Complaint The following symptoms with electrical range: • Displayed electrical range is implausible for charging process (SOC) . • Displayed electrical range reduces rapidly after short period of driving. • High-voltage battery can no longer charge. Cause The voltage difference (maximum cell voltage minus minimum cell voltage) within the high-voltage battery is too great (> 100 mV). In an extreme case, no individual cell voltages are displayed in the Battery Management System (BMS) anymore (signal not available). Remedy Replace high-voltage battery. Note on analysis for transportability: The transportability assessment should be conducted promptly, as the high self-discharge level means that
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2017 Smart Fortwo electrical problems
moderate Owners of the 2017 Smart Fortwo have filed 3 NHTSA complaints about the electrical at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
3
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
When does it fail?
Of the 3 electrical complaints filed for the 2017 Smart Fortwo, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 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 7 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 ↗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 ↗Mercedes-Benz AG (âMBAGâ), the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz, has determined that on certain MY 2016-2017 smart (453 platform) vehicles, the transmission control unit software does not correspond to current specifications. During scan tool readout, non-active errors may incorrectly output. These do not affect drivability and OBD errors are still detected correctly. What Weâre Doing MBUSA will conduct a service campaign. An authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer will update the transmission control unit software.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗The software for the battery management system control unit does not correspond with the current series production configuration in the vehicles of the above-mentioned model series transferred to you. The possibility thus exists that a fault message is displayed in the instrument cluster and it may every once in a while not be possible to start the vehicle.. For this reason, we kindly request that you update the software for the battery management system control unit in the affected vehicles. The work steps required for this purpose can be found in the attached work description.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
Tl* the contact owns a 2017 smart for two. While the vehicle was in reverse, the contact heard an abnormal noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. The rear exterior lighting and rear wiper warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to garage isla verde llc (located at ave, baldorioty de castro km 10.3, pr 00979, (787) 620-1313), but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was…
The car won't charge over 20% due probably a faulty manufacturer part of N83 high voltage control box. This could cause very serious electrical/battery issues if the high voltage box is faulty.
Tl* the contact owns a 2017 smart fortwo. The contact stated that the vehicle did not fully charge to the manufacturer recommended mileage range. In addition, in cold weather conditions, the mileage of the vehicle dropped approximately 10 MPH on the instrument panel. Mercedes-benz of boston (259 mcgrath hwy, somerville, ma) and the manufacturer were contacted in regards to diagnostic testing. The…
Had electrical trouble with your 2017 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 2017 Smart Fortwo?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 3 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 3 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 1,667 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
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/2017/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.