2008 Smart Fortwo Cabrio Recalls
No NHTSA recalls on record for the 2008 Smart Fortwo Cabrio. That means NHTSA has no open safety campaign for this vehicle — it does not guarantee the absence of problems. Owners have filed 22 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Complaints by component
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.
“Can not turn ignition key to start the car. Car was parked in a parking lot. After several hours had to pry up console to switch the the yellow up. Then had to put gear in neutral. Put oil in gear shaft area. Plus blow out any debris that might have fallen in key hole. Also put lubricant in key…”
“Can not turn ignition key to start the car. Car was parked in a parking lot. After several hours had to pry up console to switch the the yellow up. Then had to put gear in neutral. Put oil in gear shaft area. Plus blow out any debris that might have fallen in key hole. Also put lubricant in key…”
“Recall campaign number [REDACTED]. I live in boise, idaho. The closest dealer that can do the recall work is in draper utah. The dealer wants me to drive the car to utah to have the recall done. Doesn't seem like a safe idea for me. *tr”
“This concerns nhtsa recall #18v273. I bought this car new at a dealer 30 miles from my home. Smart has left the us market and their website shows the closest dealer is 220 miles away (one direction). Their website says that authorized mercedes-benz dealers can perform the recall work. I tried my…”
“I am the original owner of my continuously maintained 2008 smart car. On 12/3102015 at 11:50 am. (sunny, 80 deg. F) I went thru a city intersection, at about 15 mph, to turn left, I was hit broadside ("t" boned), into my drivers side door by a ford e250 van, filled with air-conditioning equipment,…”
“We drove about 12 miles to a friends, parked in driveway, went inside to visit. In 10-15 minutes was a knock on the door by a neighbor who said "your car is on fire". We called 911, emptied a fire extinguisher to no avail. I took many photos from start to finish while waiting for the fire…”
“We drove about 12 miles to a friends, parked in driveway, went inside to visit. In 10-15 minutes was a knock on the door by a neighbor who said "your car is on fire". We called 911, emptied a fire extinguisher to no avail. I took many photos from start to finish while waiting for the fire…”
“We drove about 12 miles to a friends, parked in driveway, went inside to visit. In 10-15 minutes was a knock on the door by a neighbor who said "your car is on fire". We called 911, emptied a fire extinguisher to no avail. I took many photos from start to finish while waiting for the fire…”
Defect investigations
Engine Compartment Fire
On April 30, 2018, Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, (Mercedes-Benz) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA regarding a defect that could result in a vehicle fire starting from the engine compartment in 42,781 model year (MY) 2008 and 2009 Smart Fortwo cabrio and coupe vehicles (451 platform).According to…
Engine Compartment Fire
On December 16, 2016, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE16-016 to investigate eight complaints alleging incidents of engine compartment fire while driving or shortly after engine shutdown in model year (MY) 2008 through 2009 Smart Fortwo vehicles.The complaints appeared to…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2008 Smart Fortwo Cabrio as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.