Stellantis is recalling some 332,000 Alfa Romeo, Jeep and Fiat vehicles in the United States due to a problem with the seatbelt sensors. In Canada, the recall campaign impacts 8,387 vehicles.
The affected models are:
- - Alfa Romeo Giulia (2017-2024)
- - Alfa Romeo Stelvio (2018-2025)
- - Fiat 500X (2019-2023)
- - Fiat 500e (2024)
- - Jeep Renegade (2019-2023)
According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the driver's seatbelt buckle sensor connector could malfunction, causing the airbag to deploy with too much force.
The issue can cause the airbag warning light on the dashboard to illuminate, but it will also “cause the airbag warning light to display on the instrument panel or the seat belt reminder chime and warning light to stay on, even if you're buckled,” according to Transport Canada.
As of June 26, Stellantis had identified 578 incident reports potentially linked to this problem in North America.
Fortunately, the solution to the problem is simple. The company will notify owners by mail and ask them to take their vehicle to a dealer to have the driver's seatbelt sensor connector replaced.