2008 smart Fortwo: stuck in gear or won't shift

Filed Aug 20, 2026 · Electrical, Transmission · SC

I was entering an intersection and missed judged the traffic light and was a bit to far forward, so I tried to reverse but the car would not shift to reverse. I have had an actuator replaced but the problem still happens intermittently where it will not shift to reverse. I have logged into smart car forums online and it seems to be an ongoing problem with many smart cars. I have not had the manufacturer look at it yet. Many on the forum said in some cases it is a software issue. But it is dangerous.

Filed Jul 21, 2017 · Transmission · 5 miles · VA

It will stop working and will not go into drive at all the car just sit there and will not drive at all, this is not good when sitting in traffic lights

Filed Dec 7, 2016 · Transmission · 84,000 miles · NC

Know issue with transmission. Will not go into reverse half the time. Making it dangerous if needed quickly. Parallel parking on a busy street, the car would not go into reverse, holding up traffic for a very long time. Having to push it into the spot! Mercedes says it is a software problem. But that should be a recall because that is their problem. Many people have had the same issue. Driving down the highway at 70mph and the car instantly starts flashing neutral and beeping. Car slows and will not go into gear. We need this car to be recalled!

Filed Jul 6, 2016 · Transmission · 43,277 miles · MA

While driving car will drive fine..stop to parallel park or reverse...car will not go into reverse gear..or drive gear.... Shut car off to reset everything then car will not start up for awhile..... If at all taken to smart center to no avil called smart all they want to do is give me a $500 dollar discount on another smart car... And no answer to the current problem im having with a current smart car car only has 43,277 miles

Filed Jun 29, 2015 · Engine · 36,500 miles · CA

My 2008 smart has a little over 36,000 miles on it. Since around 06/16/2015, the gear shift would get stuck and not go into reverse or drive. After a few attempts, it would eventually go into the correct gear. On sunday 06/28/2015, regardless of numbers of attempt, it only goes from p to n and will not shift to reverse or drive. I purchased this car the day it came on the market in may 2008 and picked it up from mb of laguna nieguel. I even purchased an extended warranty on it (5yrs, 75,000 miles) which at the time of purchase, I was told begins after the initial manufacture's warrenty expires. I am now told the extended warranty is already expired. How does a car with under 36,000 start to have transmission problems when all it's services were completed by the dealership at the time it was required?! Mb of beverly hills service advisor (john) told me this mornign it would take 2-3 wks be fore I can take the car in and get a loaner car so they can diagnoise the problem, when there are hundreds of smart owners who have complained about this same exact problem on the web. A lego car would probably last longer than this vehicle made by mercedes benz!!

Filed May 24, 2015 · 29,650 miles · WI

Shift lever will not go into park. Ignition key cannot be removed. Subsequent failures resulted in not being able to select reverse and park with the shift lever, and therefor, unable to remove ignition key.

Filed Nov 19, 2013 · Transmission · 71,300 miles · NY · crash · 2 injuries

The 2008 smart car, has been consistently, shifting into neutral, while driving, usually, when entering, or exiting a highway, or at an intersection (speed changes). The car shifts into neutral, and then usually shuts down, causing the vehicle to be rear ended, from unsuspecting drivers behind this vehicle..the problem started when the car, would not shift into reverse, while parked..smart offered a software fix, to address that issue. Had that done, then problem progressed, to shifting to neutral while driving, and stalling out...at times car, would restart, but it would not shift into gear, indicating only a flashing neutral position. At times, car would not start at all, because would not know what gear it was in...if waited 10-20 minutes, or several hours, it might restart, and shift, for a short period, before it did the same thing again...apparently it's a common problem, with the smart car forums, full of complaints, about the 2008 year, with smart co., at times, authorizing repairs, and replacement with 2009 mechanisms, that do not have the same problems as the 2008 model year. There should definitely be a recall for the 2008 smart car, model year, before someone is killed, entering, exiting a highway, at a railroad crossing, or at an intersection, where the car, shifts into neutral, won't shift out, and shuts off... Thank you

