The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is investigating approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of sudden engine stalls that often prevent the vehicles from restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking into 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs that are experiencing unexpected “loss of motive power” linked to electrical issues, causing the engine to shut down with varying ability to restart.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received around 80 consumer complaints concerning engine stalls and power loss in these vehicles, which are fitted with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
According to the NHTSA, many complaints detail incidents where the vehicle’s engine would shut off, frequently while moving at low speeds, resulting in the vehicle shifting into park and activating the emergency brake.
So far, there have been no reported injuries related to this malfunction, and the NHTSA has opened 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 Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands have reported declining sales during the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also initiated a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. Furthermore, in June, the company was required to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software issue that could heighten the risk of accidents.