2008 SMART FORTWO COUPE Structurebody Problems

CRAZING AND FAILURE OF MAKROLON (POLYCARBONATE) ROOF ON ALL SMART FOR TWO COUPES FROM 2008 TO PRESENT. POLYCARBONATE (PC) MATERIAL THE TRANSPARENT ROOF PANEL IS MADE FROM DISINTEGRATES FROM UV SUNLIGHT OR HEAT BEYOND ITS 150F RATING EXACERBATED BY SMART'S SUNSHADE INSIDE THE CAR. PC IS NOT RESISTANT TO OZONE AND OTHER CHEMICALS LISTED HERE: HTTP://WWW.SHEFFIELDPLASTICS.COM/WEB_DOCS/MAKROLON%20CHEMICAL%20RESISTANCE.PDF MANY OF WHICH ARE IN THE AIR AND IN CLEANING SUPPLIES. FROM THIS MFG WEB..."EXPOSING MAKROLON SHEET TO REPEATED STEAM CLEANING OR DISH WASHING CAN CREATE HYDRAULIC CRAZING. THE RESULT CAN BE A CLOUDING OF THE SURFACE AND ULTIMATELY A LOSS OF PHYSICAL STRENGTH PROPERTIES." TEMPERATURES MEASURED BETWEEN SUNSHADE AND MAKROLON ROOF PANEL IN SC PARKING LOT FAR EXCEEDS 150F SPEC, CAUSING THE OBSERVED FAILURES. THESE FAILURES WILL, EVENTUALLY, CONSUME THE PLASTIC ROOF WHICH WILL FALL ON OCCUPANTS OR EXPLODE OUTWARDS ONTO FOLLOWING TRAFFIC WHEN, NOT IF, THE PLASTIC FINALLY FAILS, STRUCTURALLY. THE FAILURE...

THE SERVICE FLAP (HOOD) ON MY 2009 SMART CAR HAS DETACHED TWICE. IN EACH INCIDENT THE VEHICLE WAS BEING TOWED BEHIND A MOTORHOME. AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT THE DEALERSHIP SENT ME A NEW HOOD AND I INSTALLED IT MYSELF AS THERE WAS NO DEALER WITHIN 1,500 MILES OF MY LOCATION. AFTER THE SECOND TIME AND WITH MORE DAMAGE DONE SMARTUSA IS CLAIMING THAT THE HOOD WAS NOT PROPERLY SECURED BY ME CAUSING IT TO COME OFF. THIS TIME EXTENSIVE DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE VEHICLE. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE AND THAT IN ALL INSTANCES SMARTUSA FAULTS THE OWNERS FOR NOT PROPERLY REPLACING THE HOOD. I AM CONCERNED THAT IF THIS IS A CONTINUING ISSUE AND ALSO HAPPENS WHEN THEN CAR IS NOT BEING TOWED THAT A HOOD FLYING OFF COULD CAUSE A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD. THE HOOD REMAINS ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE BY A STRAP AND...

I HAVE OWNED MY 2009 SMART FORTWO SINCE DECEMBER 2008 AND HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM OCCUR TWICE. WHILE TOWING THE SMART ON A TRAILER BEHIND MY MOTORHOME ONE OF THE PINS HOLDING THE HOOD BROKE CAUSING THE HOOD TO COME OFF. THE HOOD IS HELD ON BY TWO PLASTIC PINS AND A CLOTH STRAP. THE STRAP RESTRAINED THE HOOD CAUSING IT TO FLAP AROUND THE FRONT OF THE CAR. THIS CAUSED DAMAGE TO ALL THE FRONT PANELS AND THE WINDSHIELD. LUCKILY I WAS NOT DRIVING THE CAR AT THE TIME. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING WHEN THIS HAPPENED IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. *TR