Stellantis has issued a recall covering 48,777 compact SUVs in the U.S. due to a defect in their rear seatbelt assemblies that could compromise passenger safety during a collision. The safety campaign affects 40,386 Dodge Hornets (2023–2025) and 8,391 Alfa Romeo Tonales (2023–2026).
There’s no official confirmation as of yet of a recall affecting vehicles in Canada.
The problem
According to documentation filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the rear outboard seatbelt retractors in the affected vehicles contain a design weakness. The parts were supplied by Auburn Hills-based Autoliv ASP Inc.
Under certain conditions, the belts can become twisted within the mechanism, preventing them from properly retracting or maintaining necessary tension.
If a seatbelt fails to hold an occupant securely against the seatback, it significantly increases the risk of injury during a crash. And because the defect offers no prior dashboard warning or obvious visual indicator, drivers may be unaware of the hazard.
The issue first came to light in April 2026 when Stellantis in the U.S. alerted Stellantis Europe to a potential retractor glitch. Following an engineering investigation launched in May, officials traced the problem to the retractor design.
Note that vehicles produced after November 2025 were fitted with updated retractors on the assembly line and are exempt from the recall.
To date, Stellantis has logged 484 warranty claims linked to the issue. However, no accidents or injuries related to the defect have been reported. A separate recall also covers 1,458 MOPAR rear seatbelt service assemblies, which will be inspected and either replaced or repurchased if uninstalled.
The solution
To resolve the issue, dealership service departments will replace the rear outboard seatbelt retractors free of charge. Dealerships are slated to receive official instructions by 13 August 2026, with owner notification letters scheduled to be mailed out in late September.