The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is investigating approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of sudden engine stalls that often result in the vehicles not restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUV models are experiencing sudden “loss of motive power due to electrical issues that cause the engine to shut down with occasional difficulty in restarting.”
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many of the complaints describe incidents where the vehicle’s engine shuts off, often while driving at low speeds, causing the vehicle to shift into park and engage the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
Fortunately, no injuries related to this malfunction have been reported, prompting the NHTSA to initiate a preliminary investigation, which may potentially lead to a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This inquiry adds to the challenges faced by Stellantis, as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram all experienced declining sales in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also began a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. Additionally, in June, the company was compelled to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America after a software glitch was discovered that could heighten the risk of a crash.