The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is investigating around 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of sudden engine stalls that often leave the vehicles unable to restart.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has stated that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing a sudden “loss of motive power” attributed to electrical issues that can cause the engine to shut down, with intermittent ability to restart.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 complaints from consumers regarding engine stalls and loss of power in these vehicles, which are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many of the complaints indicate that the vehicles’ engines can shut off unexpectedly, often at low speeds, causing the vehicle to shift into park and engage the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
Fortunately, no injuries have been reported as a result of these malfunctions. The NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation, which could potentially lead to a recall. Stellantis has confirmed that it is cooperating fully with the investigation.
This latest development adds to the mounting challenges facing Stellantis, as sales for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram saw declines in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government started a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, over 1 million vehicles were recalled in North America due to a software issue that heightened the risk of crashes.