The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is launching an investigation into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs, which are reported to have issues with sudden engine stalls that often prevent the vehicles from restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) noted that the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing a sudden “loss of motive power” attributed to electrical problems that lead to engine shutdowns with intermittent restarting abilities.
So far, the Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding these engine stall incidents in the Stellantis-manufactured vehicles, which are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines. Many complaints indicate that the engine shuts off unexpectedly, often while driving at lower speeds, causing the vehicle to shift into park and engage the emergency brake.
To date, there have been no reported injuries linked to these malfunctions, but the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation which could result in a recall. Stellantis has stated it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This development marks another setback for Stellantis, as its Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands experienced a decline in sales during the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also started a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, Stellantis was compelled to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software bug that heightened crash risks.