The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is investigating approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of sudden engine stalls that often prevent the vehicles from restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated that the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing unexpected “loss of motive power caused by electrical issues leading to engine shutdown and intermittent restart capabilities.”
So far, the Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles. These vehicles are outfitted with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints indicate that the engine would turn off unexpectedly, particularly at slow speeds, resulting in the vehicle shifting into park and activating the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
Fortunately, no injuries related to this malfunction have been reported, prompting the NHTSA to initiate a preliminary investigation that may result in a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the inquiry.
This investigation adds to the challenges facing Stellantis, as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram all recorded sales declines in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government began a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company was compelled to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software issue that increased crash risk.