35 of the 475 complaints filed about the Smart Fortwo are about the seat belts — 7% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2008.
35
Complaints
7%
Share of all complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
SEAT BELTS
Seat belt anchor to vehicle on driver side of vehicle frayed and broke away with normal routine use.
NHTSA complaint #11628640 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
The cable attaching the seatbelt is frayed and only being held on by a few strands of cable. My research into the problem on forums and the internet has shown that this is an issue on the drivers side seatbelt for Smart Car.
NHTSA complaint #11540919 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
The contact owns a 2015 Smart ForTwo. The contact stated while buckling the seat belt, he became aware that a metal cable through the eyelet bolted to the frame by the door jamb on the driver's side had started to fray. The contact stated that the vehicle was not driven frequently and felt that there could not be a wear and tear issue. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer. The vehicle had not been diagnosed and had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
NHTSA complaint #11532331 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
Driver’s seatbelt broke at the tensioner as if the cable had been cut with wire cutters. My vehicle has not been involved in a wreck. Under normal driving conditions. Safety issue is if it broke this easily what would’ve happened if I had been involved in an accident? Of course I took the vehicle immediately to a repair shop and the cost to repair is $843.31. Of course the parts have to be ordered. This is a safety issue it’s a law issue you have to have a seatbelt it’s not like I can’t live without the seatbelt. All my research shows that several people have complained about the same incident happening to them I was not driving the vehicle at the time I had just stopped at a store got back in my car and the seatbelt was broken.
NHTSA complaint #11469708 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
The drivers side seatbelt connecting floor (I think it's the belt force limiter) has a cable that has broken off. This is the 2nd time this has happened to my SmartCar. It is a design flaw because the cable runs against the metal of the seat cutting thru the cable. It isn't usually noticed until it breaks off making the seatbelt complete become broken from the floor. Additionally, SmartCars including this one have a known issue where AirBags become I op (light on) due to connection issue under seat. So now I have no restraints in my car.
NHTSA complaint #11469109 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
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 driving it. I've contacted mercedes USA, and they tell me that my warranty has run out, they can't do anything. Even though this is a mandatory safety feature that has completely failed from normal use.
NHTSA complaint #11447959 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
DRIVER SEATBELT WILL NOT STAY IN TENSION RING. AT TIMES STUCK IN PARK & WHEN UNSTUCK WILL NOT ENGAGE ANY GEAR AND STOPPING AT RED LIGHT WHILE IN DRIVE SOON AFTER STARTING CAR IT WILL NOT MOVE WHEN ACCELERATOR IS ENGAGED. IN ALL CASES ENGINE MUST BE TURNED OFF THEN TURN TO POWER ON ONLY FOR 10 TO TWENTY MINUTES DURING WHICH EVENTUALLY CLICKING/CLUNKING SOUNDS ARE HEARD. AFTER HEARING THESE SOUNDS START AND SHIFT. REPEAT SOMETIMES TWICE BEFORE TRANSMISSION UNLOCKS. YOU MUST LEAVE ONE HOUR EARLY TO WORK OR APPOINTMENTS ANTICIPATING TRANSMISSION LOCKUP AND RESET PROCESS. USING THE YELLOW LEVER UNDER SHIFT CONSOLE WILL UNLOCK SHIFTER BUT WILL NOT AIDE WITH GEARS ENGAGING. USING GOOGLE SEARCH I FOUND OTHER OWNERS EXPERIENCE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #11354621 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
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 DRIVING IT. I'VE CONTACTED SMART USA, AND GOTTEN NO RESPONSE. I'VE CONTACTED MERCEDES USA, AND THEY TELL ME THAT MY WARRANTY HAS RUN OUT, THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING. EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A MANDATORY SAFETY FEATURE THAT HAS COMPLETELY FAILED FROM NORMAL USE.
NHTSA complaint #11327242 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
RED LIGHT WITH SEAT WITH A RED DOT CAME ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I STOPPED THE CAR AND LOOKED UP WHAT THE SYMBOL MEANT. WHEN IT DIDN'T INVOLVE OIL OR WATER, I DROVE IT TO DEALER. THEY PERFORMED 30,000 MILE SERVICE AND WHEN I DROVE IT HOME IT STOPPED.
