Smart FORTWO transmission problems
52 complaint narratives mention transmission terms.
Key facts
346 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
32,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2005 to 2019 model years. Data snapshot: . 258 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Transmission and shifting evidence
52 of 346 complaints match this topic (15.0%). The keyword filter can include complaints that mention a transmission without reporting its failure. View matching rules.
Owner report 10252757 · 2008-12-24 (December 24, 2008)
THE FAILING PART IS IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER. THE SHIFT LEVER RELEASE BUTTON BEGINS TO GET RESISTIVE IN IT'S OPERATION AND THEN FAILS TO ACTUATE ALL TOGETHER. IN MY CASE THIS RESULTED IN THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAVING TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE SHIFT LEVER ASSEMBLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 8400 MILES. IT HAS BEEN ABOUT 500 MILES SINCE THE REPAIR AND I CAN FEEL THE LEVER BECOMING RESISTIVE AGAIN. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 8,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10252757 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10360350 · 2010-10-13 (October 13, 2010)
I HAVE A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WITH MY 2008 PASSIONFORTWO, WHICH HAS OCCURRED FOUR TIMES IN THE 28 MONTHS AND 13K MILES OF OWNERSHIP. I'M HAPPILY DRIVING ALONG UNTIL I REACH MY DESTINATION, THEN I NEED TO GO INTO REVERSE TO PARK. THE SHIFTER WORKS FLAWLESSLY AND THE DISPLAY CLEARLY SHOWS THE CORRECT POSITION OF THE SHIFTER. BUT, THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ENGAGE, NOR WILL IT ENGAGE IF I RESELECT DRIVE. THE FIRST TWO TIMES THAT THIS HAPPENED, I EVENTUALLY TURNED OFF THE KEY AND RESTARTED THE CAR AND ALL WAS WELL. THE LAST TWO TIMES, THAT WORK-AROU…
Owner-reported narrative. 11,271 miles reported. Look up ODI 10360350 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10382221 · 2011-02-09 (February 9, 2011)
AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN, I BEGIN TO TURN RIGHT ONTO ANOTHER STREET AND THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND INTO NEUTRAL. I TRIED TO PUT THE CAR BACK INTO DRIVE, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. I STARTED AND STOPPED THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES AND THE CAR STILL WOULD NOT GO INTO EITHER REVERSE OR DRIVE. I WAS PUSHED INTO A PARKING LOT. I HAVE HAD PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION BEFORE. THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHEN I STARTED THE CAR AND COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO GO INTO REVERSE. AFTER I TURNED THE CAR …
Owner-reported narrative. 28,350 miles reported. Look up ODI 10382221 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10477561 · 2012-09-19 (September 19, 2012)
ATTEMPTING TO LEAVING STORE PARKING LOT, ENTERED CAR, STARTED ENGINE, MOVED GEAR SHIFT TO "R" BUT TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ENGAGE AND THE "R" DOES NOT APPEAR IN DASHBOARD DISPLAY. TRY MOVING SHIFTER TO "D" BUT STILL NO TRANSMISSION ENGAGEMENT OR DASH DISPLAY.. SHIFT BACK TO "P" THAT NOW DISPLAYS ON DASH. TRY "R" AGAIN, NOTHING. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO ENGAGE TRANSMISSION FAIL, TURN ENGINE OFF, AND RESTART. NOW IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING CORRECTLY. THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE HAS HAPPENED MANY, MANY TIMES OVER THE LAST YEAR. CAN'T IDENTIFY WHAT MIGHT B…
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10477561 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10548291 · 2013-10-17 (October 17, 2013)
SMART CAR HAD HISTORY OF NOT GOING IN REVERSE. "R" WOULD NOT COME UP ON SCREEN, CAR WOULD JUST ROLL FORWARD, HITTING VEHICLE(S) IN FRONT. THEN FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS, (2 YEARS) CAR WOULD GO INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING, (EVEN ON HIGHWAY) COAST FOR A WHILE, THEN SHUT DOWN, AND NOT RESTART. IF YOU WAITED 10 MINUTES, IT WOULD USUALLY RESTART. IF TRIED SOONER, IT EITHER WOULD NOT RESTART, OR ONLY GO INTO NEUTRAL. IT WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO ANY OTHER GEAR. THE OTHER DAY, AFTER APPROACHING HILL, AT RED LIGHT, CAR WENT INTO NEUTRAL, THEN SHUT DOWN, AND BR…
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10548291 at NHTSA ↗