Is your car affected?
Check by VIN to confirm the
exact model and see every recall for it.
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)
Parking brake
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 smart fortwo vehicles. In these vehicles, the lock nut that secures the parking brake cable to the parking brake lever may loosen over time, resulting in increased parking brake lever travel before the parking brake engages.
Risk and remedy
Risk: As the parking brake lever travel increases, the holding force may decrease to a point where the vehicle is no longer safely secured in all parking situations, allowing the vehicle to unexpectedly move when parked on a slope, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the parking brake cable lock nut, free of charge. The recall began September 20, 2017. Owners may contact smart customer service at 1-877-496-3691.
Exterior lighting: headlights
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 Smart Fortwo vehicles. The horizontal headlight adjustment mechanism on these vehicles may not have been properly sealed off to prevent future adjustment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk and remedy
Risk: If the headlight can be adjusted horizontally, the headlight may be adjusted outside of the designed specifications, reducing the driver's visibility and potentially blinding oncoming traffic, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will install the correct sealing caps to prevent the headlights from being adjusted horizontally, free of charge. The recall began September 8, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Canadian recalls (3)
Show 3 Canadian recalls
Powertrain
2017-08-15 · campaign 2017-394 · 6 vehicles
On certain vehicles equipped with a double clutch transmission, the actuation lock inside the gearshift lever module may not function as designed. As a result, the gearshift lever might be able to be moved from "PARK" without the application of the brake pedal and the ignition being in the "ON" position. If the parking brake is not applied, unintended vehicle movement could occur if the unlock button is depressed and the transmission is shifted out of "PARK", which would increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will update the software of the transmission control unit.
Brakes
2017-07-17 · campaign 2017-353 · 308 vehicles
On certain vehicles, the lock nut that secures the bowden cable to the parking brake lever might loosen over time, which may result in increased parking brake lever travel. Should the parking brake lever travel increase, the parking brake could have less holding force than intended, which could result in unintended vehicle movement, increasing the risk of injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace the lock nut.
Lights and instruments
2017-03-15 · campaign 2017-143 · 5 vehicles
Certain vehicles may not comply with the requirements of Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 108 - Lighting System and Retroreflective Devices. Vehicles may have been assembled with headlamps that allow for horizontal adjustment, which is contrary to the requirements of the standard. This could reduce vehicle visibility, or could adversely affect the vision of oncoming drivers during low light and night time conditions, which could increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will install sealing caps on the headlamps to seal the adjustment screws.
Owner complaints (21)
Owners filed 21 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 smart fortwo (5 crashes, 2 fires, 7 injuries reported). Among 13 model years of this model, it ranks #4 for the most complaints (median 8).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|
| Engine | 8 | |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 7 | |
| Electrical system | 5 | |
| Service brakes | 4 | |
| Unknown or other | 3 | |
| Structure | 2 | |
| Steering | 2 | |
| Power train | 1 | |
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for each 2016 smart fortwo version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|
| fortwo coupe 0.9 L Automatic (AM6) | 33 | 39 | 35 | $2,350 |
| fortwo coupe 0.9 L Manual 5-spd | 31 | 39 | 34 | $2,400 |
| fortwo electric drive convertible Automatic (A1) | 122 | 93 | 107 | $700 |
| fortwo electric drive coupe Automatic (A1) | 122 | 93 | 107 | $700 |
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.