The US Department of Transportation announced 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.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has pointed out that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are facing a sudden “loss of motive power” stemming from electrical issues causing the engines to shut down, with inconsistent chances of restarting.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received around 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and power loss in the affected Stellantis vehicles, which are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
According to the NHTSA, several complaints indicate that the engine shuts off unexpectedly, particularly while driving at low speeds, leading the vehicle to shift into park and engage the emergency brake.
So far, no injuries have been reported as a result of these malfunctions. In response to the issue, the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation, which may result in a recall. Stellantis has stated that they are fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation adds to a series of challenges for Stellantis, as sales of its Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands declined in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also began a recall investigation into 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company had to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software bug that raised crash risks.