The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is launching an investigation into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of sudden engine stalls that often prevent the vehicles from restarting.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs have been experiencing a sudden “loss of motive power” attributed to electrical issues that cause the engines to shut down with intermittent chances of restarting.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and loss of power in these Stellantis vehicles, which feature the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines. Many of the complaints indicate that the engine would unexpectedly shut off, often while the vehicle was moving at low speeds, leading the vehicle to shift into park and engage the emergency brake.
Fortunately, no injuries have been reported due to this malfunction, but the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that could lead to a recall. Stellantis has confirmed that it is fully cooperating with this investigation.
This investigation adds to the ongoing challenges faced by Stellantis, as sales of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram models have declined in the second quarter of the year. Earlier this month, the government also initiated a recall investigation concerning 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, Stellantis recalled over 1 million vehicles in North America following the discovery of a software bug that could heighten the risk of crashes.