Known APK problem

Smart Fortwo II (451): control arms / ball joints

On the Smart Fortwo II (451) the APK inspector finds control arms / ball joints problems 60% more often than on cars of the same age: at 16+ years 3.2%, against about 2.0% nationally.

Window: Oct 2025 – Sep 2026 · Updated: 16 Oct 2026

What is it?

Worn bushes or ball joints in the suspension.

Repair indication: mediuma targeted repair at the garage.

How to check it at the viewing

Listen for clunks or knocks over speed bumps on the test drive. The car should not wander when braking.

Ask the seller: Have the control arms or ball joints been replaced?

By age

Share of inspected Smart Fortwo II (451)s with this defect, compared with all cars of the same age.

Age	Type	Fortwo II (451)	95%-CI	National	Difference	n
11 – 12 years	A	1.0%	0.4 – 2.2%	1.4%	0.7×	523
11 – 12 years	C	1.3%	0.6 – 2.7%	1.2%	1.1×	523
13 – 15 years	A	1.2%	0.8 – 1.9%	2.0%	0.6×	1,596
13 – 15 years	B	1.5%	1.0 – 2.2%	1.2%	1.3×	1,596
13 – 15 years	C	1.2%	0.8 – 1.9%	2.0%	0.6×	1,596
16+ years	A	2.8%	2.1 – 3.6%	2.8%	1.0×	1,953
16+ years	B	3.2%	2.5 – 4.1%	2.0%	1.6×	1,953
16+ years	C	2.1%	1.6 – 2.8%	4.2%	0.5×	1,953

A = structure, safety or costly mechanics; B = fail, usually simple; C = advisory. An age is missing when this defect is not among the most common there.

Comparable cars at 16+ years

Model	Control arms / ball joints	Vs. national
Smart Fortwo II (451)	3.2%	1.6×
Kia Picanto I	2.1%	0.8×
Chevrolet Spark	0.6%	0.2×
Opel Agila B	6.6%	2.4×
Renault Twingo II	1.3%	0.5×

Looking at a Smart Fortwo II (451)? Check that car

Enter the plate and see the APK history, open recalls and how this car compares with other Smart Fortwo II (451)s of the same age.

All weak spots of the Smart Fortwo II (451) · Control arms / ball joints: which models more often · Checklist for this model

Frequently asked questions

Does the Smart Fortwo II (451) often have control arms / ball joints problems?

Yes, more often than average at the APK. At 16+ years the inspector found a control arms / ball joints defect on 3.2% of inspected Smart Fortwo II (451)s, against about 2.0% of all cars of the same age (1.6×). Source: RDW Open Data, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026.

How do you check the control arms / ball joints on a used Smart Fortwo II (451)?

Listen for clunks or knocks over speed bumps on the test drive. The car should not wander when braking.

Repair indication: small, medium or large. An indication of the usual repair, not a quote: the real cost depends on the car, the cause and the garage.

Source: RDW Open Data (CC0), analysis CarXray.nl. 6,857,004 inspected passenger cars aged 3 years and older, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026. Each car counts once. How we know