I HAVE VIDEO OF THIS. I OPENED THE HATCH ON THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND SMOKE POURED OUT. I CALLED THE MECHANIC WHO IMMEDIATELY CAME AND DROVE IT BACK TO THE SHOP (NOT SURE WHY HE THOUGHT THAT WAS A SAFE THING TO DO?) THEY REPORTED THAT THE FIRE WALL FIRE INSULATION WAS DETERIORATING AND A LARGE CHUNK HAD FALLEN DOWN ONTO THE ENGINE AND WAS SMOLDERING. AS A RESULT THEY RIPPED ALL THE FIRE INSULATION OFF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DOOR HATCH. COULD THIS BE THE CAUSE OF ALL THESE REPORTED FIRES? I CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY THAT A FIRE DIDN'T BREAK OUT AS I WAS ON MY WAY TO PICK UP MY 93 YEAR OLD FATHER.

Mileage: 87,000

MY CAR STARTED ON FIRE WHILE IT WAS BEING DRIVEN! MY FRIEND ESCAPED A FIERY DEATH BY MERELY SECONDS! I HAVE HAD THIS CAR SINCE 2008. I HAVE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED WITH IT FOR THE MOST PART AS, OTHER THAN REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE, THERE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR FOR THE FIRST 100,000 MILES. UNTIL THIS INCIDENT, I WAS CONSIDERING PURCHASING A NEW SMART CAR. MY FRIEND WAS DRIVING THE CAR DOWN THE FREEWAY YESTERDAY WHEN A DRIVER NEXT TO HIM BEGAN FLAGGING HIM FRANTICALLY AND FORTUNATELY FORCED HIM OFF TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. MY FRIEND FIRST THOUGHT THAT HE WAS LOOKING AT A CASE OF ROAD RAGE UNTIL HIS SAVIOR JUMPED OUT OF HIS TRUCK YELLING AT MY FRIEND TO "GET OUT OF YOUR CAR, IT IS ON FIRE!" MY FRIEND JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR, AND WITHIN 10 SECONDS, THE VERY SPOT WHERE HE HAD BEEN SITTING WAS TOTALLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES! HE STOOD THERE AND SHOT THE ATTACHED PICTURES AS THE CAR BURNED, AND THEN AFTER THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD PUT IT OUT. WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN, I SUSPECT THAT HE WOULD BE DEAD OR SERIOUSLY MAIMED. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING SIGN OF ANY KIND PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT! IT JUST HAD IT S 100,000 MILE OIL CHANGE LAST WEEK. I SEE WHERE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS. WILL IT TAKE A DEATH OR SERIOUS MAIMING BEFORE MERCEDES WILL BE FORCED TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM?

Mileage: 100,000

OFTEN TIMES AFTER STARTING UP VEHICLE AND GOING INTO REVERSE VEHICLE WILL NOT REVERSE. I OFTEN TIMES GET STUCK IN SPOTS BECAUSE I AM UNABLE TO REVERSE. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS ONCOMING TRAFFIC BEHIND ME.

Mileage: 59,000

STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE IN AND AROUND THE CAR BUT NO VISIBLE LEAK. LEARNED ON THE THAT THIS 2008 CAR IF PRONE TO FIRE. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND DID NOT FIND A PROBLEM AM I DRIVING A LITTLE WW2 MERCEDES OVEN?

Mileage: 62,000

THE CAR WAS IN MOTION THE ENGINE CUT OFF THEN I COASTED TO A PARKING LOT THE VEHICLE WAS THEN STATIONARY I GOT OUT AND NOTICED SMOKE THEN SAW FLAMES COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR BY THE TIME I RAN A SAFE DISTANCE AWAY THE FLAMES HAD MORE THAN DOUBLED.

I AM THE OWNER OF HTTP://WWW.SMARTCARSUCKS.COM . I CREATED THIS WEBSITE WHICH HAS DOCUMENTED EVERY INSTANCE OF A SMART CAR FIRE I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND ON THE WEB SINCE 2012. MY COMPLETE STORY OF WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT FOLLOWED IS AT THE BEGINNING OF THAT WEBSITE. AT THE TIME I BELIEVED THAT EVERY CAR FIRE WAS DOCUMENTED BY THE POLICE AND WOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE PROPER REPORTING AGENCY WHICH IS WHY I NEVER REPORTED IT BEFORE. I SAW THAT THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION OF THESE CARS WHICH IS WHY I AM REPORTING IT NOW. IF YOU NEED ANYMORE INFORMATION I CAN BE CONTACTED.

Mileage: 32,000

I WAS IN AN OFFICE BUILDING WHEN I A CITY FIRE MARSHAL CAME IN AND INFORMED ME MY CAR WAS ON FIRE IN THE PARKING LOT. I FOUND THIS TO BE VERY HARD TO BELIEVE AS IT HAD BEEN PARKED FOR OVER AN HOUR AND ONE HALF. THE FIRE DEPT. HAD BROKEN MY PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW, OPENED THE CAR AND SPRAYED IT WITH CHEMICALS. I WAS INFORMED THE FIRE HAD STARTED FROM WIRES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. FORTUNATELY, IT WAS CAUGHT EARLY AND DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL, BUT THE CAR WAS NOT ATTENDED NOR WAS THE ENGINE HOT AS IT HAD NOT BEEN IN USE FOR SOME TIME. HAD IT BEEN IN A CLOSED GARAGE IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER.

