Dodge and Alfa Romeo Recall Summary
- Who is affected: 2023-2025 Dodge Hornet and 2023-2026 Alfa Romeo Tonale owners
- What is the defect: The rear outboard seat belts (the belts at the two window seats in the back row) can become twisted during normal use and may fail to retract or hold tension against a passenger
- Recall size: 40,386 Dodge Hornet and 8,391 Alfa Romeo Tonale vehicles in the United States
- Fix status: No fix is currently available to owners. Dealers will replace the rear outboard seat belt retractors free of charge once owner notification begins on or about September 24, 2026
- Check your VIN: NHTSA VIN check (this recall’s VINs are not yet searchable; NHTSA’s record lists August 15, 2026 as the date they become searchable)
- California owners: If your Dodge Hornet or Alfa Romeo Tonale has had seat belt problems your dealer could not resolve, contact The Margarian Law Firm for a free case evaluation
What triggered this recall?
Stellantis, the parent company of both Dodge and Alfa Romeo, is recalling the Dodge Hornet and its Italian platform twin, the Alfa Romeo Tonale. The two compact SUVs were built on the same Stellantis platform at the same plant in Pomigliano d’Arco, Italy, which is why one defect reaches across both brands in a single recall. The formal recall filing, NHTSA recall 26V510, was submitted by FCA US, LLC (the Stellantis subsidiary that operates as Chrysler in the United States) on August 6, 2026. FCA US assigned it internal recall number 84D.
The defect sits in the rear outboard seat belt retractor (the spring-loaded spool inside the pillar or seat that winds the belt in and keeps it snug). Because of a design weakness in the retractor supplied by Autoliv ASP, the belt webbing can become twisted during ordinary use. A twisted belt may stop retracting freely or fail to maintain tension against the person wearing it. In a crash, a belt that is not snug cannot restrain an occupant the way it was designed to, which raises the risk of injury. There is no warning light or chime that tells an owner the belt has developed this condition.
The issue came to light through warranty claims. In April 2026, FCA US alerted Stellantis Europe to a potential rear seat belt retractor problem, and Stellantis Europe opened an investigation on May 4, 2026. Engineers spent the following two months reviewing claims from the United States and Europe before concluding on July 1, 2026 that the defect could occur under particular conditions. As of July 30, 2026, the date Stellantis formally declared a safety defect, FCA US had logged 484 warranty claims. No accidents or injuries related to the issue have been reported in any market.
A remedy exists on paper: dealers will replace the rear outboard seat belt retractors with a newly designed part, free of charge. As of this writing, however, the repair is not yet available to owners. Dealers are scheduled to be notified on or about August 13, 2026, and owners cannot yet confirm whether their vehicle is included or schedule the replacement. A related equipment recall covers 1,458 Mopar replacement rear seat belt assemblies sold through parts channels that may have the same twisting issue.
Sources: NHTSA | Autoblog | autoevolution
Which vehicles are included in this recall?
- 2023-2025 Dodge Hornet: built between August 31, 2022 and September 18, 2025
- 2023-2026 Alfa Romeo Tonale: built between February 9, 2023 and November 26, 2025
Vehicles built after those dates received redesigned retractors on the assembly line and are not included. Stellantis estimates that about 1.6 percent of the recalled vehicles actually contain the defect, but every vehicle in the build window gets the new retractors.
You can check whether your vehicle is included using the NHTSA VIN lookup tool once this recall’s VINs become searchable. Until then, Chrysler customer service can confirm whether your Hornet or Tonale is affected.
What should Dodge Hornet and Alfa Romeo Tonale owners do right now?
- Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov once this recall goes live in the lookup tool
- Contact your dealer to ask about the retractor replacement and get on the schedule as early as possible once notifications begin
- Inspect your rear outboard belts: if a belt is visibly twisted, retracts slowly, or stays loose against a passenger, document it in writing with dates and photos
- Report any seat belt concern to your dealer now, even before the recall repair is available, and keep copies of every repair order
- Keep all service records, including visits where the dealer could not find or fix the problem
For repair scheduling and recall status, contact Chrysler customer service at 800-853-1403. This contact is for repair tracking only. For questions about your legal rights, contact The Margarian Law Firm.
Could this recall affect your lemon law rights?
Not every recall directly supports a lemon law claim. It depends on the nature of the defect and your repair history. Some recalls involve cosmetic trim or labeling corrections that never affect how a vehicle drives or protects its occupants.
This recall is not that. A seat belt is a core piece of the vehicle’s occupant protection system, and a belt that cannot hold tension directly affects safety. For California owners who have experienced twisted, slow-retracting, or loose rear seat belts without a lasting fix from their dealer, this defect may form the foundation of a lemon law claim. Reach out to The Margarian Law Firm to discuss your specific situation.
Could your Hornet or Tonale qualify? A quick self-check
- Have you taken your Dodge Hornet or Alfa Romeo Tonale to the dealer two or more times for the same issue without a lasting fix?
- Has your vehicle been out of service for 30 or more cumulative days?
