The U.S. Department of Transportation disclosed on Monday that it is examining around 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to incidents of sudden engine stalls, often making it difficult for the vehicles to restart.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicated that the 2022 RAM 1500 trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are facing a sudden “loss of motive power caused by electrical issues leading to engine shutdown with intermittent restart capability.”
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 reports from consumers regarding engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis-engineered vehicles. These specific vehicles are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints suggest that the engines cut off unexpectedly, often while the vehicles are moving at low speeds, resulting in the vehicles shifting into park and activating the emergency brake, as reported by the NHTSA.
There have been no reported injuries related to this defect, and the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation, which may lead to a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This inquiry adds to a series of challenges for Stellantis, as sales for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram have all declined in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government initiated a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. Additionally, in June, the company was compelled to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software issue that could heighten the risk of accidents.