The US Department of Transportation announced an investigation into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of sudden engine stalls that frequently prevent the vehicles from restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated that certain 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing an unexpected “loss of motive power caused by electrical issues, leading to an engine shutdown with intermittent ability to restart.”
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and loss of power in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles, which feature the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
According to the NHTSA, many complaints indicate that the engine would turn off, often while driving at low speeds, causing the vehicle to shift into park and engage the emergency brake.
So far, there have been no reported injuries linked to this malfunction, but the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that may result in a recall. Stellantis confirmed its full cooperation with the investigation.
This investigation adds to the challenges facing Stellantis, as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram experienced declining sales during the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also launched a recall investigation into 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company had to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America when a software bug was identified that could heighten the risk of a crash.