Alfa Romeo, Dodge hybrid SUVs recalled for broken brake pedals

Stellantis is recalling 44,500 plug-in hybrid crossover SUVs globally because they may have brake pedals that crack under pressure.

The recall includes 2024-2025 Alfa Romeo Tonale and 2024 Dodge Hornet plug-in hybrid models, encompassing 21,069 vehicles in the U.S., Stellantis said Wednesday in a press release. The automaker is also recalling 2,299 vehicles in Canada, 145 in Mexico, and 20,987 in markets outside North America.

These plug-in hybrids may have fragile brake pedals that can collapse when pressed, rendering them unusable. Should this occur, drivers can pull the electronic parking brake tab on the center console to help slow the vehicle, according to Stellantis. The automaker also notes that, if activated, the automatic emergency braking system will intervene if a collision is deemed imminent.

Stellantis estimates that 5% of the recalled vehicles have this defect, and is aware of 15 cases of brake-pedal failure globally. One of those incidents caused a crash, Stellantis said, but the automaker is not aware of any injuries or fatalities related to this issue.

The remedy is reinforcement of the brake pedal, which dealers will perform free of charge. Stellantis expects to mail owner notification letters Oct. 24. Owners can also contact Stellantis customer service at 1-800-853-1403 or visit the automaker’s recall site for more information.

The Hornet and Tonale are closely related—perhaps more closely than Alfa Romeo’s product planners would have liked. The Tonale is sold exclusively as a plug-in hybrid in the U.S. and arrived here as a 2024 model. That’s the same model year that the Dodge Hornet plug-in hybrid—badged R/T—arrived. A non-hybrid version of the Hornet preceded it as a 2023 model.