2012 Smart Fortwo problems
The Smart Fortwo (stylized as "smart fortwo") is a two-seater city car built by the Smart division of the Mercedes-Benz Group from 1998 to 2024. In its third generation, the Fortwo has a rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout and a one-box design.
The first generation was internally designated as the W450, launched at the 1998 Paris Motor Show. The second generation W451-build series was launched at the 2006 Bologna Motor Show. The third generation Fortwo (2014–) was internally designated as the C453 build series, and debuted globally on July 16, 2014, at the Tempodrom in Berlin along with a closely related four-door version, the Smart Forfour, co-developed and sharing the same platform and engines with the third-generation Renault Twingo.
Marketed in 46 countries worldwide, Fortwo production had surpassed 1.7 million units by early 2015. The brand name Smart supposedly derives from its early history as a cooperative venture between Swatch and Mercedes: Swatch Mercedes ART. The Fortwo nameplate derives from its two-person seating capacity. Until 2002, the Fortwo had been marketed as the smart City-Coupé.
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Common 2012 Smart Fortwo problems
Based on the information from the sources provided, here are common problems reported by owners of the Smart Fortwo 2012:
- Suspension Problems: Owners have reported issues with the suspension system of the Smart Fortwo, which can impact the car's handling and ride comfort .
- Electrical Failures: The Smart Fortwo 2012 can experience electrical failures, affecting various components like the charging unit and potentially leading to malfunctions in the car's electrical system .
- Engine Failure: Some owners have reported engine failures in the Smart Fortwo, which can be a significant and costly issue to address .
- Other Issues: Additional problems include failing muffler pipes, heater blower motor failures, and a condition known as "crazing," where the car's roof develops small cracks due to wear and tear .
These common problems with the Smart Fortwo 2012 can impact the car's reliability and performance, highlighting the importance of thorough inspection and maintenance when considering this vehicle for purchase.
What is the most common problems with a smart car?
According to getjerry.com, here are a few common troubles with Smart cars:
- Suspension issues.
- Clutch/malfunction failure.
- Electrical failures.
- Transmission/gearbox issues.
- Engine problems.
How safe is a 2011 Smart car?
In side impacts, the Smart was awarded a perfect five out of five stars. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the Smart its highest rating of "Good" for both frontal- and side-impact protection.
What are the weaknesses of a smart car?
Smart cars are typically only big enough to seat 2 people. This can be a real issue if you have a family of 4. Since they are not really geared towards families, this can be a decided disadvantage to owning one. Never mind the 20 trips you'd have to make to take your daughter's soccer team to practice!
Are 2013 smart cars safe?
The 2013 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive is the latest electric vehicle to have undergone the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's crash test procedures. Following frontal crash, side impact, and side pole impact tests, the Electric Drive was awarded four from a possible five stars overall.
2012 Smart Fortwo car problems categorized by type of issue
After analyzing all complaints sent to the NHTSA and researching popular Smart Fortwo problems, we found that the most common problems with these 2023 model year vehicles are:
- Seat belts problems
- Electrical system problems
- Air bags problems
- Exterior lighting problems
- Power train problems
The graph below shows statistics for all 2012 Smart Fortwo vehicle components and the number of complaints received.
2012 Smart Fortwo complaints
The NHTSA has received 8 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 2012 Smart Fortwo.
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2022-01-16
- VIN: WMEEK3BA9CK
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: 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.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2015-07-11
- Components: EXTERIOR LIGHTING
- Summary: 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
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2016-05-15
- VIN: WMEEJ3BA0CK
- Components: POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: 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.
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2016-09-15
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILS TO BUCKLE. NOTHING LODGED IN BUCKLE, BUT MECHANISM APPEARS TO BE BROKEN.
AIR BAGS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2014-07-02
- Number Of Injuries: 2
- Crash: 1
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND AND PUSHED INTO ANOTHER CAR ON INTERSTATE. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.
STRUCTURE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2016-06-15
- VIN: WMEEJ3BA9CK
- Components: STRUCTURE
- Summary: 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.
