Seat belt anchor to vehicle on driver side of vehicle frayed and broke away with normal routine use.
The worst 2013 smart Fortwo problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Seat belts7
- Engine6
- Transmission5
- Electrical3
- Body2
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Seat belts7
- Engine6
- Transmission5
- Electrical3
- Body2
- Seats2
- Visibility2
- Acceleration1
- Airbags1
- Brakes1
- Lights1
- Tires1
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Defect investigations
Pedestrian alert sounds
the federal safety agency received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, the federal safety agency opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified the federal safety agency he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by the federal safety agency regarding the subject matter of the petition.
DP22005
Technical service bulletins for the 2013 smart Fortwo 56
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Complaint Repeat workshop visit for vehicle vibration while braking from 60MPH. NOTE: Although the symptom...
- Complaint Clanking noise from the area of the speakers in the doors
- Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end)
- Complaint There are several types of complaint about noises or poor windshield wiper wiping performance:...
- Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged
- Complaint Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the...
- Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon,...
- Complaint Headlamps leaking or fogged Cause The fogging of the headlamp is a natural phenomenon which can...
- Complaint During a phone call, the called party has difficulty understanding/cannot understand the driver,...
- Complaint Washer fluid system leaks Cause Various possible causes: 1. Washer fluid reservoir itself
2013 smart Fortwo fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0L 3‑cyl | RWD | 34 | 38 | 36 |
| Electric motor Electric 68 mi range | RWD | 122 | 93 | 107 MPGe |
What 2013 smart Fortwo owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The drivers side seatbelt connecting floor (I think it's the belt force limiter) has a cable that has broken off. This is the 2nd time this has happened to my SmartCar. It is a design flaw because the cable runs against the metal of the seat cutting thru the cable. It isn't usually noticed until it breaks off making the seatbelt complete become broken from the floor. Additionally, SmartCars including this one have a known issue where AirBags become I op (light on) due to connection issue under seat. So now I have no restraints in my car.
Software for power control module is not correspond to the series level Software configuration. Basically it doesn't want to take charge due to the Software issues from manufacturer.
The gear cannot go reverse. It stuck at neutral. I can drive forward, neutral but not go reverse.
Regarding lightning: water/humidity had access to the sam unit and the right-side signals/stop light stopped working. The vehicle was in motion when it suddenly stopped working. Regarding body/other: some of the convertible-roof steel frame/bars got bent when closing the top and the bent bars would prevent the top from closing unless you forced the steel/metal bars.
Driver seatbelt will not stay in tension ring. At times stuck in park & when unstuck will not engage any gear and stopping at red light while in drive soon after starting car it will not move when accelerator is engaged. In all cases engine must be turned off then turn to power on only for 10 to twenty minutes during which eventually clicking/clunking sounds are heard. After hearing these sounds start and shift. Repeat sometimes twice before transmission unlocks. You must leave one hour early to work or appointments anticipating transmission lockup and reset process. Using the yellow lever under shift console will unlock shifter but will not aide with gears engaging. Using google search I found other owners experience the exact same problem.
The driver side seat belt mount, which in this case is a steel cable, has mostly broken and frayed rendering it unsafe to drive. In the event of an accident, it would certainly break completely. I only noticed it yesterday while cleaning, the breakage would've happened while driving it. I've contacted smart USA, and gotten no response. I've contacted mercedes USA, and they tell me that my warranty has run out, they can't do anything. Even though this is a mandatory safety feature that has completely failed from normal use.
This car is an EV. Water in the brake light switch, will not let the car recharge. Water and mud in the 12v power cable on the drivers side of the battery pack has caused a 12v power cable fitting to crack. Both of these problems are on the bottom side of the car. These problems will not let the car recharge! This is not a flood car! It has 76,087 mile on it!!!!! My dealer is a joke! I have not been able to drive my for 8 months. Also the key fob is broken. This also will not let me drive my car. I am still paying for this piece of junk! (xxxxxx) owner. Redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)
Red light with seat with a red dot came on while I was driving. I stopped the car and looked up what the symbol meant. When it didn't involve oil or water, I drove it to dealer. They performed 30,000 mile service and when I drove it home it stopped.
Left driver side seat belt is connected by a cable to the car body. We discovered that the cable had failed and only a couple of strands were holding the seat belt to the car. My wife discovered it by accident when getting out of the car. Photos attached. Mercedes charged me $450 to replace seat belts that were defective.
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Questions about the 2013 smart Fortwo
Is the 2013 smart Fortwo reliable?
Owners have filed 25 complaints about the 2013 smart Fortwo, 3.1 times a typical Fortwo model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2013 smart Fortwo?
Seat belts, with 7 complaints, typically around 30,000 miles. Next is engine (6).
How many recalls does the 2013 smart Fortwo have?
No recalls on record.
What gas mileage does the 2013 smart Fortwo get?
Official estimates for the 2013 smart Fortwo range from 36 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.0L 3-cyl, RWD) gets 34 city and 38 highway.
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