2008 smart Fortwo problems & reliability
139 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008 smart Fortwo, alongside 2 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
6 complaints report injuries (9 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2008 smart Fortwo vehicles were involved in 11 fatal crashes with 9 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 33 | 24% |
| Power Train | 31 | 22% |
| Electrical System | 19 | 14% |
| Unknown OR Other | 17 | 12% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 12 | 9% |
| Seat Belts | 10 | 7% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 8 | 6% |
| Structure | 8 | 6% |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 4% |
| Air Bags | 5 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 41,179 miles (middle 50% between 23,500 and 71,300 miles), based on 105 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The 90 degree fittings(integral to the fuel pump) on top of the fuel pump cracked and leaks gasoline leading to a potential fire that could cause bodily injury for the driver and passenger. It is noticeable because of strong gasoline smell inside and outside of the car. There are many of the same complaints from Smart…”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed May 15, 2025
“The contact owns a 2008 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 contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact…”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Sep 25, 2024
“Mercedes-Benz USA has no service centers on Long Island,NY that might fix the recall issue. For a time they were the only Smart Car service provider after Smart Car dealers were abandoned. MB USA currently will not do the recall and offers no reasonable alternative. The issue is potential engine compartment/total…”
Engine · filed Sep 8, 2024
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Engine Compartment Fire
Engineering Analysis EA17003 · opened Sep 1, 2017 · closed Aug 21, 2018 · led to recall 18V273000
- Engine Compartment Fire
Preliminary Evaluation PE16016 · opened Dec 16, 2016 · closed Nov 20, 2017 · led to recall 18V273000
Technical service bulletins
49 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2008 smart Fortwo. The 10 most recent:
Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The noise is heard once in each instance when changing direction of travel. Note: Sound file in attachment Cause…
LI35.30-P-058566 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 14, 2026
Complaint There are several types of complaint about noises or poor windshield wiper wiping performance: A: Wiper blades squeaking, chattering, shuddering B: The windshield is not wiped completely (streaking) C: During…
LI82.30-P-059239 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 19, 2026
Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged. Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. It does not lead to any technical impairment of the…
LI82.10-P-078301 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 16, 2026
Complaint Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The clunk is heard once when changing from forward to reverse (and vice versa). Note: Sound file in…
LI33.30-P-056665 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 21, 2025
Complaint Headlamps leaking or fogged Cause The fogging of the headlamp is a natural phenomenon which can occur under certain climatic conditions. In contrast to a leaky headlamp, physical fogging does not result in a…
LI82.10-P-078896 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 28, 2025
Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. It does not lead to any technical impairment of the headlamp…
LI82.10-P-078301 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 28, 2025
Complaint During a phone call, the called party has difficulty understanding/cannot understand the driver, or interference/background noises are audible to the called party during a call. It becomes increasingly…
LI82.70-P-077433 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 5, 2025
Complaint Washer fluid system leaks Cause Various possible causes: 1. Washer fluid reservoir itself. 2. Seal on washer fluid pump/washer fluid reservoir. 3. Washer fluid pump. 3.1. Distributor housing leaks. 3.2. Pump…
LI82.35-P-078467 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 23, 2024
Complaint During a phone call, the called party has difficulty understanding/cannot understand the driver, or interference/background noises are audible to the called party during a call. It becomes increasingly…
LI82.70-P-077433 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 28, 2024
Complaint Headlamps leaking or fogged Cause The fogging of the headlamp is a natural phenomenon which can occur under certain climatic conditions. In contrast to a leaky headlamp, physical fogging does not result in a…
LI82.10-P-078307 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 21, 2024
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2008 smart Fortwo has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2008 smart Fortwo?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 41,179 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.