Filed Nov 19, 2013 · Transmission · 71,350 miles · NY · crash · 2 injuries

The 2008 smart car, has been consistently, shifting into neutral, while driving, usually, when entering, or exiting a highway, or at an intersection (speed changes). The car shifts into neutral, and then usually shuts down, causing the vehicle to be rear ended, from unsuspecting drivers behind this vehicle..the problem started when the car, would not shift into reverse, while parked..smart offered a software fix, to address that issue. Had that done, then problem progressed, to shifting to neutral while driving, and stalling out...at times car, would restart, but it would not shift into gear, indicating only a flashing neutral position. At times, car would not start at all, because would not know what gear it was in...if waited 10-20 minutes, or several hours, it might restart, and shift, for a short period, before it did the same thing again...apparently it's a common problem, with the smart car forums, full of complaints, about the 2008 year, with smart co., at times, authorizing repairs, and replacement with 2009 mechanisms, that do not have the same problems as the 2008 model year. There should definitely be a recall for the 2008 smart car, model year, before someone is killed, entering, exiting a highway, at a railroad crossing, or at an intersection, where the car, shifts into neutral, won't shift out, and shuts off... Thank you

Filed Oct 17, 2013 · Transmission · 60,000 miles · NY · crash · 2 injuries

Smart car had history of not going in reverse. "r" would not come up on screen, car would just roll forward, hitting vehicle(s) in front. Then for a couple of months, (2 years) car would go into neutral while driving, (even on highway) coast for a while, then shut down, and not restart. If you waited 10 minutes, it would usually restart. If tried sooner, it either would not restart, or only go into neutral. It would not shift into any other gear. The other day, after approaching hill, at red light, car went into neutral, then shut down, and brakes would not respond quick enough since car turned off, and hit two (2) pedestrians, crossing in intersection. Car would not restart, waited 1 1/2 hours, would restart at times, but stayed in neutral, (10/2013). Had to be towed to smart/mercedes center, quoted me $3000, to change actuater, clutch motor, clutch press, clutch plate, and maybe more if need to replace clutch. Smart forums are all full of the same problems, with the smart cars, especially the 2008. Manufacturer must have been made aware by now, but is ignoring the problem, apparently changed design and clutch plate assembly for 2009 smart cars. But has not recalled 2008 year where problems are common, and very dangerous.

Filed Sep 9, 2013 · Transmission · 15,000 miles · NC

The first time it happened was after starting the car, it would not go into reverse. The dash board shift indicator remained on the "n" , but the gear shift was in reverse. After turning the car off and restarting it, then went into reverse. We lived with problem for a long time, because we, at least had a solution.just recently, september 7, 2013 my wife called me from a shopping plaza telling me that the car would not go into any gear (drive or reverse) it took me about 10 minutes of turning the engine on and off before the car was able to go into drive and reverse. Fortunately, she was in a parking lot and not on a highway or trying to parallel on a busy street. This is a serious safety problem, which needs to be rectified by the mercedes people. After viewing the internet, there are many smart car 2008 owners with the same problem. Please advise if a call back has been issued or will be issued. Thank you.

Filed Feb 9, 2011 · 28,350 miles · TX

After stopping at a stop sign, I begin to turn right onto another street and the car's transmission slipped out of gear and into neutral. I tried to put the car back into drive, but the car would not go into gear. I started and stopped the car several times and the car still would not go into either reverse or drive. I was pushed into a parking lot. I have had previous problems with the car's transmission before. There have been multiple occasions when I started the car and could not get the car to go into reverse. After I turned the car off and on several times, the car would finally shift into reverse.

Filed Oct 13, 2010 · Transmission · 11,271 miles · CA

I have a transmission problem with my 2008 passionfortwo, which has occurred four times in the 28 months and 13k miles of ownership. I'm happily driving along until I reach my destination, then I need to go into reverse to park. The shifter works flawlessly and the display clearly shows the correct position of the shifter. But, the transmission does not engage, nor will it engage if I reselect drive. The first two times that this happened, I eventually turned off the key and restarted the car and all was well. The last two times, that work-around had no effect. I turned off the car and let it sit for five minutes and one hour, respectively, and then had no problem selecting any gear. A car that suddenly will not go into gear is dangerous.