The US Department of Transportation revealed on Monday that it is looking into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs that have been reported to experience unexpected engine stalls, often failing to restart afterward.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicated that the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are facing an abrupt “loss of motive power,” attributed to electrical issues that can lead to engine shutdown with intermittent restart capabilities.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 complaints from consumers regarding engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles, which are outfitted with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many of the complaints describe situations where the engine shuts down while the vehicle is moving at low speeds, resulting in the vehicle shifting into park and activating the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
So far, there have been no reported injuries stemming from this malfunction, prompting the NHTSA to launch a preliminary investigation that may lead to a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This inquiry adds to the challenges facing Stellantis, as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram all reported a decrease in sales in the second quarter.
Additionally, earlier this month, the government initiated a recall investigation concerning 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. In June, the company was already compelled to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software glitch that heightened crash risks.