The U.S. 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, which often 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 a sudden “loss of motive power” linked to electrical issues causing the engines to shut down and intermittently fail to restart.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints alleging engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis-produced vehicles, which are equipped with Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group’s (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints indicate that the engine can shut off unexpectedly, particularly while the vehicle is moving at low speeds, resulting in it shifting into park and applying the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
Thus far, there have been no reported injuries connected to this malfunction. The NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that may lead to a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is cooperating fully with the investigation.
This investigation adds to a series of challenges for Stellantis, as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram all reported declining sales in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also began investigating a recall for 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company was compelled to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America following the identification of a software glitch that could elevate crash risks.