The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is investigating around 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs that are reportedly facing sudden engine stalls, with many of these vehicles failing to restart.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) highlighted that the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing an unexpected “loss of motive power due to electrical issues that lead to engine shutdown with intermittent restart capability.”
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 complaints from consumers regarding engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles, which feature the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Numerous complaints indicate that the engine can turn off unexpectedly, often while the vehicle is moving at slow speeds, resulting in the vehicle shifting into park and activating the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
No injuries have been reported due to this malfunction, but the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that could potentially result in a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the probe.
This investigation adds to existing challenges for Stellantis, as sales of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands all experienced declines in the second quarter.
Earlier this month, the government started a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. In June, the company also had to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software glitch that increased the risk of crashes.