The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is launching an investigation into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of sudden engine stalls, with many vehicles failing to restart.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) highlighted that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing a sudden “loss of motive power” attributed to electrical issues that cause the engines to shut down with intermittent restarting capabilities.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints detailing engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis-produced vehicles, which are equipped with Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
According to the NHTSA, numerous complaints indicate that the engine shuts off unexpectedly while driving at low speeds, leading the vehicles to shift into park and engage the emergency brake.
Thus far, there have been no reported injuries related to this malfunction, 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 investigation adds to the challenges facing Stellantis, as sales for the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands declined in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also began a recall investigation into 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company was compelled to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software issue that could elevate crash risk.