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, which often result in the vehicles failing to restart.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the investigation pertains to 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs that are experiencing unexpected “loss of motive power” attributed to electrical issues leading to engine shutdowns, with intermittent ability to restart.
The Office of Defects Investigation received 80 consumer complaints detailing incidents of engine stalls and power loss in vehicles produced by Stellantis, which are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
The NHTSA reported that many complaints indicate that the engine tends to shut off while the vehicle is moving at slow speeds, causing the vehicle to shift into park and activate the emergency brake.
Currently, no injuries have been reported due to this malfunction, but the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that may lead to a recall. Stellantis has stated that the company is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This situation adds to the challenges faced by Stellantis, as sales for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram have declined in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also began a recall investigation into 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, Stellantis was compelled to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America following the discovery of a software bug that heightened the risk of a crash.