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Recalls are issued for a make, model and model year. Whether the repair has already been done on one specific car is known only to its manufacturer and dealers. Check your vehicle's official status at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a dealer.
US recalls (2)
Engine and engine cooling: engine
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.
Risk and remedy
Risk: If the mat contacts hot exhaust system components, it can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: 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.
Structure: frame and members
SMART USA IS RECALLING 43 MY 2008 FORTWO 451 VEHICLES. A SINGLE BATCH OF PAINT SENT TO THE COMPANY DID NOT MEET SPECIFICATIONS. A RE-WORK WAS DONE IN THE PLANT USING DIFFERENT FORMULATIONS OF PAINTING MATERIALS. AFTER THE RE-WORK WAS COMPLETED, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE COMBINATION OF MATERIALS USED TO REPAINT THE FRAME AND CHASSIS COULD LEAD TO DE LAMINATION OF THE PAINT MATERIALS FROM THE BODY AND FRAME STRUCTURES.
Risk and remedy
Risk: SUCH DE LAMINATING CAN TAKE PLACE IN THE AREA OF THE BODY WHERE THE WINDSHIELD AND ROOF HAVE BEEN AFFIXED WITH ADHESIVE, WHICH COULD AFFECT THE ADHESION OF THOSE COMPONENTS TO THE VEHICLE BODY, INCREASING THE RISK OF SEPARATION. THIS COULD CAUSE A CRASH IF THE ROOF OR WINDSHIELD SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE IN MOTION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPAINT THE AFFECTED AREAS TO MEET SPECIFICATIONS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 18, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SMART USA AT 1-248-648-2451.
Canadian recalls (1)
Show 1 Canadian recall
Engine
2018-04-27 · campaign 2018-215
On certain vehicles, the rear insulation mat within the engine compartment might deform, deteriorate and loosen, allowing it to contact hot exhaust system components. This could lead to ignition of the insulation mat and increase the risk of an engine compartment fire causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace the rear insulation mat.
Owner complaints (140)
Owners filed 140 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 smart fortwo (7 crashes, 27 fires, 9 injuries, 1 deaths reported). Among 13 model years of this model, it ranks #1 for the most complaints (median 8).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|
| Engine | 33 | |
| Power train | 32 | |
| Electrical system | 20 | |
| Unknown or other | 17 | |
| Engine and engine cooling | 12 | |
| Seat belts | 10 | |
| Structure | 8 | |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 8 | |
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2008 smart fortwo.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|
| 2008 Smart Fortwo 2-Dr. w/SAB | – | – | – | – |
| 2008 Smart Fortwo Cabriolet w/SAB | – | – | – | – |
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for each 2008 smart fortwo version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|
| fortwo convertible 1.0 L Automatic (S5) | 33 | 41 | 36 | $2,300 |
| fortwo coupe 1.0 L Automatic (S5) | 33 | 41 | 36 | $2,300 |
Need this data in your app?
Recalls, complaints, crash ratings and fuel economy as a JSON API. Decode up to 50 VINs per call and get a daily feed of new recalls.
Explore the API →Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings, US EPA fuel economy and Transport
Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database (contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada).
Recalls updated 2026-10-30.