The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is investigating approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to issues of sudden engine stalls that frequently prevent the vehicles from restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are facing unexpected “loss of motive power due to electrical issues that can cause the engine to shut down, with sporadic ability to restart.”
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints detailing engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles, which are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many of the complaints indicate that the engines shut off unexpectedly, often while driving at low speeds, which caused the vehicles to shift into park and apply the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
So far, there have been no reported injuries linked to this issue, and the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that could result in a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation adds to the challenges facing Stellantis, as brands like Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram have all experienced sales declines in the second quarter.
Earlier this month, the government also began a recall investigation into 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. In June, Stellantis was required to recall more than 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software bug that increased the risk of crashes.