A defect on certain Stellantis-built SUVs could cause the front seat airbags to not deploy in a crash.
If you own an Alfa Romeo Giulia or Stelvio, a Fiat 500X or 500e, or a Jeep Renegade, you’ll want to pay attention to this latest recall. Stellantis recalled 332,000 vehicles within the past week for an issue concerning their front seat belt buckle switch sensor. The sensor may be improperly connected, meaning it may not detect whether a front passenger has their seat belt buckled. As a result, the front seat air bag may not deploy as intended in an accident.
The issue affects the 2017-2024 Alfa Romeo Giulia and the 2018-2025 Stelvio, as well as the 2019-2023 Fiat 500X (and the similar Jeep Renegade), and the brand-new 2024 Fiat 500e. The automaker told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that around 10% of the vehicles in the recall population have the defect.
According to documents the agency published this week: “A disrupted connector on the buckle switch hall effect may affect the conduction on the connectors of the seat wiring and buckle which may cause the front seat air bag to not perform as expected during a crash.” So, even if the passenger has their seat belt on, the problematic sensor will not tell the car’s onboard computer that it is buckled, and the system may not deploy the front seat airbag.
Through June 26, 2024, Stellantis says it has documented 578 field reports in North America related to the problem. However, it also told regulators is not aware of any injuries due to a seat buckle switch sensor failure, in any market.
Stellantis’ plan to fix the problem is to replace the connector, directly wiring the sensor to the wiring harness with a solder tube. Technicians will make that repair free of charge, though after it notifies owners and dealers on August 22. The company will also reimburse customers who paid to fix the issue out of their own pocket.
