2009 SMART FORTWO Unknown Or Other Problems

When starting the car, the transmission will not respond to the shifter being put into any gear. A computer diagnostic says it is a communications issue. Mercedes, who sold the car to me new, refuses to do any repair work as they have discontinued Smart sales in the US. If the communications for the transmission fails during operation, this will be very dangerous. There are numerous reports on the internet of similar issues and owners trying to repair this themselves. Mercedes needs to be forced to repair what they have sold and represented. If this is a software update issue, who has the software to fix this issue? It is outrageous that NHTSA has not enforced these issues with Mercedes Benz of America.

I AM WRITING TO YOU TO VOICE A COMPLAINT I HAVE WITH MERCEDES-BENDS USA, LLC'S RECALL OF THEIR SMART VEHICLES, RECALL CAMPAIGN # 2018060010. IT CALLS FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE REAR INSULATION MAT, THAT IF NOT REPLACE COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I HAVE CALLED SEVERAL OF THE LOCAL MERCEDES-BENDS DEALERSHIPS AND HAVE FOUND THAT THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP THAT CAN REPLACE THE MAT IS EITHER IN SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH OR SEATTLE WASHINGTON. I RESIDE IN HELENA MONTANA WHICH IS 485 MILES FROM SALT LAKE AND 590 MILES FROM SEATTLE. THESE DISTANCES ARE TOTALLY IMPRACTICAL FOR ME TO DRIVE TO WITH THIS VEHICLE. PLEASE REQUIRE MERCEDES-BENDS TO ESTABLISH A SMART MAINTENANCE FACILITY IN CLOSER PROXIMITY TO HELENA.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR THE CAR BEGAN TO DECELERATE AND I HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, I NOTICED THE CAR WAS ON FIRE BEHIND ME AND I JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR AS THE FIRE ENGULFED THE REMAINDER OF THE CAR.

SMART CAR RECALL I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP ON AUGUST 3, 2018 AND THEY WERE SUPPOSE TO CONTACT ME BACK - I AM STILL WAITING. THEY SAID THEY WOULD CONTACT ME ONCE THEY HAD PARTS AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL.

I WAS ON MY WAY TO SCHOOL, THE CAR BEGAN MAKING A GRINDING NOISE, AS I MOVED TO THE SHOULDER IT DIED AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, THE RADIO CUT OFF, THE HORN STAYED ON, ALL THE WIPERS WENT FULL FORCE AND THE DOORS LOCKED. WHEN I FINALLY KICKED THE DOOR OPEN I WENT TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND OPENED THE GOOD. I BEGAN SO SMELL BURNING PLASTIC AND WENT TO THE DRIVER SIDE AGAIN. WHEN I GOT THERE, THERE WERE FLAMING DRIPS COMING FROM UNDER THE PANELS. I ATTEMPTED TO PUT THEM OUT BUT IT WAS FUTILE. I REMOVED MYSELF FROM THE SITUATION AND CALLED FIRE RESCUE. THE WHOLE THING TOOK 2 MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR WAS TOAST

Mileage: 67,000

FAILURE TO REVERSE TRANSMISSION SOFTWARE CAR IS IN PARK WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR

WHILE DRIVING ON 2/7/2018 THE VEHICLES BLOWER MOTOR STOPPED WORKING. ON RETURNING HOME IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT MANY VEHICLE OWNERS ALSO HAVE HAD THE BLOWER MOTORS FAIL ON THEIR VEHICLES. ONE PERSON REPORTED 3 FAILURES. ANOTHER REPORTED THAT HIS DEALERSHIP ADVISED THAT SEVERAL "BAD" BLOWER MOTORS WERE SENT OUT. WAS FORCED TO DRIVE HOME ON -4 DEGREE WEATHER WITHOUT DEFROSTER.

