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2014 Smart Fortwo

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 9 of 13 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

Engine complaints

4 reports
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65,000 miles · Mar 26, 2021
EngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SMART FORTWO. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT 60 MPH, WHEN THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE CONTACT NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE RADIATOR HAD BURST. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED PARK PL…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SMART FORTWO. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT 60 MPH, WHEN THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE CONTACT NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE RADIATOR HAD BURST. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED PARK PLACE MOTORCARS MERCEDES-BENZ DALLAS (6113 LEMMON AVE, DALLAS, TX 75209) OF THE FAILURE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE EXPERIENCED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AS AN OVERHEATED ENGINE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

NHTSA ODI #11405076

26,666 miles · Dec 11, 2019
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SMART FORTWO. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN OIL LEAK. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO EURO MOTORCARS GERMANTOWN (LOCATED AT 19750 GERMANTOWN RD, GERMANTOWN, MD 20874, (301) 601-5500) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE GEAR BO…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SMART FORTWO. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN OIL LEAK. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO EURO MOTORCARS GERMANTOWN (LOCATED AT 19750 GERMANTOWN RD, GERMANTOWN, MD 20874, (301) 601-5500) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE GEAR BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,666.

NHTSA ODI #11288478

1,000 miles · Jan 30, 2015
Engine

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SMART FORTWO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE KEY WOULD MOVE FROM THE RUN POSITION CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKE AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDALS WERE EXTREMELY CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER. THE CONTACT STATED MENTIONED THAT WHEN SWITCH FROM THE BRA…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SMART FORTWO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE KEY WOULD MOVE FROM THE RUN POSITION CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKE AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDALS WERE EXTREMELY CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER. THE CONTACT STATED MENTIONED THAT WHEN SWITCH FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, HIS FOOT WOULD GET CAUGHT UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000.

NHTSA ODI #10680032

232 miles · May 15, 2014
Engine

WHILE DRIVING AT A STEADY SPEED OF 40MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. YOU COULD HEAR THAT THE CYLINDERS AND PISTONS STOPPED WORKING. THE VEHICLE HAD 2 GALLONS OF GAS. WE PUT IN 2 MORE GALLONS AT THE ADJACENT GAS STATION AND LIMPED HOME AT 30MPH. THE DEALERSHIP PICKED UP THE VEHICLE AT OUR HOME AND DROVE IT FROM MILWAUKE…

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WHILE DRIVING AT A STEADY SPEED OF 40MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. YOU COULD HEAR THAT THE CYLINDERS AND PISTONS STOPPED WORKING. THE VEHICLE HAD 2 GALLONS OF GAS. WE PUT IN 2 MORE GALLONS AT THE ADJACENT GAS STATION AND LIMPED HOME AT 30MPH. THE DEALERSHIP PICKED UP THE VEHICLE AT OUR HOME AND DROVE IT FROM MILWAUKEE TO CHICAGO WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY REPLACED THE PURGE VALVE AND ALL 3 IGNITION COILS;COME AND PICK IT UP. ON OUR DRIVE HOME, GOING A STEADY UNINTERRUPTED 40 MPH (NO STOP SIGNS, OR STOP LIGHTS AT ALL) WE DROVE 28 MILES AND THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP REQUESTED ASSISTANCE FROM MERCEDES. MERCEDES DECLINED, STATING THEY WOULD ACCEPT THE PROBLEM WHEN THE DEALERSHIP IDENTIFIED THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. AFTER 10 DAYS THE DEALERSHIP NOTIFIED US THAT THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. WE WAITED THROUGH THE 30 BUSINESS DAY LEMON LAW PERIOD AND FILED FOR RELIEF. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10588504

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

DP22005 · Pedestrian Alert Sounds

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · Closed Aug 7, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:propulsion System

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 pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.