SmartFortwo Passion2012Overview/smart/fortwo-passion/2012/base/

2012 Smart Fortwo Passion

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2012 Fortwo Passion.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2012 Smart Fortwo Passion enters the record as a passenger car distinguished by an unusually sparse reliability dossier, logging zero recalls and just eight total owner complaints across the model year. With seat belts standing out as the singular top complaint area, the data points to a remarkably trouble-free mechanical profile for this entry. This configuration of minimal factory interventions and low owner-reported friction positions the 2012 Passion as a notably stable datapoint within the Fortwo lineage, offering researchers a clear benchmark of manufacturing consistency for this generation.

Model year20122011201020092008

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque81 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 47 · 540 CCA battery, OE oil filter 1321800110. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 47 · 540 CCAOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter1321800110
Engine air filter001094030164
Spark plug1321590003 alt 1321590203
Battery4519820008 alt 0009827808
Front wiper blades4518200045
Serpentine belt0019934596 alt 0019934496
Thermostat1322000015
Cabin air filter4518300018

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length106.3 in
Overall width61.4 in
Overall height60.6 in
Wheelbase73.6 in
Curb weight1742 lb
Track (front / rear)50.4 / 53.5 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)43/57

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

Torque lug nuts to 81 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 47.9 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidCastrol BOT 328
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Manual Transmission FluidCastrol BOT 328
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity3.5-5.0

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts25 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug47.9 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts81 ft-lbs
Automatic Transmission Drain Plug32.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-2

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.21 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type100
Standard BCI Group Number47
Standard BCI Cranking Performance540 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test23.2 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief23.2 psi
Engine Compression159-218 psi.

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket22 USE NEW BOLTS ONLY ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle85 ft-lbs
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.118 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.381 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.381 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.315 in
Drum Nominal Diameter7.99 in
Drum Discard at-or-over8.05

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages
116 ft. lbs.16 ft. lbs
290 degrees.90 degrees
390 degrees.90 degrees
410 degrees.10 degrees
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., Step 2: 4515 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
122 ft. lbs., Step 2: 4422 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 10,000 mi; spark plugs every 30,000 mi; coolant every 40,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 40,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 10,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Convertible Top (inspect) · Engine Assembly (leak inspection) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Exterior Lighting (inspect)
Every 10,000 miBrake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic Booster (inspect fluid level) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Wheel Cylinder (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Oil (drain & refill)
At 20,000 miEngine Coolant System (inspect fluid level)
Every 20,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Battery (inspect electrolyte level) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake System (inspect)
At 30,000 miBrake Hydraulic Booster (inspect fluid level)
Every 30,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
At 40,000 miBrake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect)
Every 40,000 miEngine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miBrake Wheel Cylinder (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2012 Smart Fortwo Passion lead in one area — the seat belts, 2 of 8 reports (25%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 2 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the seat belts pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
54
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
8
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 8 complaints on record, top 6 components.

Seat Belts2
Air Bags2
Exterior Lighting1
Power Train,Electrical System1
Structure1
Electrical System,Vehicle Speed Control,Engine1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 54 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
LI82.30-P-0592392026-05-19Visibility/WiperComplaint There are several types of complaint about noises or poor windshield wiper…
LI82.10-P-0783012026-04-16Exterior LightingComplaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged. Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a…
LI33.30-P-0566652025-05-21Power TrainComplaint Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off…
LI82.10-P-0788962025-04-28Exterior LightingComplaint Headlamps leaking or fogged Cause The fogging of the headlamp is a natural…
LI82.10-P-0783012025-04-28Exterior LightingComplaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Fortwo Passion. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2012 Fortwo Passion have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.