Smart Fortwo Reliability
473 NHTSA complaints (2005–2019). Complaint rate: 252.3 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 2008–2009 Smart Fortwo. The 2010 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: ENGINE.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Smart Fortwo Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 82 | 1.2% |
| POWER TRAIN | 61 | 4.9% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 55 | 1.8% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 44 | 4.5% |
| SEAT BELTS | 33 | 0.0% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 25 | 12.0% |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 20 | 10.0% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 19 | 0.0% |
| AIR BAGS | 16 | 37.5% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 15 | 20.0% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005GOOD | — | 4 | 0 | — | View 2005View→ |
| 2008AVOID | — | 175 | 7 | 33 | View 2008View→ |
| 2009AVOID | — | 139 | 4 | 21 | View 2009View→ |
| 2010GOOD | — | 8 | 0 | 3 | View 2010View→ |
| 2011AVOID | — | 23 | 3 | 1 | View 2011View→ |
| 2012 | — | 11 | 2 | — | View 2012View→ |
| 2013AVOID | — | 35 | 0 | 3 | View 2013View→ |
| 2014 | — | 14 | 0 | 1 | View 2014View→ |
| 2015 | — | 10 | 1 | 2 | View 2015View→ |
| 2016AVOID | — | 39 | 11 | 4 | View 2016View→ |
| 2017 | — | 13 | 0 | — | View 2017View→ |
See also: Smart Fortwoaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
Buying a Smart Fortwo?
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