2009 Smart Fortwo Fuel System Problems

Fuel pump connectors cracked leaking fuel.

Electric fuel pump inlet and outlet nipples to fuel hoses broke and caused fuel leakage.

I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM MERCEDES BENZ ON MONDAY 5/4/2020 LETTING ME KNOW THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY CAR, A REAR INSULATION MAT IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED OUT TO AVOID A POSSIBLE ENGINE FIRE. I CALLED THE MB DEALERSHIP IN ANCHORAGE AND WAS TOLD THEY DO NOT WORK ON SMART VEHICLES. I CALLED THE PHONE NUMBER FOR MBUSA TO FIND A DEALERSHIP OR AN APPROVED TECH TO MAKE THE REPAIR. I LEFT A MESSAGE AND WAS CALLED BACK YESTERDAY 5/7/2020 BY [XXX]. HE TOLD ME THAT THERE WERE NO DEALERSHIP OR APPROVED REPAIR CENTERS IN ALASKA AND THAT SINCE I CHOSE TO LIVE REMOTE THAT 'UNFORTUNATELY' IT'S MY PROBLEM. I WROTE A LETTER TO THE COMPANY OFFERING THE SAME POSSIBLE OPTIONS TO GET IT FIXED THAT I HAD SUGGESTED TO HIM; 1) SEND THE PART AND I'LL FIX IT MYSELF; 2) SEND THE PART TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP OF MY CHOICE AND PAY THEM TO FIX IT OR 3) SEND A TECHNICIAN TO THE MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP IN ANCHORAGE TO PERFORM THE SAFETY RECALL REPAIR. THE LETTER WAS SENT BACK TO HIM AND HE CALLED ME TODAY TO REINTERATE THAT 'UNFORTUNATELY' MBUSA WAS NOT GOING TO DO ANY OF THESE THINGS AND THAT AS A SECOND OWNER OF THE CAR THEY HAVE FULFILLED THEIR OBLIGATION TO ME. IT'S MY PROBLEM TO GET IT TO A DEALERSHIP OF MY CHOOSING. ALL DEALERSHIPS ARE IN THE CONTIGUOUS 48 STATES. I ASKED HIM IF A LAW SUIT RESULTING FROM A FIREY DEATH WAS A CONCERN TO MBUSA OR IF THEY INFORM PEOPLE WHO PURCHASE THE VEHICLES THAT IF THEY CHOSE TO TAKE THEIR CAR WITHIN THE UNITED STATES TO AN AREA WITHOUT A DEALERSHIP THAT THEY WERE ON THEIR OWN. HIS RESPONSE WAS HE HAD NO IDEA WHAT DEALERSHIPS TELL PEOPLE AND AGAIN, WHILE THEY WOULDN'T LIKE TO HAVE MY CAR CATCH FIRE IT IS REALLY MY ISSUE. SEE ATTACHED CORRESPONDENCE. SO I AM IN A SPOT TO EITHER PARK IT OR DRIVE IT KNOWING I COULD HAVE A PROBLEM. I CAN'T EVEN SELL IT WITHOUT IT BEING FIXED. THIS IS NOW A FINANCIAL ISSUE & A SAFETY ISSUE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2009 SMART FORTWO. THE CONTACT'S FRIEND WAS DRIVING HIS VEHICLE AT 60 MPH WHEN HE SMELLED PLASTIC BURNING INSIDE THE VEHICLE. MOMENTS LATER, SMOKE BEGAN TO ENTER THE VEHICLE FROM BEHIND THE DRIVER SEAT; NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED DURING THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT'S FRIEND PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND WALKED TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WHEN HE DISCOVER THAT FIRE STARTED FROM THE REAR LEFT BUMPER OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT THEN RETRIEVED A BOTTLE OF WATER FROM THE VEHICLE AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. THE FIRE BEGAN SPREAD AND COMPLETELY ENGULFED THE ENTIRE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S FRIEND THEN DIALED 911. FIRE AND STATE POLICE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE OF THE INCIDENT. THE FIRE WAS EVENTUALLY EXTINGUISHED. NO INJURIES OCCURRED DURING THE INCIDENT AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED DUE TO THE FIRE AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V273000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) WITH HIS FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND SENT HIM A QUESTIONNAIRE IN RELATION TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.

FUEL LEAK OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN/CAUSE WHILE STATIONARY, FORMING A PUDDLE BENEATH THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT. VEHICLE OTHERWISE IN PRISTINE CONDITION. NO ACCIDENT OR OTHER IMPACT TOOK PLACE -- NORMAL DRIVE HOME, GARAGED THE CAR, FOUND PUDDLE IN THE MORNING AND GARAGE FILLED WITH GAS FUMES, OBSERVED DRIPPING FROM UNDERSIDE OF CAR.

FUEL PUMP CONNECTOR CRACKS

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE CITY HIGHWAY - ROUTE 283 TO GET SOMETHING TO EAT AS I TURNED MY CAR STALLED OUT COMPLETELY. TRYING TO TURN OVER IT WOULD TRY TO START BUT NEVER START. CAR HAS JUST OVER 17K MILES ON IT. THANKFULLY I WASN'T IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AS THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BY SOMEONE REAR-ENDING ME BECAUSE OF THE REDUCED SPEED AND STALL. I HAD TO HAVE SOMEONE PUSH ME UP TO A PARKING LOT WHILE I WAITED FOR A TOW TRUCK. A MONTH LATER I AM STILL WAITING ON A REPLACEMENT FUEL PUMP. THE ORIGINAL BOSCH KEEPS BLOWING FUSES AND STALLING OUT. MY MECHANIC TEST DROVE IT AND HE HAD TO BE TOWED BACK TO HIS SHOP AS WELL BECAUSE OF A STALL/BLOWN FUSE BECAUSE OF THE FUEL PUMP ISSUE. THESE FUEL PUMPS SEEM TO BE ON BACK ORDER BECAUSE LOTS OF SMART CARS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AT THE MOMENT WITH THEIR BOSCH FUEL PUMPS.