The US Department of Transportation has announced a probe into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to incidents of sudden engine stalls that often prevent the vehicles from restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 2022 RAM 1500 pick-up trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are facing abrupt “loss of motive power” linked to electrical issues that cause the engine to shut down, with inconsistent abilities to restart.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis vehicles, which are powered by Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC’s (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints indicate that the engine would unexpectedly turn off while driving at low speeds, causing the vehicle to shift into park and engage the emergency brake, as per the NHTSA’s statement.
So far, there have been no reported injuries related to this issue, prompting the NHTSA to initiate a preliminary investigation that may result in a recall. Stellantis has stated it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation adds to the challenging period for Stellantis, which has reported declining sales for its Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands in the second quarter. Earlier in the month, a separate recall investigation was launched involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company recalled over 1 million vehicles in North America after discovering a software glitch that could heighten the risk of accidents.