AutoUtility currently tracks 9 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2017 smart fortwo. Electrical System issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 4 complaints (44.4% of submitted records). Zero crashes, fires, injury reports, or fatality reports are cited across these complaint records.
Factual proportion of owner complaints categorized by automotive subsystem in NHTSA records
4 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
2 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
2 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
2 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
Formal engineering analyses and preliminary evaluations opened by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"The Power Electronics Control Unit (ECM), Part No. A453-900-72-11, and the DC-to-DC converter have both failed, rendering this all-electric vehicle completely inoperable. There is no backup propulsion system. The DC-to-DC converter powers safety-critical systems including lighting, turn signals,..."
"What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Driver Side front wheel / maybe steering rack / etc. makes loud grinding / rubbing sound when making turn only when the weather's hot and humid and when the car has been running for about 20 min How..."
"The car won't charge over 20% due probably a faulty manufacturer part of N83 high voltage control box. This could cause very serious electrical/battery issues if the high voltage box is faulty."
"SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT. THERE WERE COUPLE OF TIMES WHILE IN TRANSIT ON CITY ROAD, I HAD TO APPLY BRAKE SUDDENLY AND SEAT BELT FAIL TO ENGAGE TO HOLD THE PASSENGER BACK . ALL THE TIME , BOTH SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT TO THEIR HOME POSITION WHEN NOT IN USE AND CAR IS STOPPED AND PARKED, THIS..."
"TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SMART FOR TWO. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE REAR EXTERIOR LIGHTING AND REAR WIPER WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GARAGE ISLA VERDE LLC (LOCATED AT AVE, BALDORIOTY..."
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2019)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 smart fortwo | 0 | 0 | 0 | View 2015 Problems → |
| 2016 smart fortwo | 0 | 0 | 1 | View 2016 Problems → |
| 2017 smart fortwo Current Page | 9 | 0 | 1 | Current |
| 2018 smart fortwo | 0 | 0 | 0 | View 2018 Problems → |
| 2019 smart fortwo | 1 | 0 | 1 | View 2019 Problems → |
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 7 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Injury Entries | Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts NHTSA category: SEAT BELTS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering NHTSA category: STEERING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,SUSPENSION,WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cross-reference safety recalls, crash test safety ratings, and EPA fuel economy for this model year
Key performance indicators, EPA fuel economy specs, powertrain variants, and summary ratings.
Official recall campaigns, safety defect descriptions, and manufacturer free remedy instructions.
NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test results, driver assistance systems, and rollover resistance ratings.
EPA fuel economy ratings, electric range, and annual energy cost benchmarks.
Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2017 smart fortwo
In official NHTSA consumer records, the most frequently cited issue area for the 2017 smart fortwo is Electrical System, appearing in 4 records (44.4% of submitted filings).
Secondary reported categories include Powertrain & Transmission (2) and Steering System (2).
AutoUtility does not issue subjective reliability scores or commercial ratings. In official United States government records, NHTSA tracks 9 consumer defect complaints and 1 safety recall campaign for the 2017 smart fortwo.
Reviewing documented component complaint distributions, recall remedy notices, and active federal investigations provides an objective, evidence-based view of the vehicle's historical safety and defect record.
Consumer complaint records on file with NHTSA for the 2017 smart fortwo cite zero crashes, zero fires, and zero injuries.
Incident entries represent consumer descriptions at the time of submission to federal authorities and do not establish mechanical causation or legal liability.
NHTSA ODI records list 1 formal defect investigation involving the 2017 smart fortwo (all closed).
Federal defect investigations are formal engineering evaluations opened when safety defect trends emerge, and do not by themselves establish a confirmed defect or mandatory recall.
The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database under 49 CFR Part 576.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.