Mileage: 62,000

I REPRESENT THE OWNERS OF THIS 2009 SMART FORTWO VEHICLE. MY CLIENT DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME AFTER WORK AND PARKED IN THE GARAGE. APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE, MY CLIENT WAS AWOKEN BY HIS SON WHO SMELLED SMOKE. MY CLIENT FOLLOWED THE SMOKE TO THE GARAGE WHERE HE FOUND THE VEHICLE ON FIRE. IT APPEARED THE FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE SPREAD QUICKLY THROUGHOUT THE GARAGE AND INTO THE HOUSE. THE PROPERTY DAMAGE IS EXTENSIVE, INCLUDING TOTALING BOTH VEHICLES IN THE GARAGE AND EXTENSIVE PROPERTY DAMAGE TO THE HOME.

Mileage: 110,000

MY 2009 SMART FORTWO CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE YESTERDAY AND BURNED. WHEN I WAS PULLING INTO THE LOCAL POST OFFICE, THE CAR?S WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON BY THEMSELVES AND THEN THE HORN BEGAN TO HONK AS WELL. I GOT INTO A PARKING SPACE AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. I SAW SOMETHING COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR BUT NO FLAMES. I GOT OUT AND WENT INTO THE POST OFFICE TO GET MY MAIL. WHILE IN THERE I HEARD SEVERAL PEOPLE YELLING THAT A CAR WAS ON FIRE. I RUSHED OUTSIDE TO SEE MY CAR FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. I LOST ALL MY THINGS IN THE CAR; LAPTOP, TABLET, CELLPHONE AND MOST OF ALL ALL MY BUSINESS PAPERWORK, CONTACTS, ETC.

WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE, I HAD REACHED ABOUT 40 MILES PER HOUR AND THE CAR JUST DIED. I HADN'T DONE ANYTHING, THE CAR SIMPLY DIED. WHEN I FIRST ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE CAR BACK ON, IT WOULDN'T CRANK. THE LIGHTS, AIR EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL CAME ON, BUT THE CAR DIDN'T CRANK. AFTER WAITING A FEW MINUTES, I TRIED AGAIN AND LUCKILY THE CAR STARTED. BUT THIS SCARED ME AND SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.

Mileage: 68,000

HELLO. I SAW ON THE NEWS THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION ABOUT 2008/2009 SMART CARS. MINE CAUGHT COMPLETELY ON FIRE IN APRIL OF 2012 WHILE DRIVING. I DID NOT KNOW WHERE TO COMPLAIN TO OTHER THAN THE DEALERSHIP UNTIL I SAW THE NEWS. I BOUGHT MY SMART CAR IN DECEMBER OF 2009. WITH IN 9 MONTHS I STARTED HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES. IT WOULD START TURNING OFF WHILE DRIVING THE TURN BACK ON ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER. I TOOK IT IN 4 TIMES AND THEY COULD NEVER FIGURE OUT WAS WAS WRONG WITH IT AND WOULD RETURN IT BACK. ON THE 4TH TIME I DID BRING UP THE LEMON LAW AND THEY KEPT MY CAR FOR A COUPLE WEEKS. A COUPLE MONTHS LATER I WAS ON THE FREEWAY AND MY CAR STARTED GOING ELECTRONICALLY HAYWIRE. THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE GOING CRAZY AND THE DASHBOARD WAS TURNING OFF AND ON. I PULLED OVER ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE IMMEDIATELY. MY SHIFTER WAS STICK FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS AND ONCE I PUT IT ON PARK, I TOOK OUT THE KEYS. WHEN I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON THE WIPERS STARTED GOING CRAZY AGAIN, THE DASHBOARD WENT BLANK, THE DOORS WERE LOCKING AND UNLOCKING AND THE HORN WAS GOING OFF. THERE WAS A WEIRD SMELL AND I LOOKED UP AND THERE WAS SMOKE COMING OUT OF BY THE INSIDE OF MY WINDSHIELD. I GOT SCARED AND IMMEDIATELY GO OUT ONCE THE LOCKS UNLOCKED. AS I OPENED THE PASSENGER DOOR TO GET MY PURSE, I NOTICED FLAMES BY THE PEDALS AND A BLACK BOX THAT MELTED THROUGH THE CAR. I CALLED 911 AS I POURED WATER FROM MY WATER BOTTLE. THAT DID NOT HELP. THE FRONT OF THE CAR BY THEN WAS ON FIRE. I GRABBED MY TWO BOXES FROM MY TRUNK AND WALKED THE THE EMERGENCY LANE AS FAR AS I COULD UNTIL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED. I HAVE SAVED ALL THE TIMES I TOOK MY CAR TO GET CHECKED AT THE DEALERSHIP. THAT IS THE ONLY PLACE I TOOK MY CAR