Mileage: 54,000

VEHICLE IN MY GARAGE, FOUND VEHICLE BATTERY BOX AND PASSENGER SEAT FLOODED DUE TO THE AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSATION TUBE JOINT LOCATED IN THE BATTERY BOX DISCONNECTED. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, VEHICLE WILL NOT START, EVEN AFTER EMPTYING THE WATER FROM THE BATTERY BOX AND RECHARGING THE BATTERY. HAVE A READ MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THIS ISSUE ON THE SMART BLOG. POSSIBLE ELECTRIC SHOCK ISSUE AS WELL AS ALL ELECTRICAL AND LIGHTS OUT.

Mileage: 110,000

SHIFT LEVER WILL NOT GO INTO PARK. IGNITION KEY CANNOT BE REMOVED. SUBSEQUENT FAILURES RESULTED IN NOT BEING ABLE TO SELECT REVERSE AND PARK WITH THE SHIFT LEVER, AND THEREFOR, UNABLE TO REMOVE IGNITION KEY.

Mileage: 29,650

2008 SMART CAR FORTWO, WAS SOUTH BOUND,WHEN IT LEFT THE ROAD ON THE LEFT AND THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE DUG INTO SOFT DIRT. *BF THE VEHICLE ROLLED AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, THE DRIVER HAD A PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITION, WHICH COULD HAVE LED TO THE ACCIDENT, BUT COULD NOT BE VERIFIED. UPDATED 01/24/12

AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN, I BEGIN TO TURN RIGHT ONTO ANOTHER STREET AND THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND INTO NEUTRAL. I TRIED TO PUT THE CAR BACK INTO DRIVE, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. I STARTED AND STOPPED THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES AND THE CAR STILL WOULD NOT GO INTO EITHER REVERSE OR DRIVE. I WAS PUSHED INTO A PARKING LOT. I HAVE HAD PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION BEFORE. THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHEN I STARTED THE CAR AND COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO GO INTO REVERSE. AFTER I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND ON SEVERAL TIMES, THE CAR WOULD FINALLY SHIFT INTO REVERSE.

Mileage: 28,350

FAILED COMPONENT - AIR CONDITIONER (FAN WORKS BUT NO COLD AIR). OPERATION HAS BEEN ERRATIC. IN THE SUMMER, THIS WAS A NUISANCE. IN THE WINTER, IT IS AS SERIOUS AS BRAKE LOSS! I HAVE NOW HAD THREE OCCURANCES OF NINETY PERCENT LOSS OF VISIBILITY AS A RESULT OF COMPLETE FOGGING OF ALL WINDOWS. THIS IS THE RESULT OF THE RIGHT AMBIENT TEMP., HUMIDITY AND INTERIOR TEMP. INCIDENTS OCCURRED AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 15 MILES AND WERE VIRTUALLY INSTANTANEOUS (LESS THAN 30 SECONDS). AN AC/HEAT BLEND IS NEEDED TO DEHUMIDIFY WINDOWS. THE LOCAL DEALER HAD THIS CAR FOR ONE WEEK (OCT 15 TO OCT 23, 2010 WHILE IT WAS STILL A NUISANCE PROBLEM). DID NOT REPAIR BECAUSE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. FIRST COMPLETE LOSS OF VISIBILITY ON THIS CAR OCCURRED ON NOV. 5TH. WHEN I WAS INFORMED BY MY DEALER THAT THERE WERE NO SERVICE BULLETINS, A LETTER WAS SENT TO SMART CUSTOMER SERVICE (ADDRESS PROVIDED BY LOCAL DEALER) IN BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI. ON NOV. 17, 2010 AND RECEIVED BY THEM ON NOV. 19TH. NO RESPONSE TO DATE. REPEAT PHONE CALLS RESULTED IN NO SOLUTION. MY FINAL ATTEMPT WAS STOPPING AT THE DEALER ON JAN 17TH TO DETERMINE IF A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO MY SERVICE ADVISOR, NO BULLETINS HAD BEEN ISSUED AND I AM NOT ALONE WITH THIS COMPLAINT. MY THREE INCIDENTS HAPPENED ON CITY STREETS ALLOWING ME TO SAFELY MOVE MY VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER AND PLAY WITH THE CONTROLS UNTIL THE AC KICKED IN. MY GREATEST CONCERN IS HAVING THIS OCCUR WHILE DRIVING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED OR HAVING A GUARD RAIL PREVENT A SAFE STOP! (THIS DID HAPPEN WITH THEIR LOANER ON WALDEN CREEK RD WHICH, FORTUNATELY, IS A VERY LITTLE TRAVELED MOUNTAIN ROAD. I WAS FORCED TO STOP ON THE ROAD & PLAY WITH CONTROLS UNTIL AC KICKED IN. THAT VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 100 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. DATE OF OCCURRENCE FOR THIS NEW LOANER WAS SATURDAY, OCT. 23RD, INCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO DEALER.)

Mileage: 12,610