The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is investigating approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to sudden engine stalls and difficulties in restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are facing a sudden loss of power attributed to electrical issues that can cause the engine to shut down, with intermittent restart capabilities.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and power loss 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 may shut off, particularly at slow speeds, causing the vehicle to automatically shift into park and engage the emergency brake, as stated by the NHTSA.
To date, there have been no reported injuries linked to this malfunction, and the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that may lead to a recall. Stellantis confirmed to Quartz that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation adds to the challenges facing Stellantis, as sales for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram have declined in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also began a recall investigation for 94,000 Jeep Wranglers and, in June, the company recalled over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software issue that heightened crash risks.