The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is investigating approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs that are experiencing unexpected engine stalls and difficulties in restarting.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the issues pertain to 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs, which are facing sudden “loss of motive power due to electrical concerns causing the engine to shut down with an intermittent ability to restart.”
The Office of Defects Investigation reported receiving 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and power loss in the vehicles produced by Stellantis. These models are outfitted with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints indicate that the engine would unexpectedly shut off while driving at low speeds, causing the vehicle to shift into park and activate the emergency brake, as reported by the NHTSA.
Fortunately, no injuries have been linked to the malfunction, prompting the NHTSA to initiate a preliminary investigation that may lead to a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation adds to the challenges facing Stellantis, as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram have all reported declining sales in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also began a recall investigation into 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, while in June, the company had to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software issue that raised the risk of a crash.