Recall campaigns by affected system, 2016–2024.
20V107000NHTSA report received February 2020Model years: 2019
NHTSA campaign 20V107000: Smart Fortwo electrical system recall
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling one 2019 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive vehicle. A welded joint within the high-voltage battery main cell conductors may detach and interrupt electrical contact, resulting in sudden battery failure. The detached weld may also cause an electrical arc which can ignite inside the battery cells.
Consequence: If the high-voltage battery fails, the vehicle may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, an electrical arc inside the battery increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy per NHTSA (as of 2026-08-27): MBUSA will notify the owner, and a dealer will replace the high-voltage battery, free of charge.
17V448000NHTSA report received July 2017Model years: 2016
NHTSA campaign 17V448000: Smart Fortwo parking brake recall
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 smart fortwo vehicles. In these vehicles, the lock nut that secures the parking brake cable to the parking brake lever may loosen over time, resulting in increased parking brake lever travel before the parking brake engages.
Consequence: As the parking brake lever travel increases, the holding force may decrease to a point where the vehicle is no longer safely secured in all parking situations, allowing the vehicle to unexpectedly move when parked on a slope, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy per NHTSA (as of 2026-08-27): MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the parking brake cable lock nut, free of charge.
17V447000NHTSA report received July 2017Model years: 2017
NHTSA campaign 17V447000: Smart Fortwo steering recall
Mercedes-Benz USA LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017 smart fortwo and smart fortwo Cabriolet vehicles. Casting imperfections may result in the failure of the left front axle steering knuckle.
Consequence: Failure of the left front axle steering knuckle could affect vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy per NHTSA (as of 2026-08-27): MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the left front axle steering knuckle, replacing any from the affected batch, free of charge.
The same full inspection at every tier, at the seller’s location, with a photo-documented report:
Other small cars to weigh against the Smart Fortwo. Recall counts cover different model-year spans and are not a reliability ranking.
How many recalls does the Smart Fortwo have?
As of NHTSA records retrieved 2026-08-27, NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the Smart Fortwo, model years 2016–2024. A recall applies to specific VIN ranges, variants, trims or build dates, so a particular vehicle may be affected by all, some, or none of them, and a campaign count is not a reliability ranking. Whether an open recall is a safety risk depends on the campaign, so read the NHTSA entry for the VIN. Each campaign below shows the remedy NHTSA records, which may be a dealer or service-center repair, an over-the-air software update, or, for some campaigns, a repurchase. This page details the most recent campaigns; the full record for any VIN is at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What should an inspector check on a used Smart Fortwo?
Beyond the standard pre-purchase checks, the recall history for this model concentrates in: parking brake, steering, electrical system. An inspector documents the visible and operational condition of those systems without disassembly; internal parts, software-only issues and whether a recall remedy was performed are VIN-lookup questions, not inspection findings.
Can a pre-purchase inspection tell me whether a Smart Fortwo recall was done?
No. Whether a recall repair was performed is recorded against the VIN, so NHTSA's lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls (or the manufacturer's own) is the authoritative check. Run it before you travel. The inspection covers what a VIN lookup cannot: the physical condition of the vehicle in front of you.
Can you inspect a Smart Fortwo at a dealer, a private seller, or out of state?
Yes. The inspector usually travels to the vehicle at the seller's location — a dealer lot or a private seller — and you do not need to be there. Vehicle Inspectors dispatches an independent inspector within 50 miles of any US ZIP code, widening to 150 miles if needed; more remote locations are quoted case by case. You get a photo-documented PDF report in 24–48 hours.
How much does a Smart Fortwo pre-purchase inspection cost?
A pre-purchase inspection of a Smart Fortwo through Vehicle Inspectors: Bronze $249 · Silver $349 · Gold $449. Your card is saved at booking, not charged. A hold is placed when an inspector schedules, and you are charged after the inspection is completed. If no inspector accepts within 72 hours, the request auto-cancels and nothing is charged.
Vehicle Inspectors matches buyers with independent inspectors nationwide. Local pages for cities with active inspectors:
