The US Department of Transportation has initiated an investigation into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of sudden engine stalls, which often lead to difficulties in restarting the vehicles.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) highlighted that the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing an unexpected “loss of motive power” attributed to electrical issues that cause the engine to shut down, with intermittent capability to restart.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and power loss in vehicles manufactured by Stellantis, which utilize the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
According to the NHTSA, many complaints indicate that the engine would shut off while the vehicle was moving at slow speeds, resulting in the vehicle shifting into park and activating the emergency brake.
Fortunately, there have been no reported injuries related to this engine malfunction. The NHTSA has launched a preliminary investigation that could potentially lead to a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the inquiry.
This investigation adds to the challenges facing Stellantis, as brands like Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram reported declining sales in the second quarter. Additionally, the government recently opened a recall investigation concerning 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, over 1 million vehicles in North America were recalled due to a software bug that elevated the risk of a crash.