The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is launching an investigation into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs that are facing issues with sudden engine stalls, which frequently result in the vehicles not restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing a sudden “loss of motive power” linked to electrical problems, leading to engine shutdowns, with intermittent capability to restart.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints detailing incidents of engine stalls and loss of power in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles, which are fitted with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints indicate that the engine shuts off, often at slow speeds, causing the vehicles to shift into park and activate the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
So far, no injuries have been reported due to this malfunction, prompting the NHTSA to initiate a preliminary investigation that may result in a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This latest development comes amid other challenges for Stellantis, as sales for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram have all declined in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government began a recall investigation concerning 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company had to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software glitch that could heighten the risk of a crash.