The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is investigating approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to issues involving sudden engine stalls, which often leave the vehicles unable to restart.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that the 2022 Ram 1500 pickups and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are facing a sudden loss of power triggered by electrical problems that can cause the engine to shut down, with intermittent capabilities for restarting.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles, which feature the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
The NHTSA indicated that many complaints describe the engine shutting off while the vehicle is moving at low speeds, leading to unexpected shifts into park and engagement of the emergency brake.
Fortunately, there have been no reported injuries associated with this issue, 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 inquiry comes as yet another setback for Stellantis, as sales for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram all declined in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also began a recall investigation for 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. Additionally, in June, the company was compelled to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America following the discovery of a software glitch that could heighten the risk of a crash.