The US Department of Transportation announced an investigation into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs that are facing issues with sudden engine stalls, frequently leading to a failure to restart.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing sudden “loss of motive power” due to electrical issues, which result in the engine shutting down and sometimes being difficult to restart.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 complaints from consumers regarding these engine stalls and loss of power in vehicles manufactured by Stellantis, which are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints indicate that the engine shuts off, particularly while driving at low speeds, which causes the vehicle to shift into park and apply the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
Fortunately, no injuries have been reported due to this issue. The NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation, which could potentially result in a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation adds to the challenges faced by Stellantis, as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram reported a decline in sales during the second quarter. Earlier this month, a recall investigation was also launched for 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, more than 1 million vehicles in North America were recalled following the discovery of a software bug that increased the risk of a crash.