The US Department of Transportation announced Monday that it is investigating approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs experiencing sudden engine stalls and difficulties in restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUV vehicles are encountering a sudden loss of power due to electrical issues, causing the engine to shut down and restart intermittently.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints about engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints indicate that the vehicle’s engine would shut off, often while travelling at slow speeds, causing the vehicle to shift into park and apply the emergency brake, according to NHTSA.
No injuries have been reported due to this malfunction. The NHTSA has opened a preliminary investigation, which could lead to a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation adds to Stellantis’ recent challenges, as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram experienced declining sales in the second quarter.
Earlier this month, the government initiated a recall investigation into 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. In June, Stellantis was forced to recall more than 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software bug that could increase the risk of a crash.