2008 smart Fortwo electrical system problems
20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the electrical system on the 2008 smart Fortwo — 14% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“I was entering an intersection and missed judged the traffic light and was a bit to far forward, so I tried to reverse but the car would not shift to reverse. I have had an actuator replaced but the problem still happens intermittently where it will not shift to reverse. I have logged into smart…”
filed Aug 20, 2026
“We were driving in Greensboro NC this afternoon on the way to my husbands birthday dinner when off of Bridford? Parkway our 2008 smart car passion for two started malfunctioning all lights flashing on instrument panel & brakes quit & another motorist drove up beside us with window down screaming…”
filed Sep 15, 2022
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
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, 2025Complaint 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
Electrical System problems in other Fortwo years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 Fortwo | 5 | 24% |
| 2013 Fortwo | 3 | 12% |
| 2009 Fortwo | 14 | 14% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2008 smart Fortwo
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.