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Engine & cooling

2016 Smart Cabrio Engine problems

Owners have filed 8 complaints about the 2016 Smart Cabrio's engine & cooling with NHTSA - 38% of all its complaints, most recently on July 4, 2024. They describe 1 crash, 1 fire and 6 injuries. Stalling, loss of power, oil consumption, overheating, head gaskets, timing chains and engine failure.

Complaints
8
Recalls
0
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
6
Deaths
0

Engine complaints

Electrical systemEngine & coolingFuel system4 injuries

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.

Filed Incident Electrical system · Engine · Fuel / propulsion systemNHTSA 11598820
Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2016 Smart ForTwo. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated with a loud whirring noise. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the air intake changeover valves had failed. The independent mechanic advised the contact that the parts needed to fix the vehicle were difficult to locate. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that about a month later, the check engine warning light illuminated...

Read the full complaint

again. The contact took the vehicle to the same independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with a secondary air injection pump failure. The independent mechanic advised the contact that the parts were difficult to find. The contact found the parts, and the vehicle was repaired. The check engine warning light illuminated again. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was 58,299.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11585774
Engine & coolingDriver assistance1 injury

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.

Filed Incident Engine · Forward collision avoidanceNHTSA 11517032
SteeringElectrical systemEngine & coolingCrash1 injury

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.

Filed Incident Steering · Electrical system · EngineNHTSA 11457491
Body, doors & structureEngine & cooling

My 2016 smart car at only 51000 miles had transmission failure while driving down freeway almost resulting in crash. My car went from 65 miles a hour, then warning light said transmission failure and car was unable to excel rate or break, the emergency break was the only thing that saved me. Mercedes diagnosed a wig was able to fly up under car and get wrapped around axels, transmission, and break belts. The car was totaled from a wig. This is unacceptable that the underneath is left vulnerable to a object being able to cause so much damage, that could have easily resulted in a fatal car crash. This happened on hwy 59 south houston, while driving.

Filed Incident Structure · Unknown or other · EngineNHTSA 11256423
Electrical systemEngine & coolingFuel system

Tysinger replaced the fuel tank on 08/30/2018. The car has had problems with the fuel tank since I purchased the car. The car has been making a loud bang and then there is a strong smell of smoke afterwards. This has happened at least 45 times since I purchased the car, I thought the problem would go away, but it has not. The car stalls at red lights and during stop and go traffic, there is a strong smell of smoke after it stalls.

Filed Incident Electrical system · Engine · Fuel / propulsion systemNHTSA 11129713
Engine & coolingFire

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.

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 10969003
Transmission & drivetrainBrakesEngine & cooling

On steep uphills and when you have come to a stop because of a red light or a stop sign, the engine seems to be too weak to push the transmission forward and actually the car my roll back and brakes go in a lock mode which creates a big safety issue.

Filed Incident Power train · Service brakes · EngineNHTSA 10885818

Smart Cabrio engine complaints by year

Cabrio engine problems, every year

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Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data

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