The US Department of Transportation announced Monday that it is investigating approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of sudden engine stalls that often prevent the vehicles from restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing a sudden loss of power attributable to electrical issues, which can cause the engines to shut down intermittently.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and power loss in the affected Stellantis 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 turn off while the vehicle was moving slowly, resulting in the vehicle automatically shifting into park and engaging the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
So far, no injuries have been reported due to the malfunction, and the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that could lead to a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This development marks another challenge for Stellantis, as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram have all experienced declining sales during the second quarter. In addition, a recall investigation was recently launched into 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company recalled over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software issue that could heighten the risk of crashes.