- Have you experienced twisted or non-retracting seat belts or related problems?
- Did your dealer acknowledge the problem but fail to resolve it?
- Is your vehicle still within the manufacturer’s warranty period?
If you answered yes to any of the above, you may be entitled to compensation under California’s lemon law. Contact The Margarian Law Firm for a free case evaluation.
If your vehicle qualifies, California law requires the manufacturer to pay your attorney fees, meaning representation typically costs you nothing out of pocket.
What California’s lemon law actually covers →
How a lemon law buyback works →
Why the timing of this recall creates a legal window right now
Here is something most recall notices will not tell you, and most law firms will not explain. Until the replacement retractors reach dealerships and owner notification begins, no dealer can perform the recall repair. Every service visit for a seat belt concern during this period becomes part of a documented record of an unresolved safety defect, and that record is exactly what a lemon law claim is built on.
The right time to understand your options is before the fix is available, not after. Talk to a lemon law attorney now to understand what your repair history already shows.
Even once a remedy is released, prior repair attempts remain relevant. If your vehicle was in for related symptoms before this recall was acknowledged, those visits may factor into your claim. The Margarian Law Firm team can review your case and clearly lay out your options.
Get a free, honest case assessment
California Dodge Hornet or Alfa Romeo Tonale owner?
If you have experienced seat belt problems and your dealer has not been able to fix them, or if you want to understand your rights and what you may be legally entitled to, The Margarian Law Firm can help.
Our firm practices exclusively in California automotive consumer law. We stay closely attuned to how recalls affect consumers’ legal rights and have the resources to litigate, not just negotiate.
Frequently asked questions
Is my Dodge Hornet or Alfa Romeo Tonale included in this recall?
Every Hornet and Tonale built during the production windows listed above is included. This recall’s VINs are not yet searchable on NHTSA.gov, so in the meantime you can call Chrysler customer service or your dealer with your VIN to confirm. Once the lookup goes live, the NHTSA VIN tool will give you a definitive answer.
Can I still drive my vehicle during this recall?
NHTSA has not issued a do-not-drive or park-outside advisory for this recall. The practical concern is rear passengers: before anyone rides in a rear outboard seat, make sure the belt pulls out smoothly, lies flat without twists, and retracts snugly. If a belt does not, document it and have your dealer inspect it before carrying rear passengers.
Does this recall mean my vehicle is a lemon?
Not by itself. A recall is a manufacturer’s acknowledgment of a defect, but a lemon law claim depends on your individual repair history: repeated repair attempts for the same problem, or extended time out of service. If your vehicle has that history, California’s lemon law may entitle you to compensation, and The Margarian Law Firm can evaluate your situation for free.
What is the seat belt risk exactly?
The retractor design allows the rear outboard belt webbing to become twisted during normal use. A twisted belt may not retract freely or maintain tension, so in certain types of crashes it cannot restrain the occupant as designed, which increases the risk of injury. There is no warning indicator, so the condition can go unnoticed until the belt is used.
When will the recall repair be available?
Stellantis plans to notify dealers first, then mail owner letters in late September 2026. Parts availability in practice can lag those dates, so if your dealer cannot perform the repair when you call, keep a record of that contact. A dealer that cannot complete a recall repair is itself part of a documented repair history, and The Margarian Law Firm can advise on what your record shows.
What if a rear seat belt failed during a crash? Do I have a legal claim?
If you or a passenger were injured in a crash where a rear belt did not restrain properly, that raises legal questions beyond the lemon law, and you should speak with an attorney promptly. Bring your crash report, photos, and repair records. Contact The Margarian Law Firm for a free consultation about your options.
What if my dealer told me nothing was wrong before this recall?
That visit still matters. A documented complaint the dealer could not diagnose or resolve is evidence that you gave the manufacturer an opportunity to fix the vehicle, and this recall now confirms the defect was real. Gather your repair orders and reach out to The Margarian Law Firm to have them reviewed.
Should I take my vehicle to the dealer now, even if there is no fix yet?
Yes, if you are experiencing the symptom. Reporting a twisted or non-retracting belt now creates a dated record of the defect while the recall is open, and the dealer may be able to inspect or interim-address the belt. Each documented visit strengthens the record of what you experienced and when.
Standard Legal Disclaimer
The information in this post is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is evaluated on its individual merits, and outcomes vary based on the manufacturer, the defect, repair history, and other factors. Attorney fees in qualifying lemon law cases are paid separately by the manufacturer upon a successful outcome under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Contacting The Margarian Law Firm does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Official sources and further reading
- NHTSA recall record 26V510
- Part 573 Safety Recall Report for 26V510 (PDF)
- Autoblog: “Dodge and Alfa Romeo Recall 48,777 SUVs Over Seat Belts That Can Twist”
- autoevolution: “Stellantis Recalls Dodge Hornet and Alfa Romeo Tonale for Twisting Rear Seatbelts”
- NHTSA VIN check (this recall’s VINs not yet searchable as of publication)
- All vehicle recalls covered by The Margarian Law Firm