The U.S. Department of Transportation has initiated an investigation into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of sudden engine stalls and difficulties in restarting the vehicles.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified that the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are facing issues related to a sudden loss of power attributed to electrical problems that cause the engine to shut down, with intermittent restart capabilities.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received around 80 complaints from consumers regarding engine stalls and power loss in vehicles produced by Stellantis. The affected models are equipped with the 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines from Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA).
Many of the complaints indicate that the engines shut off while the vehicles are being driven at slow speeds, leading to situations where the vehicles unexpectedly shift into park and activate the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
Fortunately, no injuries have been reported related to these engine malfunctions. The NHTSA’s preliminary investigation may progress to a formal recall. Stellantis has indicated its full cooperation with the inquiry.
This investigation poses additional challenges for Stellantis, as the company has seen a decline in sales across its Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands in the second quarter. Earlier this month, a recall investigation was also launched for 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. Additionally, in June, the company had to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software issue that raised crash risk concerns.