The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is investigating approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to incidents of sudden engine stalls that frequently prevent the vehicles from restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are facing issues with a sudden “loss of motive power” attributed to electrical problems that cause the engine to shut off, with an inconsistent ability to restart.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and loss of power in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles, which are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints report that the engines shut off while the vehicles are traveling at low speeds, causing them to shift into park and engage the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
Fortunately, there have been no reported injuries related to this malfunction, prompting the NHTSA to initiate 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 sales for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands declined in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government began a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. Additionally, in June, the company had to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software error that heightened the risk of crashes.