Mileage: 13,000

THERE IS THIS HORRIBLE PROBLEM WITH THE 2009 SMART FORTWO RALLY RED! THE CLEARCOAT IS PEELING FOR NO REASON AND THERE IS AT LEAST 60 PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY WITH THE SAME EXACT ISSUE WITH PROOF AND STATEMENTS TO PROVE IT! MERCEDES/SMART SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL OR REPLACE THESE PANELS FREE OF CHARGE! THIS RUINS THE INTEGRITY OF THE CAR AND EVEN THE DEALERSHIP WONT HELP OUT BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY OR IM NOT "LOYAL ENOUGH" TO THE DEALERSHIP! MY AND EVERYONE ELSE WITH A RED FORTWOS CLEAR COAT IS PEELING FOR NO EXACT REASON AT ALL, THIS IS A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW WITH VERY THIN CLEAR COAT, I UNDERSTAND IF IT WAS JUST A FEW CARS BUT WE ARE TALKING MORE THAN 60 CARS AND LETS NOT FORGET THE SAFETY RECALL THAT WAS MADE IN 2008 FOR MESSED UP PAINT AS WELL! FIX THIS MERCEDES! I HONESTLY BELIEVE SOMETHING BAD CAN HAPPEN IN THIS CAR, MAKES ME FEEL VERY UNSAFE

Mileage: 60,000

THE FACTORY INSTALLED ALARM FROM SMART GOES OFF FOR NO REASON INTERMITTENTLY. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE. SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE THIS ISSUE. IT SHOULD BE RECALLED OR COMPLIMENTARY FIXED!

DRIVING TO A FRIENDS HOUSE, ABOUT A 10-15 MIN. DRIVE... FRIEND SAY HE SMELLS SMOKE, LOOK TO THE RIGHT SIDE ONTO THE MIRROR AND ITS SMOKE COMING FROM THE BACK SIDE OF MY CAR. OPEN THE BACK TO LOOK AT THE ENGINE - A LOT OF SMOKE IS COMING OUT AND AS THE SMOKE IS CLEARING MY FRIEND SEES FLAMES AND WE QUICKLY AFTER GRAB A HOSE AND CALL 9-1-1. DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE, FIREMEN SAID NOT TO START THE CAR CALLED AAA. FIREMEN SAID WE GOT LUCKY IT DIDN'T REACH THE GAS TANK.

Mileage: 29,000

UPON STARTING CAR, ATTEMPT TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE. CAR SHOWS EITHER A BLANK WHERE THE GEAR (P, R, N, D) WOULD NORMALLY APPEAR, OR SHOWS 'N' WHEN SHIFTER IS IN THE 'R' POSITION. IF 'N' IS SHOWING, CAR BEGINS BEEPING AS IT WOULD IF SEATBELT WEREN'T FASTENED. SHIFTING INTO 'D' MAKES NO DIFFERENCE, CAR CAN ONLY HAVE 'N' OR 'P' SELECTED AT THIS POINT. CAR MUST BE SHIFTED INTO PARK AND THEN TURNED OFF AND BACK ON (SOMETIMES MULTIPLE TIMES) FOR THE PROBLEM TO RESOLVE.

Mileage: 15,000

I WAS DRIVING MY SMART CAR TO WORK AT 1:30 AM. THERE WAS SOME SNOW ON THE ROADS SO I LEFT 10 MINUTES EARLIER THAN NORMAL SO I COULD DRIVE SLOWLY. I HAD TO GO UP A HILL AND THE CAR FISHTAILED AND CRASHED INTO THE STEEL RAIL.I WAS GOING 43 MPH IN A 55 MPH ZONE WHEN THE CAR FISHTAILED. I HIT THE STEEL RAIL ALMOST HEAD ON. THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS YET THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I HIT MY HEAD AND HAVE A SORE BACK AND KNEE PLUS I MISSED A DAY OF WORK. I DO NOT BELIEVE THESE CARS ARE SAFE TO DRIVE IN WINTER DUE TO THE REAR WHEEL DRIVE AND THE AIR BAGS THAT DO NOT WORK. THANKS FOR READING MY STORY.

