The US Department of Transportation revealed on Monday that it is investigating approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs that have been reported to experience unexpected engine stalls and difficulties restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicated that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing sudden “loss of motive power due to electrical issues resulting in engine shutdowns, with intermittent ability to restart.”
The Office of Defects Investigation has received around 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and power losses in vehicles manufactured by Stellantis. These vehicles are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints detail incidents where the engine unexpectedly turned off, often at low speeds, causing the vehicle to shift into park mode and apply the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
Fortunately, there have been no reported injuries linked to this malfunction, and the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that may lead to a recall. Stellantis has announced its full cooperation with the ongoing investigation.
This investigation adds to ongoing challenges for Stellantis, which has witnessed declining sales for its Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also began a recall investigation into 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, over 1 million vehicles were recalled in North America due to a software bug that raised the risk of crashes.