2009 Smart Fortwo Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Fortwo years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 13 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 100 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Smart Fortwo. That ranks 2nd out of 13 Fortwo model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (27 complaints, 27%), typically at around 39,500 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 11 fires, 2 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
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- 100owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2009 Smart Fortwo problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 27 | 27% | 39,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 19 | 19% | 52,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 18 | 18% | 49,250 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 14 | 14% | 33,560 | — | — |
| Structure | 10 | 10% | 48,750 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 9 | 9% | 37,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 8 | 8% | 41,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 5 | 5% | 91,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 5% | 26,900 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 5% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 5 | 5% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 2% | 40,977 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 2% | 9,696 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 10,600 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 98,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 1% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | 12,000 | — | — |
| Other/unknown | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 4,600 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 1% | 118,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 62,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2009 Smart Fortwo recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system; engine and engine cooling:engine
Problem: 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.
Risk: If the mat contacts hot exhaust system components, it can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Engine Compartment Fire (EA17003) — opened Sep 1, 2017, closed Aug 21, 2018, led to recall 18V273000.
- Engine Compartment Fire (PE16016) — opened Dec 16, 2016, closed Nov 20, 2017, led to recall 18V273000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
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 recall…
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…
Other Smart Fortwo years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Fortwo | 1 | 1 |
| 2018 Fortwo | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 Fortwo | 7 | 1 |
| 2016 Fortwo | 21 | 1 |
| 2015 Fortwo | 6 | 0 |
| 2014 Fortwo | 13 | 0 |
| 2013 Fortwo | 25 | 0 |
| 2012 Fortwo | 8 | 0 |
| 2011 Fortwo | 16 | 0 |
| 2010 Fortwo | 6 | 0 |
| 2009 | 100 | 1 |
| 2008 Fortwo | 140 | 2 |
| 2005 Fortwo | 2 | 0 |
See all Smart Fortwo problems by year, every Smart model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Smart models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Smart Fortwo?
Owners most often report power train, engine, unknown or other problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 27 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2009 Smart Fortwo?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2009 Smart Fortwo a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Fortwo model years, the 2009 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.