NHTSA Complaint #10503982 — 2013 SMART FORTWO

I WAS ON THE ONRAMP TO A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 50 MPH SO THAT I COULD MERGE INTO TRAFFIC WITHOUT SLOWING TRAFFIC DOWN. ALL OF A SUDDEN I LOST POWER. I WAS ABLE TO COAST INTO THE RIGHT SHOULDER BEFORE THE VEHICLE LOST IT'S MOMENTUM. LUCKILY I DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WITH FAST ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR ABOUT 2 TO 3 TIMES WITH NO SUCCESS. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES I TRIED AGAIN AND THE CAR STARTED. I MANAGED TO GET ON THE HIGHWAY AND MAKE IT HOME, BUT EVER SINCE THIS INCIDENT I AM TERRIFIED THAT IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND I WILL GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE AT THE SMART DEALERSHIP AFTER THIS INCIDENT. IT HAD ALSO BEEN TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE ABOUT ONE MONTH AFTER WE LEASED IT DUE TO THESE INTERMITTENT ISSUES: A LOUD "POPPING" NOISE WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, NOT GOING INTO REVERSE AND ROLLING AS IF IN NEUTRAL (THE DASHBOARD INDICATOR WOULD SAY THAT THE CAR IS IN NEUTRAL, BUT THE GEAR STICK WAS IN THE REVERSE POSITION),AND NOT ACCELERATING. BOTH TIMES THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN, THE SMART DEALER TOLD US THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE ISSUES. IT IS AMAZING THAT THEY WOULD OPT TO IGNORE THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION CONSIDERING THAT THIS IS OBVIOUSLY AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE SMART CARS SINCE 2009. ARE THEY WAITING FOR SMART CAR OWNER CASUALTIES BEFORE OFFICIALLY ISSUING A RECALL? *TR