Nearly 49,000 Dodge and Alfa Romeo SUVs are being recalled because rear seat belts may twist and lose tension.
Quick Take
- The recall covers 48,777 vehicles, including certain Dodge Hornet and Alfa Romeo Tonale models.
- The problem involves rear outboard seat belt retractors that can twist during use and fail to retract properly.
- Federal regulators say the defect can raise injury risk in a crash.
- Stellantis says dealers will replace the retractors at no cost to owners.
What Chrysler Recalled
Stellantis, through FCA US, recalled 48,777 vehicles after federal regulators said some rear outboard seat belts may become twisted during normal use and stop working as designed. The affected vehicles are certain 2023 to 2025 Dodge Hornet models and certain 2023 to 2026 Alfa Romeo Tonale models.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the belts may not retract freely or maintain proper tension, which can reduce occupant protection in a crash. The recall report says dealers will replace the rear outboard seat belt retractors free of charge.
Why the Defect Matters
Seat belts only work if they fit snugly and move back into place after use. NHTSA says a belt that does not freely retract or maintain tension does not provide the designed restraint function and can increase the risk of injury in certain crashes. That is why even a small mechanical flaw in a belt retractor can trigger a large recall.
The company’s recall filing says Stellantis Europe’s Vehicle Regulations Committee determined that a safety defect existed on July 30, 2026. The report also says FCA US first notified Stellantis Europe in April 2026, and the company had logged 484 warranty claims tied to the issue before the recall decision.
What Owners Need to Know
The recall is aimed at prevention, not a response to reported injuries. As of the filing date, FCA US reported no accidents or injuries and no field reports tied to the defect. That does not make the issue minor. It means the company and regulators moved before the problem turned into a crash story.
The recall notice says the suspect build window begins on August 31, 2022, for some 2023 model year Dodge Hornet vehicles and runs through September 18, 2025, when updated retractors were introduced. The recall dataset also lists the total number of potentially involved vehicles as 48,777.
How This Recall Fits the Larger Pattern
This is the kind of auto safety recall most drivers never notice until a notice arrives in the mail. A maker finds a defect through claims data or internal review, files a voluntary recall, and NHTSA posts the campaign before many owners even know there is a problem. The language can sound cautious because recalls are built to catch at-risk vehicles before harm happens.
#RecallRoundup Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) #Dodge Hornet (2023-2025); #AlfaRomeo Tonale (2023-2026): seat belt may twist and fail to retract properly. 48,777 vehicles potentially affected. https://t.co/FuQUDmnz7r pic.twitter.com/xTrA5fgPQO
— Center for Auto Safety (@Ctr4AutoSafety) August 11, 2026
That is why the phrase “potentially involved” matters. It does not mean every vehicle has the defect. It means the recall is broad enough to cover the full risk window while the company sorts out which units need the fix.
In plain terms, the safe move is simple: owners should check whether their Dodge Hornet or Alfa Romeo Tonale falls inside the recall and get the repair done once dealers begin service.
Sources:
data.transportation.gov, static.nhtsa.gov
