The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is probing approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of unexpected engine stalls, with many vehicles unable to restart.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are facing a sudden “loss of motive power” attributed to electrical issues, causing the engine to shut down and occasionally restart.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and power losses in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles, which feature the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints detail incidents where the engine shuts off unexpectedly, often while the vehicle is moving at low speeds, leading to an auto-shift into park and the engagement of the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
So far, there have been no reported injuries linked to this issue, and 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 inquiry comes as more bad news for Stellantis, which has seen a decline in sales for its Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government began a recall investigation into 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 raised the risk of crashes.