AIR BAGS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2014-02-03
- Number Of Injuries: 1
- Crash: 1
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: 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.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2012-07-20
- VIN: WMEEJ3BA7CK
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE
- Summary: 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 WINDOWS. I COULD NOT MOVE THE CAR OUT OF DRIVE FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES. AFTER 2 MINUTES I TRIED AGAIN TO MOVE THE CAR OUT OF DRIVE AND WAS ABLE TO PUT IT IN PARK. AT THAT POINT I WAS ABLE TO RE-START THE CAR AND ACCELERATE ENOUGH TO GET BACK ON THE FREEWAY. I CONSIDER MYSELF VERY LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REACH THE SHOULDER (AS IT ENDED ABOUT 200 YARDS DOWN THE FREEWAY). THE EXPERIENCE WAS ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING. *TR
Negative 2012 Smart Fortwo car reviews
Positive 2012 Smart Fortwo car reviews
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Hey there! I'm excited to share my experience with the 2009 smart passion coupe that I bought in September of this year. Living in Southern California, I've taken it on the 10, 605, 57, 60, and 15 freeways and it handles like a dream! It's great in all lanes and I feel confident driving next to big rigs or in windy conditions. I've never had to replace the shocks on any car I've owned and this car is no exception. I love feeling the true essence of the road and this car delivers that perfectly. I always drive it in manual mode and it's an absolute blast! The seats are also incredibly comfortable, which is a huge plus. Recently, I took a bunch of stuff to a local thrift store and the guy unloading it was amazed at how much this little car could hold. Even at 6'5
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We received one as an 'orphan' two days after they were released in January 2008. We loved it so much that we decided to keep the one we ordered as well. We drove both cars from TX to CA and had no issues with hills, dust storms, rain, or gas. We could drive to one pump, fit and fill both with one bill! We can easily travel at 80-85 mph and have even pushed it to 93. It can be parked anywhere. Any problems with speed or hills are due to the driver, not the car. It has great gas mileage and safety features. We also love the heated seats. We have taken it to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and it handles traffic like a dream. It's an absolute blast!
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This car is amazing for commuting to work! It's so much fun to drive, like a go-cart. My wife loves driving it on the weekends too. The upright seating makes it feel roomy like a pickup truck, and it's so durable that flying rocks won't even dent it. Plus, with 10,000 miles between oil changes and consistent gas mileage of 42 mpg in Minneapolis (worst was 38 mpg in deep slushy snow), it's incredibly efficient. My commute involves both freeway driving at 80mph and navigating downtown congestion for a total of 60 miles per day, but this car makes it easy to park and maneuver. In some states, you can even park straight into the curb (no parallel parking required) and share parking spaces with motorcycles or other smart cars. The plastic panels resist rust and you can even change the car's color in about 4 hours. Overall, this is a very tough little car with great acceleration!
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Great commuter car! It's not the best for long trips since it doesn't have cruise control available, but the upright seating is a plus compared to the low slung seats in other small cars. The ride is good, although it can be a bit bumpy on rough streets. There is above average road noise on highways, but you can still enjoy the surprisingly peppy performance. The dealer performed a free electronic systems update on the automatic transmission, which greatly improved the shifting. Overall, it's a very fun car to drive and I'm experiencing 40 MPG give or take a couple miles.
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This car is truly amazing! Every aspect of it is wonderful. Just accept the car for what it is and don't compare it to a $50k car. It's a very inexpensive, low-cost-to-maintain, low-cost-to-operate 2-seater. It's just wonderful and a blast to drive. I've driven over 30k miles and haven't had any problems.
Additional sources
More sources of information about 2012 Smart Fortwo problems:
Common 2012 Fortwo Problems | Smart Car of America Forum
Oct 5, 2015 ... The roof is delaminating.... oh, that's common. The windshield washer bottle doesn't hold water .... that happens a lot. The bolts holding the ...
Transmission problems on my 2012 Smart Fortwo : r/SmartCar
Aug 12, 2016 ... A little searching online revealed that the smarts gearbox has quite a few things that can go wrong, many of them due to the complex electrics ...
Thinking of Buying One - What are Common Issues? | Smart Car of ...
Feb 17, 2020 ... Thinking of Buying One - What are Common Issues? · For cars in the rust belt, reluctor rings will rust out and cause ABS and traction control ...
