2009 smart Fortwo: won't start

Filed Mar 11, 2018 · Body, Engine · 50,000 miles · TN

I bought the car and less than two weeks the transmission went there was flashing and beeping and the car would not go into gear. I bought a 2009 and in 2008 there was a recall on that model for that transmission problem sometimes the car won't start sometimes now and the hood latch is broken

Filed Jul 31, 2017 · 68,000 miles · CA

While driving my vehicle, I had reached about 40 miles per hour and the car just died. I hadn't done anything, the car simply died. When I first attempted to turn the car back on, it wouldn't crank. The lights, air everything electrical came on, but the car didn't crank. After waiting a few minutes, I tried again and luckily the car started. But this scared me and should not have happened.

Filed Apr 14, 2015 · Fuel system, Tires · 15,000 miles · OH

Where do I begin? After about a year of owning my smart car, I was driving on the highway doing about 70 MPH when suddenly I feel my car pull to the right and start shaking. I pull safely to the shoulder to find the valve stem for my tire had detached and my tire was now flat. Not having a spare, I had to call a tow truck. The same issue happened to the remaining 3 tires in the following months to a year. While driving the valve stem would detach and all air depleting from the tires. I called the smart dealer to be told this was impossible because the valve stems were bolted to the rim, well clearly not since it had happened to every tire.I have had multiple cylinder misfires with this car. I have had to replace the fuel pump. I have had to replace the alkaloid timing sensor. I have had to replace the blower motor for my heat and A/C. My headlights go out every other month. Car has stopped because a wire came loose in the battery. When I turn right or go on an onramp, I hear this awful clunking sound as if something is hitting a tin. When I go over bumps my car makes a squeaking sound. When going from park into reverse...car will not go into gear. My car will read p and n. I have to turn my car off/on multiple times as well as mess with my shifter for about 5 minutes before I can go anywhere. The cherry on top happened today on my way home to akron from columbus. As I am driving on the highway with a semi truck behind me my car started losing speed, even when pushing the gas. I almost was struck by the semi due to the sudden decrease of speed but thankfully was able to pull off the highway. Once stopped, all lights came on and car shut off. Put my car in park to try to start my car again, nothing. My engine will rev but the engine will not turn over. Will find out what that is tomorrow hopefully. Car was brand new when purchased and bought the car 5yrs and 1 month ago.

Filed Sep 12, 2011 · OH

I am having a problem with my 2009 smart fortwo passion's transmission. We picked up our car on saturday for the following problem: I was driving along & all of a sudden, the car seems to think it's in n. Even changing the gears prompts an "n" in the gear position. Once I turned the car off, it wouldn't start again & the dreaded three bars appeared. We tried the "teach-in" fix & it worked temporarily before acting up again. We had our car towed to the dealer for service and picked it up on saturday after the service department supposedly fixed it. The service department did a diagnostic check and a code appeared. They then reset whatever need to be reset for $112.98. We were also offered a software upgrade for $75 on the basis the service manager did not know what the upgrade does, but he did know it wouldn't fix the problem. Obviously, we turned down the upgrade. I have contacted mercedes to absorb the cost of fixing this defect. Our warranty expired only 6 weeks ago. Since there is a method to "limp" to a safe place in the user manual, it seems they anticipated this problem to begin with. From reading blogs about this, I was not surprised when the same problem started again on sunday. Now we are having it towed in for service again. I urge mercedes-benz to activate a recall on this model! Sooner or later this defect is going to kick in on the freeway and someone will be rear-ended or even killed. This is not simply a nuisance malfunction!

Filed Sep 7, 2011 · 18,200 miles · OH

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. Once I turned the car off, it wouldn't start again & the dreaded three bars appeared. We tried the "teach-in" fix recommended in the user manual & it worked temporarily before acting up again. From the internet blogs I've read, this was a problem in the 2008 model - an upgrade was provided for a fix. My car is a 2009 and I feel smart USA should recall the 2009 model due to this obvious defect. It's absolutely ridiculous I would have to pay for something like this when the car is only six weeks past warranty! Our dealer keeps transferring us to mercedes-benz financial since they're the one who approve the warranty issue. No one from mercedes is answering or returning our calls.