Make index
Selling a dead or junk smart
A smart that won't start can still be sold, and it doesn't need fixing first. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and the fortwo is the only smart there is to sell here.
Updated · 9 sources
- smart model years in the EPA list
- 2008 to 2019
- Models sold in the US
- One: the fortwo two-seater
- NHTSA complaints, all smart names
- 407 (405 filed under the fortwo)
- Model year with the most complaints
- 2008, with 177
- Component listed most
- Power train, on 73 complaints
- Recall campaigns on the fortwo
- 7, from 2008 to 2020
That makes this make page short. In the EPA's fuel economy list, smart has one nameplate for its whole US run, model years 2008 to 2019: the two-seat fortwo. It came as a coupe, as a cabriolet or convertible, as an electric drive version, and late in the run as the EQ fortwo. smart is not in the list after 2019.
What fortwo owners told NHTSA
NHTSA's complaint file holds 407 complaints filed under smart names, counted as of October 10, 2026. All but two, 405, are filed under the fortwo. Each one is something an owner chose to write up for the agency. None of them is a ruling that a part broke, and the tally does not grade how dependable the car is.
The 2008 model year stands out. It drew 177 of those 405 complaints, more than four in ten. A 2017 or 2019 fortwo simply hasn't existed as long as a 2008, so a lower count for a later year partly reflects a shorter clock.
The components owners named most often:
| Component in the complaint | Complaints |
|---|---|
| Power train | 73 |
| Engine | 69 |
| Electrical system | 50 |
| Unknown or other | 29 |
| Seat belts | 26 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 23 |
A complaint can name more than one component, so the rows overlap. Across all 405, owners reported a fire in 52, a crash in 25, injuries in 29 and one death.
Seven recall campaigns, two companies
The fortwo had seven recall campaigns. The first, in 2008, was filed by smart USA. Every one after it was filed by Mercedes-Benz USA. The vehicle counts below are NHTSA's counts for the whole campaign, as each was reported.
| Campaign | Model years | What the recall covered | Vehicles in the campaign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08V390000 | 2008 | A batch of paint that did not meet specifications | 43 |
| 15V192000 | 2014-2015 | Steering gear mounting bolts, coupes, convertibles and the 2014 electric versions | 5,058 |
| 17V179000 | 2016 | Headlight adjustment not sealed off | 2,213 |
| 17V447000 | 2017 | Left front knuckle castings with possible flaws | 110 |
| 17V448000 | 2016 | Parking brake cable lock nut could loosen | 5,061 |
| 18V273000 | 2008-2009 | Rear insulation mat in the engine compartment could deform and loosen | 42,781 |
| 20V107000 | 2019 | One electric drive car's battery, over a cell conductor weld | 1 |
The largest by far is the 2018 campaign on the insulation mat, which reached back to the first two model years. The smallest covered a single car. Dealers did each repair free of charge. To see whether a particular fortwo still has one open, run its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What a dead fortwo usually needs to go
A fortwo is small, but it leaves the same way any car does: whole, on a truck. You don't pull the battery, the wheels or anything else.
- Have the model year, the body style and the mileage ready. Say whether it is gas or electric drive.
- Describe its state plainly: starts or not, rolls or not, any body damage, any parts gone.
- Mention the title. No title in hand? Start with selling a junk car with no title.
- Give the spot where the truck will find it: a parking garage, a driveway or a shop lot.
If the trouble is the high-voltage battery in an electric drive car, our EV battery guide walks through that case. If the car burned, see selling a fire-damaged car. Pickup is free anywhere in the US, and once it is gone, handle the plates and the paperwork.
Rather talk it over first? Call (877) 421-6008.
Every smart model in the EPA list
| Model | Years sold (EPA list) | Versions in the list |
|---|---|---|
| fortwo | 2008-2019 | Coupe, cabriolet or convertible, electric drive coupe and convertible, EQ fortwo coupe and convertible |
Questions people ask
- Will you take a smart fortwo that no longer runs?
- Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and a two-seater fits on a truck like anything else. Sell the whole car as it sits, with free pickup anywhere in the US.
- Did smart sell any model besides the fortwo in the US?
- Not in the EPA's fuel economy list. Every smart in it from 2008 to 2019 is a fortwo: coupe, cabriolet or convertible, the electric drive versions, and the EQ fortwo.
- Who handled smart recalls?
- The first campaign, in 2008, was filed by smart USA. The six after it were filed by Mercedes-Benz USA. Dealers did the repairs free of charge. You can check a car's VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Why does the 2008 fortwo lead the complaint count?
- It was the first US model year and drew 177 of the 405 fortwo complaints. It has also been around the longest, so the count alone does not rank one year against another.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.
- EPA and DOE fuel economy data (vehicles.csv), fueleconomy.gov fueleconomy.gov
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaints flat file (FLAT_CMPL.zip), downloaded October 10, 2026 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 08V390000: 2008 fortwo paint nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 15V192000: 2014-2015 fortwo steering gear bolts nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 17V179000: 2016 fortwo headlight adjustment nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 17V447000: 2017 fortwo steering knuckle nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 17V448000: 2016 fortwo parking brake cable nut nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 18V273000: 2008-2009 fortwo engine insulation mat nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 20V107000: 2019 fortwo electric drive battery nhtsa.gov