The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is looking into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of sudden engine stalls and difficulties restarting the vehicles.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are facing a sudden “loss of motive power” attributed to electrical issues that cause the engine to shut down, often with intermittent restarting capability.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles, which use the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
According to the NHTSA, many complaints indicate that the engine can unexpectedly shut off, particularly while driving at low speeds, resulting in the vehicle shifting into park and activating the emergency brake.
So far, there have been no reported injuries related to this malfunction, and the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that may lead to a recall. Stellantis stated that it is fully cooperating with the ongoing inquiry.
This investigation adds to the series of challenges faced by Stellantis, as sales of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands all declined in the second quarter. Earlier this month, a recall investigation was launched for 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company was compelled to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America after a software glitch was identified that could raise the risk of accidents.