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2009 Smart Fortwo Recalls & Complaints

1

open safety recall on record

Critical

139 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.60 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical18V273000

Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System

If the mat contacts hot exhaust system components, it can raises the risk of a fire.

Remedy & full details

MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear insulation mat with an improved one, free of charge. The recall began in July 2018. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2018060010.

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2008-2009 smart fortwo cabrio and fortwo coupe vehicles. The rear insulation mat in the engine compartment may deform, deteriorate, and loosen over time, allowing the mat to contact hot exhaust system components.

Complaint volume

139 this model-year 10 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

4Crashes
21Fires
3Injuries
0Deaths

Across 139 complaints. Severity Index 0.60.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Power Train27 · 19%Engine19 · 14%Unknown Or Other18 · 13%Electrical System14 · 10%Engine And Engine Cooling9 · 6%Structure · Body8 · 6%Fuel/Propulsion System8 · 6%Air Bags5 · 4%
  1. Power Train — 27 reports
  2. Engine — 19 reports
  3. Unknown Or Other — 18 reports
  4. Electrical System — 14 reports
  5. Engine And Engine Cooling — 9 reports
  6. Structure:Body — 8 reports
  7. Fuel/Propulsion System — 8 reports
  8. Air Bags — 5 reports
  9. Wheels — 5 reports
  10. Tires — 4 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

2005 · 2008 (2) · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 (1) · 2017 (1) · 2019 (1)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.