Mileage: 38,500

I AM HAVING A PROBLEM WITH MY 2009 SMART FORTWO PASSION'S TRANSMISSION. WE PICKED UP OUR CAR ON SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM: I WAS DRIVING ALONG & ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CAR SEEMS TO THINK IT'S IN N. EVEN CHANGING THE GEARS PROMPTS AN "N" IN THE GEAR POSITION. ONCE I TURNED THE CAR OFF, IT WOULDN'T START AGAIN & THE DREADED THREE BARS APPEARED. WE TRIED THE "TEACH-IN" FIX & IT WORKED TEMPORARILY BEFORE ACTING UP AGAIN. WE HAD OUR CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE AND PICKED IT UP ON SATURDAY AFTER THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SUPPOSEDLY FIXED IT. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT DID A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK AND A CODE APPEARED. THEY THEN RESET WHATEVER NEED TO BE RESET FOR $112.98. WE WERE ALSO OFFERED A SOFTWARE UPGRADE FOR $75 ON THE BASIS THE SERVICE MANAGER DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE UPGRADE DOES, BUT HE DID KNOW IT WOULDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. OBVIOUSLY, WE TURNED DOWN THE UPGRADE. I HAVE CONTACTED MERCEDES TO ABSORB THE COST OF FIXING THIS DEFECT. OUR WARRANTY EXPIRED ONLY 6 WEEKS AGO. SINCE THERE IS A METHOD TO "LIMP" TO A SAFE PLACE IN THE USER MANUAL, IT SEEMS THEY ANTICIPATED THIS PROBLEM TO BEGIN WITH. FROM READING BLOGS ABOUT THIS, I WAS NOT SURPRISED WHEN THE SAME PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN ON SUNDAY. NOW WE ARE HAVING IT TOWED IN FOR SERVICE AGAIN. I URGE MERCEDES-BENZ TO ACTIVATE A RECALL ON THIS MODEL! SOONER OR LATER THIS DEFECT IS GOING TO KICK IN ON THE FREEWAY AND SOMEONE WILL BE REAR-ENDED OR EVEN KILLED. THIS IS NOT SIMPLY A NUISANCE MALFUNCTION! *TR

SIX WEEKS OUT OF WARRANTY - I WAS DRIVING ALONG & ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CAR SEEMS TO THINK IT'S IN NEUTRAL, WON'T LET ME CHANGE GEARS - WAS ONLY ABLE TO COAST TO A SAFE AREA OFF THE HIGHWAY. ANY GEAR I SHIFTED TO KEPT COMING ACROSS THE DASH AS THE NEUTRAL POSITION. ONCE I TURNED THE CAR OFF, IT WOULDN'T START AGAIN & THE DREADED THREE BARS APPEARED. WE TRIED THE "TEACH-IN" FIX RECOMMENDED IN THE USER MANUAL & IT WORKED TEMPORARILY BEFORE ACTING UP AGAIN. FROM THE INTERNET BLOGS I'VE READ, THIS WAS A PROBLEM IN THE 2008 MODEL - AN UPGRADE WAS PROVIDED FOR A FIX. MY CAR IS A 2009 AND I FEEL SMART USA SHOULD RECALL THE 2009 MODEL DUE TO THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT. IT'S ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS WHEN THE CAR IS ONLY SIX WEEKS PAST WARRANTY! OUR DEALER KEEPS TRANSFERRING US TO MERCEDES-BENZ FINANCIAL SINCE THEY'RE THE ONE WHO APPROVE THE WARRANTY ISSUE. NO ONE FROM MERCEDES IS ANSWERING OR RETURNING OUR CALLS. *TR

Mileage: 18,200