The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is investigating around 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to issues with sudden engine stalls that often prevent the vehicles from restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicated that the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are facing an unexpected “loss of motive power” attributed to electrical problems leading the engine to shut down, with intermittent restarts.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles, which utilize the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
According to the NHTSA, many complaints reveal that the vehicle’s engine can shut off while being driven at low speeds, resulting in the vehicle shifting into park and engaging the emergency brake.
There have been no reported injuries linked to this malfunction, and the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that may result in a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation adds to recent challenges faced by Stellantis, as sales for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram all saw a decline in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also began a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. Additionally, in June, the company was compelled to recall more than 1 million vehicles in North America following the discovery of a software bug that heightened the risk of crashes.