The 2009 Smart Fortwo has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 42,781 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 139 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the power train. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING18V2730002018-04-2742,781 affected
Defect
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2008-2009 smart fortwo cabrio and fortwo coupe vehicles. The rear insulation mat in the engine compartment may deform, deteriorate, and loosen over time, allowing the mat to contact hot exhaust system components.
Consequence
If the mat contacts hot exhaust system components, it can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy
MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear insulation mat with an improved one, free of charge. The recall began in July 2018. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2018060010.
Complaints by component
POWER TRAIN
27
ENGINE
19
6fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
18
1crashes6fires1injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
14
5fires
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
9
1fires
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
8
STRUCTURE:BODY
8
1crashes1fires1injuries
AIR BAGS
5
1crashes1injuries
WHEELS
5
SEAT BELTS
4
Total complaints139
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“The contact owns a 2009 smart fortwo. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly lost motive power. The vehicle was turned off, the contact waited, and then restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle operated as needed. The failure had occurred several times while…”
“The contact owns a 2009 smart fortwo. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly lost motive power. The vehicle was turned off, the contact waited, and then restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle operated as needed. The failure had occurred several times while…”
“The contact owns a 2009 mercedes-benz smart fortwo. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 18v273000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the…”
“The contact owns a 2009 mercedes-benz smart fortwo. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 18v273000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer and several unknown dealers were contacted and informed the…”
“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 contact owns a 2009 smart fortwo. The contact stated that on multiple occasions when the vehicle was parked and the gear shifter was shifted, the transmission would only shift into neutral. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond when the accelerator pedal was…”
“The contact owns a 2009 smart fortwo. The contact stated that on multiple occasions when the vehicle was parked and the gear shifter was shifted, the transmission would only shift into neutral. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond when the accelerator pedal was…”
“The contact owns a 2009 smart fortwo. The contact stated that on multiple occasions when the vehicle was parked and the gear shifter was shifted, the transmission would only shift into neutral. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond when the accelerator pedal was…”
Defect investigations
InvestigationEA17003 Opened 2017-09-01 · closed 2018-08-21
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…
InvestigationPE16016 Opened 2016-12-16 · closed 2017-11-20
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 2009 Smart Fortwo as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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