The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is conducting an investigation into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs that are facing sudden engine stalls and difficulties restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 2022 RAM 1500 pickups and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are suffering from a sudden “loss of motive power due to electrical issues causing the engine to shut down with intermittent restart capabilities.”
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and loss of power in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles. The affected models are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints indicate that the engine would turn off while the vehicle was moving at low speeds, causing it to shift into park and apply the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
So far, no injuries have been associated with this malfunction, prompting the NHTSA to initiate a preliminary investigation that could potentially lead to a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation adds to a series of challenges for Stellantis, as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram have all reported declining sales in the second quarter.
Additionally, earlier this month, the government commenced a recall investigation concerning 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. In June, the company had to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America after a software glitch was discovered that could elevate the risk of a crash.