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 typically prevent the vehicles from restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicated that models affected include the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and the 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs, which are experiencing unexpected “loss of motive power” attributed to electrical issues causing the engine to shut down with occasional difficulties in restarting.
The NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and power losses in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles, all of which are fitted with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints detail instances where the engines turned off unexpectedly, often while the vehicles were moving at low speeds. In these cases, the vehicles would shift into park and apply the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
So far, no injuries have been reported as a result of this malfunction. The NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that might result in a recall. Stellantis has communicated to Quartz that it is cooperating fully with the investigation.
This investigation marks another setback for Stellantis, as the company’s brands, including Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram, experienced declining sales in the second quarter. Earlier this month, another recall investigation was launched involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. Additionally, in June, the company recalled over 1 million vehicles in North America following the discovery of a software bug that could heighten the risk of accidents.