49K Dodge Hornet & Alfa Romeo Tonale Recalled: Seat Belt Defect & CA Lemon Rights

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) has issued a significant safety recall affecting nearly 49,000 vehicles sold across two of its most recognizable nameplates. If you own a 2023–2025 Dodge Hornet or a 2023–2026 Alfa Romeo Tonale, federal regulators want you to know that your rear outboard seat belts may be defective — and that defect could put you and your passengers at serious risk in the event of a collision.

Here is what you need to know about the recall, what Chrysler is doing to fix it, and — critically — what your rights are under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act if your vehicle has been in and out of the shop for this or any related defect.

What Is NHTSA Recall 26V510000?

On August 6, 2026, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published recall campaign number 26V510000, initiated by Chrysler (FCA US, LLC). The recall covers 48,777 vehicles across the following model years and makes:

2023, 2024, and 2025 Dodge Hornet
2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 Alfa Romeo Tonale

The defect involves the rear outboard seat belt assemblies, which may become twisted and fail to retract properly after use.

Why a Seat Belt That Won’t Retract Is a Serious Safety Problem

A seat belt that fails to retract properly is not merely an inconvenience. According to NHTSA’s recall documentation, a seat belt that does not retract as designed may fail to restrain an occupant as intended, directly increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Seat belts are the single most effective passive safety system in any vehicle. When they malfunction — even partially — the consequences in a collision can be severe. Occupants who are not properly restrained face dramatically higher risks of striking interior surfaces, being ejected, or suffering serious injuries that a properly functioning belt would have mitigated.

This is not a minor compliance issue or a paperwork error. It is a core safety system failure affecting tens of thousands of vehicles on California roads today.

Chrysler’s Remedy and Owner Notification Timeline

According to the recall notice, dealers will replace the seat belt retractors free of charge. Chrysler’s internal reference number for this campaign is 84D.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed beginning September 24, 2026. If you believe your vehicle may be affected, you do not have to wait for the letter to arrive. You can:

Check whether your specific Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is included by visiting NHTSA.gov — VINs became searchable on August 15, 2026.
Contact Chrysler customer service directly at 1-800-853-1403.
Ask your local Chrysler, Dodge, or Alfa Romeo dealership to check your VIN.

If your vehicle is confirmed to be part of this recall, schedule the repair promptly. While the retractor replacement is free under the recall, the more important question for many California owners is what happens if the repair doesn’t fix the problem — or if you have already been dealing with seat belt issues and other defects under warranty.

California Lemon Law and Seat Belt Defects: Your Rights Under Song-Beverly

California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act — commonly called the California lemon law — is one of the strongest consumer protection statutes in the nation. It applies specifically to new motor vehicles purchased or leased in California and covered by a manufacturer’s express warranty. Here is what it means for Dodge Hornet and Alfa Romeo Tonale owners affected by this recall.

When Does a Recall Defect Become a Lemon Law Claim?

A safety recall and a lemon law claim are not the same thing — but they can and do overlap. Under Song-Beverly, a manufacturer is required to repair or replace a vehicle that has a defect covered by the manufacturer’s warranty that substantially impairs the vehicle’s use, value, or safety after a reasonable number of repair attempts.

A seat belt that fails to retract and cannot properly restrain occupants is unambiguously a safety-related defect. If you have taken your Dodge Hornet or Alfa Romeo Tonale to a dealership one or more times for this seat belt problem — or for other warranty-covered defects — and the issue persists or keeps returning, you may have grounds for a lemon law claim independent of or in addition to the recall remedy.

For a deeper look at how California lemon law overlaps with recall protection, see our guide on California Lemon Law vs. Recall Protection.

The Reasonable Number of Repair Attempts Standard

Song-Beverly does not require that a defect be uncorrectable — it requires that the manufacturer be given a reasonable number of attempts to fix it. California law creates a rebuttable presumption that a reasonable number of attempts has been exceeded if:

The same defect has been subject to four or more repair attempts within the warranty period and the problem continues; or
The vehicle has been out of service for 30 or more cumulative days during the warranty period due to repairs.

Importantly, the 30-day threshold does not need to consist of consecutive days. If your vehicle spent 10 days at the dealer in January, 12 days in April, and 9 days in July — all for covered warranty repairs — that totals 31 cumulative days and may trigger the lemon law presumption.

For more detail on how this works, our article on California lemon law presumption triggers explains the standard in plain language.

What Chrysler Must Do Under Song-Beverly

If your Dodge Hornet or Alfa Romeo Tonale qualifies as a lemon under California’s Song-Beverly Act, Chrysler is required to either:

Repurchase your vehicle — returning the full purchase price (including down payment, monthly payments made, and incidental costs such as towing and rental car expenses), minus a usage offset calculated based on the miles you drove before first reporting the defect; or
Replace your vehicle with a comparable new vehicle of equivalent value.

