Are Dodge rear seats safe? Seat latch and striker recalls
This is a small group — three recalls, two different problems, no overlap in the years affected. The 2019 Grand Caravan is the serious one: welds on the outboard rear seat strikers for the second-row bench and bucket seats, and on the front outboard strikers for the third-row bench, may fail during a front impact crash, so a rear seat can come loose exactly when passengers need it held. The other two were announced the same day in August 2024 and describe an identical condition: on the 2023 Charger and the 2023 Challenger, the left rear seat back may not lock in the upright position, failing the federal seating systems standard.
Warning signs to watch for
- Left rear seat back tips or folds forward when you push on it
- Seat back never clicks or feels latched after you raise it upright
- A rear seat that feels loose or shifts on its mountings
- On the Grand Caravan the striker welds are structural, so there may be no sign you can see or hear before a crash
Is it safe to keep driving?
None of the three recalls tells owners to stop driving or park outside, and none limits normal use of the vehicle. The Charger and Challenger defect does not change how the car drives; it matters in a crash, so make sure the left rear seat back is fully upright and latched before anyone rides back there. The Grand Caravan weld problem also shows up only in a front impact, but it involves rear seats families often use for children, so schedule that repair soon.
What the free repair involves
Both repairs are free. On the 2019 Grand Caravan, dealers weld a striker reinforcement bracket onto the second-row and third-row outboard seat strikers. On the 2023 Charger and 2023 Challenger, dealers inspect the left rear seat back latch striker and adjust it as necessary, so some vehicles may need no parts at all.
Severity at a glance
| Severity | Recalls |
|---|---|
| high | 1 |
| medium | 2 |
Models affected most
Every recall in this group
| Date | Recall | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-08-01 | Dodge Charger left rear seat back may not lock | medium |
| 2024-08-01 | Dodge Challenger left rear seat back may not lock | medium |
| 2019-10-24 | Dodge Grand Caravan rear seat anchors may fail in crash | high |
Common questions
Can my kids ride in the back seats before the repair?
The notices place no limit on using the vehicle or its seats. Chrysler's concern is that the Grand Caravan rear seat strikers may fail in a front impact, which is why it asks owners to have the reinforcement brackets welded in soon.
How do I check whether my left rear seat back is locked?
Raise it fully upright and push firmly on the top of the seat back. If it moves forward or never feels like it latched, treat it as unlocked and have the dealer inspect and adjust the latch striker.
Why do the Charger and Challenger have the same recall?
Chrysler announced both on August 1, 2024, for the identical condition — a left rear seat back that may not lock upright, failing federal seating systems standard 207 — with the same inspect-and-adjust remedy and owner letters mailed August 15.
A recall applies only to specific vehicles. Check your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.