The 2017 Smart Fortwo has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 110 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 13 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
STEERING17V4470002017-07-14110 affected
Defect
Mercedes-Benz USA LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017 smart fortwo and smart fortwo Cabriolet vehicles. Casting imperfections may result in the failure of the left front axle steering knuckle.
Consequence
Failure of the left front axle steering knuckle could affect vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the left front axle steering knuckle, replacing any from the affected batch, free of charge. The recall October 13, 2017. Owners may contact smart customer service at 1-877-496-3691.
Complaints by component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
4
STEERING
2
ENGINE
1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
1
POWER TRAIN
1
SEAT BELTS
1
SUSPENSION
1
VISIBILITY/WIPER
1
WHEELS
1
Total complaints13
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“The power electronics control unit (ecm), part no. A453-900-72-11, and the dc-to-dc converter have both failed, rendering this all-electric vehicle completely inoperable. There is no backup propulsion system. The dc-to-dc converter powers safety-critical systems including lighting, turn signals,…”
“The power electronics control unit (ecm), part no. A453-900-72-11, and the dc-to-dc converter have both failed, rendering this all-electric vehicle completely inoperable. There is no backup propulsion system. The dc-to-dc converter powers safety-critical systems including lighting, turn signals,…”
“The power electronics control unit (ecm), part no. A453-900-72-11, and the dc-to-dc converter have both failed, rendering this all-electric vehicle completely inoperable. There is no backup propulsion system. The dc-to-dc converter powers safety-critical systems including lighting, turn signals,…”
“The car won't charge over 20% due probably a faulty manufacturer part of n83 high voltage control box. This could cause very serious electrical/battery issues if the high voltage box is faulty.”
“What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Driver side front wheel / maybe steering rack / etc. Makes loud grinding / rubbing sound when making turn only when the weather's hot and humid and when the car has been running for about 20 min how…”
“What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Driver side front wheel / maybe steering rack / etc. Makes loud grinding / rubbing sound when making turn only when the weather's hot and humid and when the car has been running for about 20 min how…”
“What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Driver side front wheel / maybe steering rack / etc. Makes loud grinding / rubbing sound when making turn only when the weather's hot and humid and when the car has been running for about 20 min how…”
“Seat belts do not retract. There were couple of times while in transit on city road, I had to apply brake suddenly and seat belt fail to engage to hold the passenger back . All the time , both seat belts do not retract to their home position when not in use and car is stopped and parked, this…”
Defect investigations
InvestigationDP22005 Opened 2023-01-27 · closed 2023-08-07
Pedestrian alert sounds
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…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2017 Smart Fortwo as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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