2012 Smart FORTWO: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
8 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
32,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 7 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 8 complaints (25.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 12.5% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 12.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 12.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 2 |
| Electrical System | 2 |
| Seat Belts | 2 |
| Engine | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal:Flasher Unit | 1 |
| Power Train | 1 |
| Structure:Body | 1 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 |
Air Bags: 2; Electrical System: 2; Seat Belts: 2; Engine: 1; Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal:Flasher Unit: 1; Power Train: 1; Structure:Body: 1; Vehicle Speed Control: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 3 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
2012: 1; 2014: 1; 2016: 3; 2017: 1; 2018: 1; 2022: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10466970 · 2012-07-22 (July 22, 2012)
I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY (5 LANE) IN MY 2012 SMART FORTWO PASSION COUPE IN THE MIDDLE LANE AT 65-70 MPH. ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY ACCELERATOR WAS NO LONGER FUNCTIONAL. I LOOKED DOWN AND SAW THAT MY SPEEDOMETER AND GEAR INDICATOR WERE ALSO NON-FUNCTIONAL. I WAS ABLE TO COAST (DESPITE HEAVY TRAFFIC) TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FAST LANE - IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO GET TO THE SLOW LANE SHOULDER DUE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC. I WAS ABLE TO USE THE BREAKS ONCE I HIT THE SHOULDER (UNSURE IF POWER BRAKES OR NOT) AND ONCE STOPPED WAS UNABLE TO USE AUTOMATIC WINDOW…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10466970 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10650608 · 2014-10-28 (October 28, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SMART FORTWO. WHILE AT A STOP SIGN, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,200.
Owner-reported narrative. 5,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10650608 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10874568 · 2016-06-16 (June 16, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SMART FORTWO. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE BODY PANEL DISENGAGED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,100.
Owner-reported narrative. 45,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10874568 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10907128 · 2016-09-16 (September 16, 2016)
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILS TO BUCKLE. NOTHING LODGED IN BUCKLE, BUT MECHANISM APPEARS TO BE BROKEN.
Owner-reported narrative. 110,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10907128 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10907130 · 2016-09-16 (September 16, 2016)
VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND AND PUSHED INTO ANOTHER CAR ON INTERSTATE. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10907130 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10966517 · 2017-03-17 (March 17, 2017)
TRANSMISSION WILL GO INTO THREE BARS AND NOT SHIFT ON HIGHWAYS AND PARKWAYS, USUALLY ABLE TO SAFELY DRIVE UNDER POWER TO SIDE OF ROAD SOMETIMES GOES INTO NEUTRAL AND HAVE TO COAST TO SIDE. OCCURS WITH ELEVATED AMBIENT MOISTURE. STARTED AT 32,000 MILES. KNOWN ISSUE, TRANSMISSION HAS A LIMP MODE FOR THIS OCCURRENCE. VERY DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSE, APPEARS ELECTRICAL IN NATURE. SMART DEALERSHIP WILL NOT ADDRESS.
Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10966517 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11110785 · 2018-07-11 (July 11, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SMART FORTWO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FRONT TURN SIGNAL INDICATORS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOKEY MERCEDES-BENZ (19820 US HWY 19 N, CLEARWATER, FL) WHERE THE FAILURE WAS CONFIRMED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED. *TT
Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11110785 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11447959 · 2022-01-18 (January 18, 2022)
The driver side seat belt mount, which in this case is a steel cable, has mostly broken and frayed rendering it unsafe to drive. In the event of an accident, it would certainly break completely. I only noticed it yesterday while cleaning, the breakage would've happened while driving it. I've contacted mercedes USA, and they tell me that my warranty has run out, they can't do anything. Even though this is a mandatory safety feature that has completely failed from normal use.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11447959 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.