2012 Smart Fortwo Repair: Service and Maintenance Cost
Smart Recalls · Vehicle Stalls Due To High Voltage Battery Failure · Engine Compartment Insulation Deforms Becoming Fire Hazard · Parking Brake Does Not Securely ...
Expected mileage out of a smart car before major issues : r/SmartCar
Jul 15, 2022 ... I remember with my old 2009 smart passion, I sometimes had problems switch to reverse. Read it was a common problem unfortunately.
Other years of Smart Fortwo
Are you having problems with your 2012 Smart Fortwo?
Antwon Denesik 2025-06-25
Congratulations on your new car purchase! I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying driving it around town and that it's easy to park. It sounds like it's a great fit for your needs as a second vehicle. While it may not have the same utility as a larger car, it's perfect for running errands and carrying one person around. Thank you for sharing your experience with us!
Tyler Kertzmann 2024-07-23
I was in the market for a commuter car and decided to review the 2011 Smart for Two Passion for its costs and performance stats. After test driving it, I bought a new one for $15460. The car was comfortable, gave good service, and ran fine for eight years. However, during the mandatory CA smog test in May 2019, it failed indicating a miss in one of the three cylinders. I took it to a local Mercedes repair shop (not an authorized dealer) because the nearest authorized dealer is 60 miles away and required a lot of coordination to get there and back. The local repair shop tested all cylinders and found #2 to be very weak and recommended replacing the complete engine at a significantly high cost. I then talked with the service rep at the authorized Smart for Two dealer in Santa Barbara, CA to discuss problems and costs to repair. Unfortunately, they informed me that they are no longer in the Smart Car business and basically suggested I donate the car to charity. Next, I called Daimler Vehicle Innovations (Smart) and pleaded for help. The result was,
Mathew Rippin 2024-06-01
When I first got my smart car, I was a bit skeptical. I was looking for a small, reliable car and decided to go with the smallest car out there with the Mercedes Benz reputation for car reliability. I was thrilled to find a 2012 smart car with only 10k miles. It was a great car at first and I maintained the oil changes well. However, I did notice that the brakes wore out quickly, needing replacement every 8 months. Then, I started having trouble with the car starting regularly. I took it to the Mercedes dealership and found out that I needed a whole new engine. Thankfully, I had basic warranty which covered me for 4 years or 50k miles. After a whole year of travels, my car had 19k miles and I never expected the engine to need replacement so soon. The dealership is taking care of it now, but it's taking almost 2 weeks for ordering new parts. I asked the dealership how much it would be without the warranty and I was shocked to find out that it would cost $14k for the new engine! That is way more than what I originally paid for the car. I hope no one else experiences any of my issues, but please be advised. I will trade in this car as soon as I get it back from the dealership.
Jayce Feeney 2024-03-25
The 2008 and 2009 smart cars have had issues with the paint peeling off within a few years, despite being well taken care of. As a senior who saved for three years to purchase my car, I am disappointed to see the paint peeling off like crazy. I have taken impeccable care of my car, garage kept, washed with water only, and with no accidents. I brought this to the attention of Mercedes and the smart headquarters to apply for their 'goodwill out of warranty process', but unfortunately, I was denied twice. Despite their approved place recommending to replace the panels or paint the car, they have refused to do so. It is disheartening to see the clear coat peeling off the whole car, and it is not something that should happen to a car that was well taken care of. I have contacted Mercedes and smart, but they have not taken any ethical or moral responsibility to fix the deficient paint job that was initially put on the car. I have posted two signs on my smart car to warn others about the paint issue. It is important to be cautious when buying these cars, as it will cost $2800 to fix my car. As a senior on social security, I cannot afford this, nor can I sell the car the way it looks. I hope that smart/Mercedes will take responsibility and make it right for their customers. Thank you for your attention to this matter.Mercedes failed to back their car up and the transmission failed on me for the 3rd time. As of 2019, I have gotten rid of the car. Although I initially loved the car, it became unreliable and I grew to hate it. The convertible top started to be temperamental in putting it up and down. I just left it shut as I was afraid I would not be able to get it back up, kept getting caught up com where. I auctioned it with proceeds going to Wheels for Wishes. I am confident that I made the right decision and would not deal with Mercedes again.
Warren Zemlak 2024-01-17
This car may struggle with hills and mountains, so it may not be the best choice for those living in such areas.