The manufacturer does not get to choose which option works best for them — California law gives the consumer significant leverage in this determination.

Attorney Fees Are Paid by the Manufacturer

One of the most consumer-friendly features of Song-Beverly is its one-way fee-shifting provision. If you prevail in a lemon law claim, Chrysler — not you — is responsible for paying your reasonable attorney fees and costs. This means you can pursue a legitimate lemon law claim without out-of-pocket legal costs, and it levels the playing field between individual consumers and large automotive manufacturers.

The 2x Civil Penalty for Willful Violations

Song-Beverly also provides for a civil penalty of up to two times the actual damages if a manufacturer is found to have willfully failed to comply with its repurchase or replacement obligations. If Chrysler knew about a defect and delayed or denied a valid claim, that conduct can support a penalty claim on top of the base recovery. This provision gives manufacturers a strong incentive to honor their warranty obligations — and gives consumers additional recourse when they do not.

What Dodge Hornet and Alfa Romeo Tonale Owners Should Do Now

If you own one of the affected vehicles, here is a practical roadmap:

Step 1: Verify your VIN. Go to NHTSA.gov or contact your dealership to confirm whether your specific vehicle is included in recall 26V510000.

Step 2: Schedule the recall repair. The retractor replacement is free. Get it done promptly to restore your seat belt system to proper function.

Step 3: Document everything. Keep every repair order, every dealer receipt, and every communication with the manufacturer or dealership. If this is not the first warranty repair your vehicle has needed, gather all prior repair documentation as well. Our guide on how to document your lemon law case walks through exactly what records matter.

Step 4: Track your out-of-service days. Note every day your vehicle is at the dealership for warranty repairs. The 30-day cumulative threshold under Song-Beverly can be reached more quickly than many owners realize.

Step 5: Consult a California lemon law attorney if the repair fails or if you have a history of warranty issues. If your seat belt problem is not resolved after the recall repair, or if your Hornet or Tonale has had multiple warranty repair visits for any covered defects, you may have a viable Song-Beverly claim. California lemon law attorneys represent clients on a contingency basis — meaning you pay nothing unless the case is resolved in your favor, and even then the manufacturer typically pays the fees.

California Dodge Hornet Lemon Law: What Owners Should Know

The Dodge Hornet launched for the 2023 model year as a compact crossover SUV, and it has attracted considerable attention both for its styling and for warranty-related complaints. California owners who have experienced persistent issues — whether seat belt-related or otherwise — with their 2023, 2024, or 2025 Hornet should be aware that Song-Beverly protections apply from the moment of purchase through the manufacturer’s warranty period.

Visit our Dodge Hornet model page for more information specific to this vehicle.

California Alfa Romeo Tonale Lemon Law: What Owners Should Know

The Alfa Romeo Tonale, introduced to the U.S. market for model year 2023, is a luxury compact crossover with a passionate owner base. When a safety-critical system like a seat belt is defective across nearly five model years of production — 2023 through 2026 — it raises legitimate questions about the thoroughness of the manufacturer’s quality control during that period.

For Tonale owners who have experienced repeated dealership visits, extended out-of-service periods, or unresolved safety complaints, California’s Song-Beverly Act provides a meaningful path to relief.

Visit our Alfa Romeo Tonale model page to learn more about your options.

Seat Belt Recalls and California Lemon Law: The Bigger Picture

This is not the first significant seat belt recall to raise lemon law concerns for California consumers. Chrysler has faced seat belt-related safety issues across multiple product lines in recent years. If you want to understand how seat belt defects and similar safety recalls intersect with your Song-Beverly rights in a broader context, our article on what defects are covered by California lemon law is a useful starting point.

A safety recall remedy — a free retractor replacement — addresses the immediate mechanical problem. But it does not address the broader consumer harm if your vehicle has been unreliable, has spent significant time at the dealership, or has left you and your family at risk. Song-Beverly was designed precisely for situations like this one.

Get a Free California Lemon Law Consultation

If you own a 2023–2025 Dodge Hornet or a 2023–2026 Alfa Romeo Tonale and have experienced seat belt problems, repeated warranty repairs, or extended dealer visits, you may have rights under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act that go beyond what the recall remedy provides.

Our California lemon law attorneys evaluate claims under Song-Beverly at no cost to you. We represent you in seeking the repurchase, replacement, or compensation you may be entitled to under California law — and if your claim succeeds, the manufacturer is responsible for attorney fees, not you.

Contact us today for a free, no-obligation case review. You have nothing to lose and potentially significant relief to gain.