Nearly 49,000 Dodge Hornet and Alfa Romeo Tonale SUVs need new rear seat belt retractors because twisted belts can raise injury risk in a crash.
Story Snapshot
- Recall covers 48,777 vehicles across Dodge Hornet and Alfa Romeo Tonale models.
- Rear outboard seat belts can twist and fail to retract or hold tension.
- Stellantis determined a safety defect and will replace retractors.
- No crashes or injuries reported as of the decision date.
What NHTSA and Stellantis say is wrong and why it matters
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) filing states some rear outboard seat belts in these vehicles can become twisted during use, which can stop the belt from retracting or holding tension. That cuts the restraint a belt should provide and can increase injury risk in certain crashes.
The recall record lists 48,777 vehicles as potentially involved, a large but defined population tracked by campaign 26V510000 in federal data. Stellantis plans to replace the rear outboard seat belt retractors on affected vehicles at no cost.
The formal defect decision came on July 30, 2026, through Stellantis Europe’s Vehicle Regulations Committee, after months of internal review. The chronology shows FCA US alerted Stellantis Europe in April 2026 and logged 484 warranty claims that may relate to the issue before the recall call.
The company reported no crashes or injuries tied to the twisting belts at the time of the filing. This is a preventive move meant to fix risk before tragedy, not after it.
Which vehicles are covered and how to read “potentially involved”
The campaign covers certain 2023–2025 Dodge Hornet and 2023–2026 Alfa Romeo Tonale models built during a suspect period that began in late August 2022 and ended when updated retractors entered production on September 18, 2025.
Federal records peg the total possibly affected vehicles at 48,777, reflecting the standard recall practice of casting a wide net to catch risk across build windows and plants. That phrasing does not mean every vehicle is defective; it means the factory records place them inside the risk window.
Owners should not guess. They should run their Vehicle Identification Number through the federal recall lookup and watch for a mailed notice from the manufacturer.
Dealers will replace the rear outboard seat belt retractors and confirm proper operation after installation. That is the right remedy for a restraint system concern: fix the part that governs belt travel and tension, then verify the belt retracts, routes, and locks as designed.
Risk, common sense, and what to do next
Seat belts are the first line of defense in a crash. A belt that does not retract or maintain tension can leave slack, allow excess movement, and raise impact forces on the body.
The NHTSA filing says exactly that: take the known fix now and avoid the avoidable harm later. Drivers should seat rear passengers carefully until the repair, making sure belts are flat, not twisted, and retract cleanly after buckling.
#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
Some outlets cite an estimated 1.6 percent defect rate, but the key public record is the formal campaign and the defined remedy. The filing lists 48,777 vehicles as potentially involved, and that is what matters for owners deciding whether to act.
This is the modern recall model: find the pattern in warranty data, define the scope, and correct the part before the worst-day test happens on the road. It is not alarmist; it is responsible stewardship of safety.
Sources:
data.transportation.gov, static.nhtsa.gov
