Nearly 49,000 Dodge Hornets and Alfa Romeo Tonales have been recalled due to seatbelt issues, posing safety risks for drivers and passengers alike.
What happened?
According to the NHTSA filing cited by Yahoo Autos, 48,777 vehicles are included in the recall: 40,386 Dodge Hornets and 8,391 Alfa Romeo Tonales. Stellantis, the vehicle manufacturer, said some rear seat belts in those models can twist during normal use, which may prevent them from retracting properly or sitting tightly against a passenger.
Yahoo Autos reported the affected build range for the Hornet runs from August 31, 2022, through September 18, 2025, while the Tonale range runs from February 9, 2023, through November 26, 2025. Vehicles produced after those periods were fitted with updated rear seat belts.
Drivers may not get any advance clue that something is wrong, because the NHTSA document says the issue may not trigger a dashboard warning or any other obvious alert.
FCA US notified Stellantis Europe in April 2026 after identifying a possible retractor problem. By the end of July 2026, FCA US had recorded 484 related warranty claims, but no crashes or injuries had been reported, Yahoo Autos noted.
Owners generally expect rear seat belts to work as intended without needing special checks or adjustments. A twisted belt that stays loose rather than holding firmly can increase the risk of injury in a collision.
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FCA US, according to Yahoo Autos, plans to remedy the issue by replacing the rear seat belt retractors with updated parts. Dealers are expected to be notified by August, 2026, and owner notifications will follow.
Owners can check whether their SUV falls within the listed production dates or contact a dealer to confirm whether their vehicle identification number is included.
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