The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is probing around 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs that have been facing sudden engine stalls and frequent issues with restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are suffering from an unexpected “loss of motive power due to electrical issues that can cause the engine to shut down, with intermittent capacity to restart.”
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 complaints from consumers regarding engine stalls and power loss in vehicles manufactured by Stellantis. The affected models are powered by the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
The NHTSA mentioned that many complaints indicate that the engine shuts off while the vehicle is moving at low speeds, causing it to shift into park and engage the emergency brake.
So far, there have been no reported injuries linked to this malfunction, prompting the NHTSA to initiate a preliminary investigation that could result in a recall. Stellantis confirmed to Quartz that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation is another setback for Stellantis, as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands reported a decline in sales during the second quarter.
Earlier this month, the government also began a recall investigation into 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. Additionally, in June, the company had to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software glitch that heightened the risk of accidents.