- Stellantis is expanding a recall for plug-in hybrid brake pedals that could collapse.
- Nearly 6,000 Dodge and Alfa Romeo crossovers have been added.
- The total number of affected U.S.-market vehicles is now around 27,000.
Dodge and Alfa Romeo are recalling nearly 6,000 plug-in hybrid crossovers sold in the United States because their brake pedals could collapse under hard braking. It goes without saying that a snapped brake pedal arm increases the risk of an accident because it makes stopping very hard.
The 2024 Dodge Hornet PHEV and 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV are both affected by the recall, with 3,286 units of the former and 2,688 of the latter being included. The thing is, however, that this latest recall is simply an expansion of another recall issued last year, when the owners of 21,000 cars were told to go to the dealer to get the issue fixed. Now, the total number of cars affected by the same issue has gone up to 27,000 in the U.S.
To fix the problem, dealers will reinforce the brake pedal arms with a nut and a bolt, but the arms will only be replaced if they’re broken. If the pedal snaps while in traffic, Stellantis advises owners to pull up and hold the electronic park brake button until the car comes to a controlled stop.
Furthermore, the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system will do its job and put on the brakes automatically if it detects that a collision is imminent–as long as it wasn’t deactivated. Personally, that’s one situation I wouldn’t want to be in.
Stellantis said that it is aware of one accident related to this issue that happened in Europe, but that there are no injuries related to this issue in any of the markets where the two cars are sold. That’s just for the cars included in the latest international recalls. Previously, 15 cases were reported globally.
The Dodge Hornet PHEV and the Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV are based on the same architecture, and both are built at the Stellantis Pomigliano plant in Italy. The potentially problematic brake pedal arm was also made in Italy.
