The U.S. 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 and difficulties in restarting the vehicles.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing unexpected “loss of motive power linked to electrical issues that cause the engine to shut down with sporadic chances of restarting.”
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 complaints from consumers regarding engine stalls and power loss in the affected Stellantis-manufactured vehicles. These models feature the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints indicate that the engine would unexpectedly turn off, often while the vehicle was moving at a slow speed, resulting in the vehicle shifting into park and activating the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
Fortunately, there have been no reports of injuries related to this malfunction, but the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that may lead to a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation.
This investigation adds to the challenges facing Stellantis, as sales for its Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands fell during the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government started a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. Additionally, in June, the company had to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software issue that increased the risk of crashes.