Stellantis launches an urgent recall on many Alfa Romeo Tonales... due to an engine defect that can have serious consequences

It's a recall campaign that's likely to be the talk of the town for owners of’Alfa Romeo Tonale. According to an official alert published in the European Safety Gate system, Tonale models equipped with the 160hp 1.5L GSE T4 DOHC hybrid petrol engine may have a defect serious enough to cause... a vehicle fire while driving.

The recall, registered under the internal code F60W, concerns vehicles produced between February 15, 2022 and February 12, 2026 - virtually the entire career of the Tonale 160 hp hybrid up to the present day. A campaign on this scale is rare for such a recent model.

Abnormal combustion that can cause engine failure

The problem identified by Stellantis and the European authorities concerns “abnormal combustion” in the 160 hp 1.5L turbo petrol engine. According to the official notification, this anomaly can cause excessive temperatures and pressures inside the cylinders.

The consequence is particularly serious: the deformation or even breakage of a connecting rod. When a connecting rod breaks in an internal combustion engine, the damage can become catastrophic in a matter of seconds. In the most serious cases, it can cause a fire to start while the vehicle is moving.

The official text published by the French authorities is very clear:

“Vehicles equipped with the GSE T4 DOHC 1.5 l (160 hp) engine may suffer damage due to deformation or breakage of the connecting rod, resulting from abnormal combustion. This can cause the vehicle to catch fire during operation.”

In other words, the intervention does not appear to be a simple routine software update. The problem directly affects the engine's internal mechanical components, suggesting a potentially major network operation. Alfa Romeo.

Tonale fires already observed for several months?

This recall campaign could also explain a number of incidents in Italy in recent months involving Alfa Romeo Tonales catching fire in spectacular fashion.

In February 2025, an Alfa Romeo Tonale suddenly burst into flames on the Torino-Caselle junction near Mappano. The driver had just enough time to stop and get out of the vehicle before the flames engulfed the entire passenger compartment. The Caselle and Torino Stura fire departments intervened to bring the blaze under control, forcing the temporary closure of traffic.

A few months later, in August 2025, an Italian police Alfa Romeo Tonale was completely destroyed by fire in Palermo. According to initial reports in the local press, the flames started in the engine compartment. Once again, the occupants managed to escape from the vehicle in time.

At the time, these incidents were presented as isolated cases, with technical investigations underway. But now, with this official European recall explicitly mentioning a fire hazard linked to the 1.5L 160 hp engine, it's hard not to make the connection.

Of course, this does not mean that every Tonale affected will catch fire. The fleet is large, and not all vehicles are likely to develop this defect. But the fact that Stellantis is launching a mandatory European recall campaign shows that the risk is considered serious enough to require rapid intervention.

Which Tonale are concerned?

The recall concerns Alfa Romeo Tonale models equipped with the 1.5L 160 hp hybrid petrol engine produced between February 2022 and February 2026.

Affected chassis numbers range from ZARNASDA8N3000423 to ZARNASAA7T3112289. The recall was officially published in the European Safety Gate system on May 8, 2026, with an effective date of March 20, 2026. France is the notifying country for this European procedure.

What should homeowners do?

For the owners concerned, the safest thing to do is to contact an Alfa Romeo dealer as soon as possible to check whether their vehicle is part of the F60W campaign.

Even if there are no visible symptoms (abnormal engine noise, loss of power or smoke), the problem may appear suddenly. The dealer will be able to check the vehicle's VIN number and confirm that the problem has been rectified.

Given the nature of the fault, it will also be interesting to see exactly what technical solution Stellantis opts for. A simple reprogramming of the engine seems unlikely, if the manufacturer is already talking about the risk of deformation or breakage of the connecting rod. Some units may therefore require more extensive mechanical intervention.