The U.S. Department of Transportation has initiated an investigation into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs facing sudden engine stalls and difficulties in restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing unexpected “loss of motive power due to electrical issues resulting in engine shutdowns, with inconsistent opportunities to restart.”
So far, the Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 complaints from consumers about engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis vehicles, which are powered by the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints indicate that the engine would shut off, often while the vehicle was moving at low speeds, leading the vehicle to shift into park and engage the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
Fortunately, no injuries have been linked to the reported malfunction, prompting the NHTSA to open a preliminary investigation that could potentially result in a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the inquiry.
This investigation adds to the challenges faced by Stellantis, as the automaker has reported declining sales for its Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands in the second quarter. Earlier this month, a recall investigation for 94,000 Jeep Wranglers was launched, and in June, the company had to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software glitch that could raise the risk of a crash.