The US Department of Transportation announced an investigation into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs that are reportedly experiencing sudden engine stalls, often failing to restart.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) highlighted that the affected vehicles include the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs. These vehicles are reportedly facing a “loss of motive power due to electrical issues, leading to engine shutdowns with intermittent restart capability.”
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding the engine stalls and loss of power 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 would unexpectedly shut off, often while the vehicle is moving at low speeds, causing the vehicle to inadvertently shift into park and engage the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
As of now, there have been no reported injuries linked to this issue. The NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation, which may result in a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation marks another setback for Stellantis, as sales for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands declined in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also began a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company had to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software error that increased the risk of crashes.