NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2008–2009
Smart Fortwo Cabrio complaints and VIN decoding
NHTSA lists 28 owner complaints for the Smart Fortwo Cabrio from model years 2008 to 2009, and no vehicle recall campaigns filed under this model name. The 2008 model year drew the most complaints (17), and Electrical System is the component owners name most often.
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.
See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.
- 28 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
- 2 model years with data (2008–2009)
- most complaints: 2008 (17 for that model year)
- top component: Electrical System (11 complaints)
- 3 complaints reporting a crash (10.7%)
- 3 complaints reporting a fire (10.7%)
- 3 complaints reporting an injury (10.7%)
- 0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)
The 2008 model year has the most complaints: 17 of 28, or 60.7%. Next come 2009 (11).
| Model year | Complaints | Reporting a crash | Reporting a fire | Reporting an injury | Reporting a death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2009 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| All model years | 28 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.
Electrical System is the component named most often, in 11 complaints (39.3% of all 28), followed by Power Train (8) and Visibility (3).
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 11 | 39.3% |
| Power Train | 8 | 28.6% |
| Visibility | 3 | 10.7% |
| Engine | 2 | 7.1% |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 7.1% |
| Structure | 2 | 7.1% |
| Air Bags | 1 | 3.6% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 3.6% |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 3.6% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 1 | 3.6% |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 1 | 3.6% |
| Seats | 1 | 3.6% |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 3.6% |
| Wheels | 1 | 3.6% |
One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.
What NHTSA owner complaints mean
These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.
- They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
- Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
- Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
- One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
- Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.
Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.
Are there any recalls for the Smart Fortwo Cabrio?
NHTSA lists no vehicle recall campaigns filed under the model name Fortwo Cabrio. NHTSA sometimes files versions of a model under other names, so check the brand’s other models too, and use NHTSA’s VIN lookup (opens in a new tab) for any particular vehicle.
Which Smart Fortwo Cabrio model year has the most complaints?
The 2008 model year, with 17 of the 28 complaints in NHTSA’s file (60.7%). The next is 2009 (11). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.
What is the most common Smart Fortwo Cabrio complaint?
Electrical System is the component named most often: 11 complaints, or 39.3% of all 28. Power Train (8) and Visibility (3) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.
How many Smart Fortwo Cabrio complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?
Of the 28 complaints, 3 report a crash, 3 a fire, 3 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.
The Smart models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Smart VIN decoder with every Smart model page, WMI code and VIN note.
- Smart Fortwo 2005–2019 · 5 recalls · 346 complaints
- Smart Fortwo Coupe 2008–2016 · 2 recalls · 23 complaints
- Smart Fortwo Coupe Electric 2014–2015 · 1 recall · 7 complaints
- Smart Fortwo Cabriolet 2017 · 1 recall · 2 complaints
- Smart Fortwo Convertible Electric 2014 · 1 recall · 1 complaint
- Smart Fortwo Convertible 2014–2015 · 1 recall
All Smart models and WMI codesLook up recalls by year
Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.