The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is looking into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of unexpected engine stalls that often prevent the vehicles from restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicated that the 2022 RAM 1500 pickups and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing a sudden “loss of motive power because of electrical issues that cause the engine to shut down with limited ability to restart.”
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints 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.
Many complaints detail incidents where the vehicle’s engine would abruptly turn off, frequently while moving at low speeds, resulting in the vehicle shifting into park and engaging the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
No injuries have been reported related to this issue, and the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that could potentially result in a recall. Stellantis stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation represents another setback for Stellantis, which has seen decreased sales across its Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also began a recall investigation concerning 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. In June, the company was compelled to recall over 1 million North American vehicles due to a software bug that raised the risk of crashes.