The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is conducting an investigation into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs that are reported to experience sudden engine stalls, often failing to restart.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) highlighted that the investigation specifically involves 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs, which are experiencing unexpected “loss of motive power due to electrical concerns causing the engine to shut down with intermittent ability to restart.”
The Office of Defects Investigation has received around 80 consumer complaints concerning these engine stalls and power loss in vehicles produced by Stellantis. These vehicles are equipped with Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints indicate that the engine turns off unexpectedly, sometimes while the vehicle is moving at low speeds, leading to the vehicle shifting into park and activating the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
To date, no injuries have been linked to this malfunction, but the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that could potentially result in a recall. Stellantis has stated its full cooperation with the investigation.
This situation adds to a series of challenges for Stellantis, as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands reported a decline in sales during the second quarter. Additionally, earlier this month, the government began a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. In June, the company had to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software issue that could heighten the risk of a crash.