Home · 2016 Smart Cabrio · Complaints
These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.
8 of 21 complaints match · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters
Car shuts down while driving. This happens usually after quick stops or sudden starts like at a red light or when a car suddenly stops on front of me. I have had this issue happen to me several times. I have tried contacting Mercedes-Benz and the dealership where I bought tge car but they do nothing. I need help getting this issue repaired.
NHTSA ODI 11598820
The car just shuts off while I am driving. I can tell now when it is about to shut off. I have had this problem since I purchased the car in 2016. I have taken the car to the dealership and called Mercedes Benz several times and they will not do anything. I will die because the car is getting worse and shuts off more frequently now. Can you get Mercedes Benz to help me? They told me that they don't care if I die due to a bad product they sold me. Please help. Please, I am begging you I do not want to hurt someone else due to this bad car.
NHTSA ODI 11517032
Since purchasing the car the power steering has been bad. The dealership where I purchased the car and Mercedes refused to fix the issue. There is electrical issues and the gas tank gauge and gas tank have been replaced 3 times. Please do not purchase a Smart Car thecmakers do not stand behind their product. I took it to Mercedes Hampton VA Auto Mall and they are so rude. I have almost died 4 times due to bot bring able to turn steering wheel.
NHTSA ODI 11457487
Since I purchased the car from Hampton Auto Mall 757 865 8000 there has been an issue with the steering, brakes, gas system, fuel gauge etc.. The dealership or Mercedes refuses to fix the problem since I purchased it in 2016. I have almost died due to steering problems and gas tank. Please get a mechanic to check the steering and for small tears in your gas tank on Smarts. The dealership I bought my car from refuses to fix issue because of lemon laws the Service Advisor told me so.
NHTSA ODI 11457491
The roof detached on the highway. It was just replaced by Mercedes Benz in Manhattan and a couple of weeks later when it went on a highway, the roof flew up and I had to hold on to it for dear life while I was searching for a shoulder since they don’t have them everywhere on the East Coast. I didn’t want anyone behind me to be killed. I didn’t want myself to be killed either. It’s very hard to drive with wind and a roof coming against you. As soon as I found a shoulder I bumped a street sign in a bush because it was so narrow and then the tow truck driver had to come and bring a ratchet straps to secure my roof to the car. He had to block traffic with his tow truck so we didn’t get hit and die. Then I had to drive five hours with my roof detached from Washington DC to New York because it was Labor Day and they were no mechanics open. It was TERRIFYING. I have nightmares. I had lives on my hands and my own. If it had flown off completely, which it would have if I didn’t pull it down as I pulled over, someone would have been killed and I could have crashed driving and holding my roof down at the same time.
NHTSA ODI 11432522
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 SMART FORTWO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH AND UNCERTAIN IF WHETHER HE DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL OR THE BRAKE PEDAL; THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OFF THE ROAD AND HIT A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR BRUISING AT A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT BUT DID NOT SEEK MEDICAL TREATMENT. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND REMAINED AT THE SCENE OF ACCIDENT. THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER NOR THE DEALER HAD YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE TOWED FROM THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT. THE POSSIBLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
NHTSA ODI 11383048
THE BRAKES ARE SLIPPING BAD. THEY HAVE BEEN SLIPPING SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN 2016. THE GAS TANK IS LEAKING AND HAS LEAKED INTO THE CAB OF THE CAR. THE GAS TANK HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES.
NHTSA ODI 11353926
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SMART FORTWO. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL ODOR AND OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE EXHAUST PIPES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 400.
NHTSA ODI 10969003
Working with the data? Download all 21 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 28, 2026