2017 SMART FORTWO — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
4/5
Safety Rating
10
Owner Complaints
1
Recall
5
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2017 SMART FORTWO
The 2017 SMART FORTWO has received a total of 10 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It earned an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. There has been 1 recall campaign affecting this vehicle, covering issues with STEERING. 5 technical service bulletins have been issued by Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Electrical System (3 complaints), Steering (2 complaints), and Exterior Lighting (1 complaint).
Recalls for the 2017 SMART FORTWO
NHTSA has recorded 1 recall for the 2017 SMART FORTWO, potentially affecting up to 110 vehicles.
Recall 17V447000 — STEERING
| 110 vehicles affected
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017 smart fortwo and smart fortwo Cabriolet vehicles. Casting imperfections may result in the failure of the left front axle steering knuckle.
Consequence: Failure of the left front axle steering knuckle could affect vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the left front axle steering knuckle, replacing any from the affected batch, free of charge. The recall October 13, 2017. Owners may contact smart customer service at 1-877-496-3691.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2017 SMART FORTWO
10 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2017 SMART FORTWO. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibilitywiper | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Driver Side front wheel / maybe steering rack / etc. makes loud grinding / rubbing sound when making turn only when the weather's hot and humid and when the car has been running for about 20 min How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Noise / rubbing / grinding sound comes from the driver side front wheels or Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, Service center reproduced the sound and went two levels deep to try and ascertain the origin but to no avail. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? YES Has been inspected multiple times by different mechanics costing hundreds of dollars with still no diagnostic or remedy. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No lamps or warning lights prior to problem which was first heard / discovered around 2019
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Driver Side front wheel / maybe steering rack / etc. makes loud grinding / rubbing sound when making turn only when the weather's hot and humid and when the car has been running for about 20 min How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Noise / rubbing / grinding sound comes from the driver side front wheels or Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, Service center reproduced the sound and went two levels deep to try and ascertain the origin but to no avail. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? YES Has been inspected multiple times by different mechanics costing hundreds of dollars with still no diagnostic or remedy. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No lamps or warning lights prior to problem which was first heard / discovered around 2019
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Driver Side front wheel / maybe steering rack / etc. makes loud grinding / rubbing sound when making turn only when the weather's hot and humid and when the car has been running for about 20 min How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Noise / rubbing / grinding sound comes from the driver side front wheels or Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, Service center reproduced the sound and went two levels deep to try and ascertain the origin but to no avail. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? YES Has been inspected multiple times by different mechanics costing hundreds of dollars with still no diagnostic or remedy. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No lamps or warning lights prior to problem which was first heard / discovered around 2019
The car won't charge over 20% due probably a faulty manufacturer part of N83 high voltage control box. This could cause very serious electrical/battery issues if the high voltage box is faulty.
SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT. THERE WERE COUPLE OF TIMES WHILE IN TRANSIT ON CITY ROAD, I HAD TO APPLY BRAKE SUDDENLY AND SEAT BELT FAIL TO ENGAGE TO HOLD THE PASSENGER BACK . ALL THE TIME , BOTH SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT TO THEIR HOME POSITION WHEN NOT IN USE AND CAR IS STOPPED AND PARKED, THIS CAUSED DENTS TO THE CAR'S BODY AND FRAME AROUND THE DOOR WHEN WE CLOSE THE DOORS. I REPORTED TO THE LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER SEPTEMBER 2018. IN DECEMBER, THEY COULD ONLY REPLACE THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT. THE PASSENGER SIDE'S BELT HAS BEEN CLAIMED TO BE BACKED ORDER TILL NOW. I HAVE CALLED NUMEROUS TIMES TO FOLLOW UP FOR THE REPAIR AND I AM STILL WAITING FOR OVER 6 MONTHS FOR THIS FAULTY SEAT BELT TO BE REPAIRED. I DON'T FEEL SAFE TO DRIVE MY CAR. I LEASE THIS NEW CAR SINCE OCTOBER 2017 AND THE SAFETY ISSUE HAPPENED ONLY WITHIN A YEAR.
Safety Rating for the 2017 SMART FORTWO
The 2017 SMART FORTWO received an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
| Test Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Frontal Crash | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Side Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Rollover | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Safety ratings are based on controlled crash tests conducted by NHTSA. A 5-star rating indicates the highest level of occupant protection.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2017 SMART FORTWO
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC has issued 5 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2017 SMART FORTWO. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
LI54 10-P-068625 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Vehicle does not start
LI54 10-P-067824 — EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
Charging socket/charging cable: Charging cable lock jams (P12E900, P13E800)
LI35.10-P-064468 — ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL:AUTOMATIC (ASC)
Installation position of suspension springs at rear axle
LI82.85-P-061173 — EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
smart media system cannot be operated, touchscreen does not react, interference noise during voice control
LI29.10-P-051288 — EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
Brake pedal/carpet seal does not fit properly
NHTSA Investigations for the 2017 SMART FORTWO
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the SMART FORTWO
- 2012 SMART FORTWO — 11 complaints
- 2013 SMART FORTWO — 35 complaints
- 2014 SMART FORTWO — 14 complaints
- 2015 SMART FORTWO — 10 complaints
- 2016 SMART FORTWO — 38 complaints
- 2017 SMART FORTWO (current)
- 2018 SMART FORTWO — 1 complaint
- 2019 SMART FORTWO — 1 complaint
Other SMART Models
- SMART FORTWO CABRIO — 36 total complaints
- SMART FORTWO COUPE — 26 total complaints
- SMART FORTWO COUPE ELECTRIC — 7 total complaints
- SMART FORTWO CABRIOLET — 2 total complaints
- SMART FORTWO CONVERTIBLE ELECTR — 2 total complaints
- SMART CABRIO — 0 total complaints
- SMART CABRIO ED — 0 total complaints
- SMART COUPE — 0 total complaints