KnownCarProblems2013 Smart Fortwo Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 25 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Smart Fortwo, most often about the seat belts (28% of complaints, typically around 30,000 miles). It is the 3rd most complained-about Fortwo model year since 2000.
Most common 2013 Smart Fortwo problems
Seat belts
7 complaints · 28%Half of these problems showed up before 30,000 miles.
Left driver side seat belt is connected by a cable to the car body. We discovered that the cable had failed and only a couple of strands were holding the seat belt to the car. My wife discovered it by accident when getting out of the car. Photos attached. Mercedes charged me $450 to replace seat belts that were…
Red light with seat with a red dot came on while I was driving. I stopped the car and looked up what the symbol meant. When it didn't involve oil or water, I drove it to dealer. They performed 30,000 mile service and when I drove it home it stopped.
Engine
6 complaints · 24%Half of these problems showed up before 16,000 miles.
Engine light flashed briefly and went off. Within one mile engine lost all power. As I slowed to a stop, a large cloud of steam erupted. Car was in shop for over a month and most of the engine was replaced. No explanation of lack of warning lamps. A second two week trip to the dealer was needed to resolve all the…
One of the two v belt for the alternator and water pump snapped while driving. Luckily I get to pull over when this happened. I heard the belt snap while driving and it a common problem for Smart car. Http://www.evilution.co.uk/info/mhd_belt_failure.htm.
Transmission
5 complaints · 20%Half of these problems showed up before 39,000 miles.
Driver seatbelt will not stay in tension ring. At times stuck in park & when unstuck will not engage any gear and stopping at red light while in drive soon after starting car it will not move when accelerator is engaged. In all cases engine must be turned off then turn to power on only for 10 to twenty minutes during…
The contact owns a 2013 Smart Fortwo. The contact stated that the motor hesitated and the accelerator pedal was slow to respond and accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced the spark plugs, brakes, and rotors, but the failure continued. The contact constantly had to change gears back and forth due…
Electrical
3 complaints · 12%Engine light flashed briefly and went off. Within one mile engine lost all power. As I slowed to a stop, a large cloud of steam erupted. Car was in shop for over a month and most of the engine was replaced. No explanation of lack of warning lamps. A second two week trip to the dealer was needed to resolve all the…
The contact owns a 2013 Smart Fortwo. While the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed a burning odor and observed smoke. The fire department determined that the battery casing melted. The vehicle was not charging at the time of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2013 Smart Fortwo recalls
NHTSA lists no recalls for this model year.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Pedestrian alert sounds
Summary
Nhtsa received a petition on or about july 18, 2022, requesting that federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the united states. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under odi number 11486072. Fmvss 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kg or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after march 1, 2021.on january 27, 2023, NHTSA opened defect petition (dp) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matt
Questions about the 2013 Smart Fortwo
- What are the most common problems with the 2013 Smart Fortwo?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: seat belts (7 complaints, typically around 30,000 miles); engine (6 complaints, typically around 16,000 miles); transmission (5 complaints, typically around 39,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2013 Smart Fortwo have?
- NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2013 Smart Fortwo. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls in case one is issued later.
- Is the 2013 a bad year for the Smart Fortwo?
- It is the 3rd most complained-about Fortwo model year since 2000, with 25 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.