Dodge Hornet Recalls: Propulsion and Brake-Pedal Defects and the California Lemon Law

The Hornet is Dodge's newest and smallest model, and it has already drawn two safety recalls that go to how the vehicle moves and stops. If your Hornet keeps going back to the dealer, it helps to understand what those recalls cover and how California's Lemon Law applies. This is general information, not advice about your specific vehicle.

A brake pedal that can collapse

Recall 24V752 addresses a brake-pedal assembly that can collapse while braking, which can prevent the driver from applying the service brakes and cause a crash without warning. A brake that can fail under your foot is close to the most serious defect a car can have. The Hornet shares its platform with the Alfa Romeo Tonale, and the same brake-pedal action reached both models.

A propulsion-system cable defect

Separately, recall 23V623 covers 2023-2024 Hornet plug-in hybrid vehicles for a propulsion-system concern involving the IDCM cables, which dealers inspect and tighten. Anything that affects the propulsion system of a hybrid goes to whether the vehicle can be relied on to move safely and predictably.

The defects owners also report

Beyond the recalls, Hornet owners have raised electrical and infotainment complaints, warning lights, and drivability concerns. Individually these can seem small; repeated, and stacked on top of a brake or propulsion recall, they can add up to a vehicle that has spent too much time at the dealer for the same kinds of problems.

How California's Lemon Law applies to the Hornet

Under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, a Hornet may qualify if a substantial, warranty-covered defect cannot be repaired after a reasonable number of attempts, or if the vehicle has been out of service for 30 or more cumulative days. A brake-pedal or propulsion defect is squarely the kind of substantial safety problem the law was written for. A recall is not automatically a lemon, but it is FCA acknowledging the defect, and the repair days count toward your total.

Because the manufacturer opted into California's AB 1755 procedures, the filing window can be shorter than owners expect: generally within one year of your warranty's expiration, and no later than six years from the original delivery date. If your warranty has lapsed or is close to it, the deadline is the first thing to check, not the last.

What to do if your Hornet is affected

• Confirm any open recalls on your VIN at NHTSA.gov.
• Keep every repair order, including visits where you were told the behavior was normal.
• Note each day the vehicle is out of service waiting on inspection or parts.
• Talk to a California lemon law attorney if the same defect keeps returning after repairs.