The 2009 smart Fortwo has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 6 recurring issue clusters, led by “Fuel pump connector cracking and fuel leakage.” Smart follows the Mercedes playbook in miniature: alternating A and B services every 10,000 miles or 12 months. The gas car's Mitsubishi-built 1.0 liter is simple to keep, with plugs at 30,000 miles and coolant on a 4-year clock. Its automated-manual transmission has no scheduled fluid service at all; the clutch actuator is a wear item that gets relearned or replaced when it acts up, not on a schedule. The Electric Drive and EQ cars simplify further, down to brake fluid every 2 years, cabin filter, and one oddball item unique to Smart: a desiccant cartridge for the battery cooling system, replaced every 2 years. All versions are city cars whose brakes and batteries age from sitting more than driving.
No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2009 smart Fortwo.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
5 NHTSA complaints · 2016-09 → 2021-08
“Fuel pump connectors cracked leaking fuel”
“Electric fuel pump inlet and outlet nipples to fuel hoses broke and caused fuel leakage”
“FUEL LEAK OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN/CAUSE WHILE STATIONARY, FORMING A PUDDLE BENEATH THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT”
POWER TRAIN
30 NHTSA complaints · 2011-09 → 2024-08
“SIX WEEKS OUT OF WARRANTY - I WAS DRIVING ALONG & ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CAR SEEMS TO THINK IT'S IN NEUTRAL, WON'T LET ME CHANGE GEARS - WAS ONLY ABLE TO COAST TO A SAFE AREA OFF THE HIGHWAY. ANY GEAR I SHIFTED TO KEPT COMING ACROSS THE DASH AS THE NEUTRAL POSITION”
“ON FIVE OCCASIONS, SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, MY SMART CAR SHIFTED IN TO NEUTRAL BY ITSELF WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. WHILE THE SHIFTER WAS IN DRIVE, THE INDICATOR BELOW THE SPEEDOMETER WAS BLANK, AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SMART FORTWO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD COMPLETELY SHUT OFF, CAUSING THE BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL TO FAIL”
ENGINE
11 NHTSA complaints · 2012-10 → 2019-08
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SMART FORTWO. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT FELT HEAT COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR CARPET AND PLASTIC FROM THE TRUNK COVER CAUGHT FIRE”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SMART FORTWO. THE CONTACT WAS NOT NOTIFIED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V273000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION, IT CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITHOUT WARNING”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SMART FORTWO. THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE AND SMOKE BEGAN TO FILL THE VEHICLE UNDERNEATH THE STEERING COLUMN”
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
15 NHTSA complaints · 2018-07 → 2024-09
“The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz Smart ForTwo. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V273000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable”
“I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM MERCEDES BENZ ON MONDAY 5/4/2020 LETTING ME KNOW THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY CAR, A REAR INSULATION MAT IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED OUT TO AVOID A POSSIBLE ENGINE FIRE”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SMART FORTWO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V273000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE”
AIR BAGS
6 NHTSA complaints · 2012-03 → 2022-02
“The contact owns a 2009 Smart ForTwo. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light was illuminated and would not turn off”
“AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY PASSENGER SIDE OF MY CAR WAS DEMOLISHED”
“I WAS DRIVING MY SMART CAR TO WORK AT 1:30 AM. THERE WAS SOME SNOW ON THE ROADS SO I LEFT 10 MINUTES EARLIER THAN NORMAL SO I COULD DRIVE SLOWLY”
SEAT BELTS
5 NHTSA complaints · 2013-12 → 2017-10
“DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT WILL NOT LATCH, I'M USING THE PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT FOR NOW. I CAN'T HAVE A PASSENGER IN MY CAR BECAUSE OF THAT BROKEN SEATBELT”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SMART FORTWO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SMART FORTWO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE BECAME INOPERABLE AND WOULD NOT LATCH”
Issues on other model years
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.
We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.
Critical for safety and preventing major damage
Every 10,000 miles or 12 months at each A and B service on gas cars. Three quarts of the right oil; small sump, no slack.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$120–$160
Shop
~$85–$115
DIY
~$25–$55
Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.
Every 2 years on gas and electric alike.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$180–$200
Shop
~$125–$140
DIY
~$10–$25
DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.
The Fortwo runs different sizes front and rear, so no rotation; wear and age get checked at every service instead.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.
At every service. City cars sit; sticking calipers are more common than worn pads.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.
Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently
Every 30,000 miles on the US schedule for the 1.0 liter three-cylinder.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$390
Shop
~$200–$275
DIY
~$25–$100
Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.
Every 20,000 miles on the US schedule.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.
Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort
Replaced with each annual service.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.
Gas cars: every 4 years or 40,000 miles. Electric Drive and EQ: the drive coolant has no scheduled change, but the battery-cooling desiccant cartridge is replaced every 2 years, an item easy to miss at a non-specialist shop.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$330
Shop
~$200–$235
DIY
~$25–$60
Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.
The automated single-clutch gearbox has no factory-scheduled fluid service. Some specialists change the fluid around 50,000 miles as insurance; that is their recommendation, not Smart's. Jerky shifting usually means the clutch actuator needs a relearn.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$330–$500
Shop
~$235–$355
DIY
~$60–$180
Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.
Replaced around 60,000 miles on US data, inspected at services.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$195–$235
Shop
~$135–$165
DIY
~$20–$50
DIY-friendly if you can reach the tensioner. Inspect for cracks rather than swap on a strict mileage interval.
Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)
40 crashes 1990–2024
How the 40 occupant deaths break down
38
driver deaths
2
passenger deaths
40
occupant deaths
Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 2009 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.
FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number
FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.
Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.
Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.
IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.
Owner-reported problem signals
Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.
3
complaints mentioning a crash
11
complaints mentioning a fire
Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.
How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.
This maintenance schedule for the 2009 smart Fortwo reflects Smart's published service intervals and the Mercedes-Benz A/B Service system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.