- 21,000 Dodge Hornet and Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEVs in the United States are being recalled.
- The brake pedal may collapse during braking, which increases the risk of a collision.
- Stellantis, the company that owns Dodge and Alfa Romeo, said drivers can use the parking brake to come to a controlled stop if needed.
Stellantis, the auto giant that owns Alfa Romeo, Dodge and 13 other car brands, is recalling an estimated 21,096 U.S.-market plug-in hybrid crossovers because the brake pedal might collapse during braking.
The 2024 Dodge Hornet PHEV and the 2024-2025 Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV are affected by the recall, with roughly 17,000 units of the former and approximately 4,000 units of the latter potentially involved, according to the recall report posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website.
The affected vehicles will need to go to a dealer to have their brake pedal arms reinforced (not changed) by adding a bolt and nut. Globally, approximately 44,000 cars are included in the recall, with an estimated 2,299 in Canada, 145 in Mexico and 20,987 outside North America. All vehicles were built at the Stellantis Pomigliano plant in Italy.
If the brake pedal collapses during braking, Stellantis recommends drivers use the Electronic Park Brake located on the center console. While driving, the car can come to a controlled stop by pulling up and holding the parking brake switch. When emergency braking is needed, however, it’s hard to imagine someone reaching for the parking brake after the brake pedal suddenly goes to the floor.
But don’t fret, Stellantis says that the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system will put the brakes on automatically if it detects a collision is imminent–if the system has not been deactivated. I, for one, would not like to be in the driver’s seat when that happens.
The company said it is aware of 15 cases globally where the brake pedal collapsed, including one accident, with no injuries reported.
