The U.S. Department of Transportation has initiated an investigation into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of sudden engine stalls and difficulties in restarting the vehicles.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) highlighted that the affected models include 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs, which are experiencing a sudden “loss of motive power” attributed to electrical issues leading to engine shutdowns with intermittent restarting problems.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints related to engine stalls and loss of power in these Stellantis-made vehicles, which are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
According to the NHTSA, many complaints describe scenarios where the engine would turn off while the vehicle was moving at slow speeds, causing the vehicle to shift into park and engage the emergency brake.
No injuries have been reported connected to these malfunctions, prompting the NHTSA to launch a preliminary investigation that may result in a recall. Stellantis has stated it is fully cooperating with the inquiry.
This investigation adds to the challenges facing Stellantis, as sales for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram have declined in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also began a recall investigation concerning 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company had to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software issue that could heighten the risk of crashes.