Complaint During a phone call, the called party has difficulty understanding/cannot understand the driver, or interference/background noises are audible to the called party during a call. It becomes increasingly difficult to understand as the speed rises. Cause A. Seating of the microphones in the headliner. Side edges are covered by the textile cover (see picture "1") B. Assembly of microphones (B25/20 or B25/21) in the headliner. C. Dirt inside the microphone housing Remedy 1. Press finger on rear of microphone (on adhesive tape) 2. Remove microphone cap from the front 3. Eliminate protruding material residues of the microphone cutout at the headliner, e.g. with a soldering iron. The micro
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2009 Smart Fortwo electrical problems
severe Owners of the 2009 Smart Fortwo have filed 10 NHTSA complaints about the electrical, typically surfacing around 29,000 miles at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
10
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2008 Fortwo | 12 |
| 2009 Fortwo (this page) | 10 |
4fires
When does it fail?
Of the 10 electrical complaints filed for the 2009 Smart Fortwo, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA electrical complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Complaint During a phone call, the called party has difficulty understanding/cannot understand the driver, or interference/background noises are audible to the called party during a call. It becomes increasingly difficult to understand as the speed rises. Cause A. Seating of the microphones in the headliner. Side edges are covered by the textile cover (see picture "1") B. Assembly of microphones (B25/20 or B25/21) in the headliner. C. Dirt inside the microphone housing Remedy 1. Press finger on rear of microphone (on adhesive tape) 2. Remove microphone cap from the front 3. Eliminate protruding material residues of the microphone cutout at the headliner, e.g. with a soldering iron. The micro
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Vehicle Range ? Voltage difference of cells too great
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Vehicle does not start
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Vehicle does not start
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report two distinct failure patterns in 2009 Smart Fortwo electrical systems. First, multiple catastrophic fires preceded by sudden, uncontrolled electrical events: windshield wipers, horns, door locks, and dashboards activating simultaneously, often while parked or immediately after parking. Smoke and flames have appeared under the dashboard, near the steering column, and under the hood within minutes. One owner towed to the dealer at 29,000 miles; another experienced the fire at approximately 100,000 miles after 9 months of intermittent electrical shutdowns during driving.
Second, a persistent transmission shift-selector display malfunction where the screen shows neutral (N) or blank when the driver selects reverse (R), causing the vehicle to move in wrong directions or not move at all. This happens repeatedly and requires turning the vehicle off and back on—sometimes multiple times—to resolve. One owner reports this has occurred over years of ownership.
Additional electrical issues include key fob and ignition switch failure (keys won't turn on the engine despite other systems working), excessive parasitic drain from factory radios (870 mA), failed motion sensors on convertibles, and intermittent A/C and lighting failures triggered by minor road impacts. Battery compartment corrosion and vent blockage have also been noted, raising concerns about trapped fumes.
Same Smart Fortwo electrical reports on nearby years: 2008
Failure modes owners describe
Sudden ignition/electrical shutdown and fire
Vehicle experiences uncontrolled electrical events including wipers, horn, dashboard, and door locks activating simultaneously, followed by smoke and fire. Owners report initiating fires within minutes of pulling over.
When: Various mileages; one owner at ~29,000 miles, others not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Windshield wipers activating on their own or going haywire; Horn honking continuously; Dashboard turning off and on; Door locks and unlocks cycling; Smoke under steering column or near windshield; Burning smell; Flames under dashboard or pedals; Knocking sound under hood before fire
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reports dealership kept car for couple weeks with no resolution; vehicles declared un-drivable after fire; one incident resulted in melted black box component
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One owner states manufacturer (Mercedes) has not addressed owner concerns; vehicle towed to dealer post-fire and declared un-drivable
Transmission display malfunction and reverse gear failure
Electronic display shows incorrect gear position or blank display; reverse gear does not engage when selected. Vehicle shifts into neutral or displays neutral despite shifter position. Requires power cycling the vehicle multiple times to resolve.
