The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is launching an investigation into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of sudden engine stalls that often result in the vehicles not restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing unexpected “loss of motive power” attributed to electrical issues, which can cause the engine to shut down and affect its ability to restart intermittently.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received around 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and power loss in these vehicles, which are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints indicate that the engine shuts off while the vehicle is in motion, often at low speeds, leading the vehicle to automatically shift into park and activate the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
So far, there have been no reported injuries linked to this malfunction, prompting the NHTSA to initiate a preliminary investigation which could potentially lead to a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation comes as another setback for Stellantis. The company reported declining sales for its Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands in the second quarter.
Earlier this month, the government also began a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. In June, the company had to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software bug that increased the risk of crashes.