Smart Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Owners have filed 365 complaints about Smart vehicles with NHTSA, and the brand has issued 6 recalls since 1995. Choose a model to see its problems by year and the years to avoid. Smart no longer sells new cars in the U.S., but its models are still common on the used market.

Models

fortwo2008–2017 · 365 complaintsAvoid: 2008, 2009, 2013

Smart model years to avoid

Latest Smart recalls

All recent Smart recalls →

Frequently asked questions

Which Smart model years should you avoid?

By owner complaints compared at the same age, the worst Smart model years include the 2008 fortwo and the 2009 fortwo.

How many Smart recalls are there?

NHTSA lists 6 recalls for Smart vehicles from 1995 onward, the latest on April 27, 2018. See the latest Smart recalls.

What Smart model gets the most complaints?

In the last ten model years, the fortwo has drawn the most complaints (29) — partly because it is one of the brand's best sellers. Compare years on the Smart fortwo page.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.