Smart · Fortwo · 2012
0
Recalls
8
Complaints
N/A
NCAP overall
The 2012 Smart Fortwo has no recalls and 8 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most frequent stored component label: seat belts (2 reports).
Stored NHTSA configuration: 2012 Smart Fortwo 2 DR RWD NCAP Vehicle ID: 6380
Ratings describe one stored NHTSA configuration, not every trim, body style or drivetrain for this model year. How this configuration is selected
Source: NHTSA Public Records
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Aug 30, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.
The 2012 Smart Fortwo page works best as a research starting point. Complaint totals show how much owner-reported activity exists, while recalls and investigations help show whether any of that activity turned into formal safety action.
Because this is a newer-era vehicle page, it usually helps to compare this year against nearby model years before deciding whether a complaint pattern looks isolated or persistent. On this page, the most frequent complete stored component label is seat belts with 2 reported complaints.
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
If you are researching a used vehicle, start with the complaint categories, compare them against the recall list, and then check nearby model years to see whether the same issue profile repeats. That usually produces a better buying or research signal than treating the raw complaint total as a standalone safety ranking.
Stored NHTSA configuration: 2012 Smart Fortwo 2 DR RWD NCAP Vehicle ID: 6380
Ratings describe one stored NHTSA configuration, not every trim, body style or drivetrain for this model year. How this configuration is selected
No overall score is available in our current dataset. The individual results below are not a combined safety rating; compare vehicles within the same test program and model year.
Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Rollover Resistance
No rollover risk estimate available in this dataset
Safety Features
The driver side seat belt mount, which in this case is a steel cable, has mostly broken and frayed rendering it unsafe to drive. In the event of an accident, it would certainly break completely. I only noticed it yesterday while cleaning, the breakage would've happened while driv...
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DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILS TO BUCKLE. NOTHING LODGED IN BUCKLE, BUT MECHANISM APPEARS TO BE BROKEN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SMART FORTWO. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE BODY PANEL DISENGAGED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,100.
TRANSMISSION WILL GO INTO THREE BARS AND NOT SHIFT ON HIGHWAYS AND PARKWAYS, USUALLY ABLE TO SAFELY DRIVE UNDER POWER TO SIDE OF ROAD SOMETIMES GOES INTO NEUTRAL AND HAVE TO COAST TO SIDE. OCCURS WITH ELEVATED AMBIENT MOISTURE. STARTED AT 32,000 MILES. KNOWN ISSUE, TRANSMISSION ...
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SMART FORTWO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FRONT TURN SIGNAL INDICATORS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOKEY MERCEDES-BENZ (19820 US HWY 19 N, CLEARWATER, FL) WHERE THE FAILURE WAS CONFIRMED; H...
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VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND AND PUSHED INTO ANOTHER CAR ON INTERSTATE. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SMART FORTWO. WHILE AT A STOP SIGN, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES...
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I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY (5 LANE) IN MY 2012 SMART FORTWO PASSION COUPE IN THE MIDDLE LANE AT 65-70 MPH. ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY ACCELERATOR WAS NO LONGER FUNCTIONAL. I LOOKED DOWN AND SAW THAT MY SPEEDOMETER AND GEAR INDICATOR WERE ALSO NON-FUNCTIONAL. I WAS ABLE TO COAST (DESP...
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Showing 8 recent complaints from 8 total
View Full Complaint LogThe strongest comparison flow is usually: exact vehicle-year page, then nearby years of the same model, then other 2012 Smart models. That sequence helps separate one-off year spikes from broader make-wide patterns.
The 2012 Smart Fortwo has 0 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 8 owner-reported complaints for the 2012 Smart Fortwo.
An overall NHTSA safety rating is not available in our current dataset for the 2012 Smart Fortwo. Individual crash-test results may still be available.
The most frequent complete stored component labels for the 2012 Smart Fortwo are seat belts (2 reports), air bags (2 reports), power train,electrical system (1 reports). These are exact-label counts, not broader component-group totals or confirmed defects.
NHTSA does not currently list any recalls on record for the 2012 Smart Fortwo. To verify the status of your specific vehicle, check nhtsa.gov/recalls with your VIN.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.