The U.S. Department of Transportation announced an investigation involving approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs facing issues with sudden engine stalls that frequently prevent the vehicles from restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) highlighted that the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are suffering from a sudden “loss of motive power” attributed to electrical problems that cause the engines to shut down with an unpredictable chance of restarting.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints concerning engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles, which are fitted with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints indicate that the engine would shut off while driving at low speeds, resulting in the vehicle shifting into park and engaging the emergency brake, as stated by the NHTSA.
Fortunately, no injuries have been reported related to this malfunction, and the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that could lead to a recall. Stellantis has communicated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This incident adds to the challenges facing Stellantis, as brands such as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram reported declining sales in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government began investigating a recall for 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. In June, the company also recalled over 1 million vehicles in North America after a software glitch was discovered, which could potentially raise the risk of crashes.