When: Years of ownership; one owner reports reverse issue ongoing for years starting at unknown mileage; display malfunction ongoing
Symptoms owners cite: Display shows 'N' (neutral) when shifter is in 'R' (reverse); Display blank where gear indicator should appear; Vehicle will not engage reverse; moves in wrong direction or fails to move; Beeping alert sounds when incorrect gear shows; Problem requires power reset to resolve, sometimes multiple resets
Repairs/costs cited: Owner reports needing to shift to park, turn off, restart multiple times to resolve; one owner had to be towed due to key not turning on
Key fob and ignition switch failure
Keys stop working and will not turn on the engine despite battery and other electrical systems being operational. One owner suspects electronic control module or transponder issue.
When: One owner reports keys stopped working May 20, 2020 at over 100,000 miles; another incident on way to work
Symptoms owners cite: Keys will not turn engine on; Key fob stops working in vehicle; Battery, windows, radio, and dash lights function but ignition does not respond; Vehicle can only be towed; owner cannot start car
Repairs/costs cited: Owner mentions key fob may need reprogramming but states keys do not need remake; one owner had to be towed
Battery compartment corrosion and vent blockage
Battery acid corrosion and condensation found around battery hold-down bracket and floor area. Battery vent tube becomes blocked by debris, raising concerns about trapped fumes.
When: 7 years into ownership (owner since Feb 2009, manufacture date 12/2008)
Symptoms owners cite: Sticky red oily substance around battery compartment top; Corroded floor paint from battery acid; Battery vent tube blocked by spider nests; Possible toxic fumes trapped in cabin
Repairs/costs cited: Owner manually extracted spider nest from vent tube; WD40 did not penetrate blockage
Excessive radio parasitic drain
Radio draws 870 mA current while vehicle is off and parked, draining battery overnight. Factory-installed radio component failure.
When: At 5 years old with 23,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Radio draws excessive current at rest; Battery dies overnight while car is parked and off; Radio completely non-functional
Repairs/costs cited: Owner had to physically disconnect radio; extended warranty did not cover this component
Motion sensor failure
Convertible top motion sensor stops working. Owner reports concern about vehicle safety when convertible top is down.
When: At 5 years old with 23,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Motion sensor does not function; No security/alert function when convertible top is down
Repairs/costs cited: Extended warranty did not cover replacement; owner cannot afford dealer repair
Electrical fuse and circuit shorts
Electrical fuses cause shorts leading to intermittent A/C operation and lighting issues. Impacts triggered by minor road condition changes like speed bumps.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: A/C compressor cycles on and off intermittently; A/C activates at inappropriate times; Lights malfunction or disconnect when hitting speed bumps or slight impacts; Turn signal activates light failures
Repairs/costs cited: Owner reports replacing lights front and back minimum 12 times per year; owner requests better shocks but complaint centers on electrical shorts
Steering wheel lock and complete electrical unresponsiveness
Vehicle loses all electrical function while driving, including steering, radio, and horn, followed by fire. Steering wheel locks up, making vehicle inoperable.
When: Not specified; described as en route to school
Symptoms owners cite: Grinding noise under hood; Vehicle dies while driving; Steering wheel locks; Radio cuts off immediately; Horn stays on continuously; Wipers go to full force; Doors lock; Burning plastic smell; Flaming drips from under panels within 2 minutes
Repairs/costs cited: Owner could not extinguish fire manually; vehicle became total loss within 2 minutes
Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
I am original owner since feb 09 (manf 12/08) and its now 7 yrs old and reqs new battery. Lifting up floor mat to remove old battery I noticed sticky red oily substance (unkown source but now suspect battery vapor condensation) around top of compartment (mostly where holddown bracket connects). Removing the battery then exposed corroded floor paint from battery acid. In attempting to clean up…
Had electrical trouble with your 2009 Smart Fortwo?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2009 Smart Fortwo?
It's a meaningful issue. 10 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Across the 8 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most electrical failures cluster between 15,000 and 67,000 miles, with the median around 29,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 15,000; a quarter make it past 67,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2009/Smart/Fortwo.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.