The US Department of Transportation revealed on Monday that it is looking into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of sudden engine stalls that frequently prevent the vehicles from restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicated that the affected models include the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and the 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs, which are experiencing a sudden “loss of motive power” due to electrical issues that cause the engines to shut down and only restart intermittently.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 complaints from consumers regarding engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with the 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines from Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA).
According to the NHTSA, many complaints describe incidents where the vehicle’s engine abruptly shuts off while driving at low speeds, resulting in the vehicle shifting into park and activating the emergency brake.
There have been no reported injuries linked to this malfunction, and the NHTSA has launched a preliminary investigation that may lead to a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This development adds to the challenges facing Stellantis, as sales for its Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands declined in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government initiated a recall investigation into 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company had to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software bug that could heighten the risk of accidents.