The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is investigating approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs that are experiencing unexpected engine stalls and difficulties in restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 2022 RAM 1500 pickups and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are facing sudden “loss of motive power” due to electrical issues that can lead to engine shutdowns, with intermittent restarting capabilities.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis vehicles, which are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints describe situations where the engine shuts off—often while the vehicle is in motion at slow speeds—resulting in the vehicle shifting into park and automatically engaging the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
Fortunately, no injuries have been reported linked to this issue, and the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that could potentially lead to a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the inquiry.
This investigation adds to the challenges faced by Stellantis, as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram have all reported declining sales in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also initiated a recall investigation for 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. Additionally, in June, the company had to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software flaw that could increase the risk of accidents.