NHTSA complaint #11203624 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
LEFT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT IS CONNECTED BY A CABLE TO THE CAR BODY. WE DISCOVERED THAT THE CABLE HAD FAILED AND ONLY A COUPLE OF STRANDS WERE HOLDING THE SEAT BELT TO THE CAR. MY WIFE DISCOVERED IT BY ACCIDENT WHEN GETTING OUT OF THE CAR. PHOTOS ATTACHED. MERCEDES CHARGED ME $450 TO REPLACE SEAT BELTS THAT WERE DEFECTIVE.
NHTSA complaint #11192294 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
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 CAUSED DENTS TO THE CAR'S BODY AND FRAME AROUND THE DOOR WHEN WE CLOSE THE DOORS. I REPORTED TO THE LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER SEPTEMBER 2018. IN DECEMBER, THEY COULD ONLY REPLACE THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT. THE PASSENGER SIDE'S BELT HAS BEEN CLAIMED TO BE BACKED ORDER TILL NOW. I HAVE CALLED NUMEROUS TIMES TO FOLLOW UP FOR THE REPAIR AND I AM STILL WAITING FOR OVER 6 MONTHS FOR THIS FAULTY SEAT BELT TO BE REPAIRED. I DON'T FEEL SAFE TO DRIVE MY CAR. I LEASE THIS NEW CAR SINCE OCTOBER 2017 AND THE SAFETY ISSUE HAPPENED ONLY WITHIN A YEAR.
NHTSA complaint #11190596 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH HAS FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME IN 2 YEARS. THE MALE END CAN NOT BE INSERTED INTO THE FEMALE END.
NHTSA complaint #11143407 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
THE METAL SEAT BELT CONNECTOR FRAYED IN TO TWO PIECES. REPLACED WITH OEM PART. IT FRAYED AGAIN. IT'S A 2011 DRIVEN BY A 75 YR.OLD SENIOR CITIZEN. MERCEDES ACCUSED OWNER OF MALICIOUSLY CUTTING CABLE. EXTREME SAFETY HAZZARD.
NHTSA complaint #11115029 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
THE SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT, WHICH SHOWS THEY DO NOT WORK PROPERLY. CONCERNED THEY WILL FAIL IF I'M EVER IN A CRASH. :( THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME A SEAT BELT IS UNFASTENED. THE ISSUE HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A FEW YEARS. CALLED A LOCAL MECHANIC TO ASK IF THEY COULD FIX IT, BUT APPARENTLY THIS IS CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE, SO THEY WON'T TOUCH IT. SMART DOESN'T ADMIT IT'S AN ISSUE EVEN THOUGH MANY OTHER SMART OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED OF THE SAME ISSUE. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT OUR SAFETY AS FAR AS THE SEAT BELTS ARE CONCERNED.
NHTSA complaint #11072693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT WILL NOT LATCH, I'M USING THE PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT FOR NOW. I CAN'T HAVE A PASSENGER IN MY CAR BECAUSE OF THAT BROKEN SEATBELT. THIS HAPPENED ALREADY BEFORE, MAYBE A YEAR AGO AND MERCEDES BENZ OF GEORGETOWN WANTED ME TO PAY FOR IT AFTER BEING FIXED BUT I INSISTED THAT IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE AND I SHOULDN'T BE DRIVING FROM THEIR SHOP WITHOUT HAVING IT FIXED. SO FRUSTRATING SAFETY ISSUES THAT NO ONE WANTS TO TAKE CARE OF IT UNTIL SOMEBODY'S DEAD.
NHTSA complaint #11035884 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
SAFE BELT BUCKLE JAMMED OR CAN'T CLICK
NHTSA complaint #11020473 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT
NHTSA complaint #11001181 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILS TO BUCKLE. NOTHING LODGED IN BUCKLE, BUT MECHANISM APPEARS TO BE BROKEN.
NHTSA complaint #10907128 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
SEAT BELTS FOR BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES BECAME TWISTED WITHIN THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. DESPITE ATTEMPTS BY SERVICE TECHNICIANS TO UNTWIST AND REPAIR THE MECHANISM THE SEAT BELTS REMAIN TWISTED. SEAT BELT LATCH ON DRIVER'S SIDE FINALLY FAILED AT ABOUT 25,000 MILES. BOTH SEAT BELTS HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED AT OUR EXPENSE. ALSO, THE CAR DOESN'T ALWAYS SHIFT FROM PARK TO REVERSE PROPERLY. IT SOMETIMES TAKES SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET THE TRANSMISSION TO ENGAGE.
NHTSA complaint #10875516 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
SEAT BELT LIGHT STAYS ON. CAME ON FOR NO REASON.
NHTSA complaint #10760014 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.