Stellantis, the automotive giant, has issued a major recall for its smallest North American SUVs, the Dodge Hornet and Alfa Romeo Tonale, due to a potentially catastrophic issue: the brake pedal can collapse. Approximately 17,000 Dodge Hornets and 4,000 Alfa Romeo Tonales are affected by this recall, requiring a total of 21,069 vehicles to return to dealerships for repairs.
To address the problem, technicians will reinforce the brake pedals with an additional nut and bolt. This action is prompted by 12 reported instances of pedal failures, including one accident, fortunately resulting in no injuries. The failures have occurred during normal driving conditions, not under extreme circumstances like track driving.
Stellantis advises drivers who experience a brake pedal collapse to utilize the Electronic Park Brake, located on the center console, to bring the vehicle to a controlled stop. Additionally, the automatic emergency braking system is designed to intervene and slow down the car in the event of an imminent collision, unless it has been deactivated by the driver.
The affected vehicles were manufactured at the Stellantis plant in Turin between July 20, 2023, and September 26, 2024. Those produced before or after this period are equipped with a different pedal assembly and are not subject to the recall.
This is not the first time Stellantis has had to recall the Hornet and Tonale. The SUVs have been involved in four previous safety recalls. In September 2023, 4,129 vehicles were recalled due to a loose battery cable that posed a fire risk. The following month, the same number of vehicles were recalled because the pedestrian alert siren was disconnected. Additionally, Stellantis issued two less severe recalls in March 2024 to address missing weight and tire information labels required by federal safety regulations.