The U.S. 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) revealed that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are facing a sudden “loss of motive power” linked to electrical issues that may cause the engine to shut down with sporadic capacity to restart.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints concerning engine stalls and loss of power in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles, which are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints indicate that the engine would unexpectedly turn off, often during low-speed travel, leading the vehicle to shift into park and engage the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
No injuries have been reported related to this issue, and the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that could possibly result in a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation marks another setback for Stellantis, as its Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands experienced a decline in sales during the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also began a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company had to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software glitch that heightened the risk of crashes.