The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is launching an investigation into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to issues with sudden engine stalls and difficulties in restarting the vehicles.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing unexpected “loss of motive power” attributed to electrical issues causing engine shutdowns, which may intermittently allow for restarts.
So far, the Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer reports detailing problems with engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles. The affected models are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many of the complaints mention that the engine unexpectedly shuts off, often while driving at low speeds, resulting in the vehicle shifting into park and automatically applying the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
Fortunately, no injuries have been reported related to this issue. The NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation, which may potentially lead to a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the inquiry.
This investigation adds to the recent challenges faced by Stellantis, as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands all reported 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 due to a software issue that could heighten crash risks.