NHTSA Recall 26V510000: Dodge Hornet & Alfa Romeo Tonale Rear Seat Belts Fail to Retract

What the recall covers

Recall 26V510000 (Stellantis reference 84D) covers 48,777 vehicles in the U.S. — certain model-year 2023-2025 Dodge Hornet and 2023-2026 Alfa Romeo Tonale compact SUVs, mechanical siblings built on the same platform. The rear outboard seat belts may become twisted and fail to retract properly. A belt that does not retract can leave slack in the webbing and may fail to restrain a rear-seat occupant as intended in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Because the rear outboard seats are where children ride — including in boosters and belt-positioned seats that rely on the vehicle's own belt — the defect is squarely a rear-passenger safety issue.

The remedy

Dealers will replace the rear outboard seat belt retractors, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed beginning September 24, 2026. VINs involved in the recall were scheduled to become searchable on NHTSA.gov on August 15, 2026, so owners can confirm a specific vehicle before the letter arrives. There is no do-not-drive or park-outside advisory for this recall.

What owners should do now

• Test the rear outboard belts: pull each all the way out and let it retract. If a belt twists, binds, or retracts slowly or incompletely, document it and tell the dealer.
• Until the retractors are replaced, be cautious about seating passengers — especially children in boosters or belt-positioned seats — in a rear outboard position whose belt is not retracting properly.
• Confirm your specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls rather than relying on model year; VINs were scheduled to be searchable beginning August 15, 2026.
• Keep the recall letter when it arrives. It is dated proof that Stellantis notified you of a safety defect.
• If a belt still twists or fails to retract after the replacement, document each occurrence with the date and get a repair order every visit — a recall repair that does not hold is what a lemon law claim is built on.

How to check your VIN

Confirm whether a specific vehicle is included by entering the 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. VINs for this campaign were scheduled to become searchable on August 15, 2026. Not every Hornet or Tonale in the listed model years is affected, so check the VIN rather than assuming.

Stellantis (Chrysler) customer service: 800-853-1403 (recall reference 84D). NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline: 888-327-4236.

When this recall can become a California lemon law claim

A recall is not automatically a lemon — it is the manufacturer acknowledging a defect and offering a free fix. Your Dodge may qualify under California's Lemon Law if the recall repair is significantly delayed, doesn't resolve the problem, or your vehicle has other unrepaired warranty defects. In those cases you may be entitled to a buyback, replacement, or cash settlement, with the manufacturer paying your attorney fees. For the full breakdown, see the guides below.