The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is investigating approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to issues with sudden engine stalls, which often result in the vehicles not 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 motive power due to electrical issues causing the engine to shut down, with intermittent capabilities to restart.”
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 complaints from consumers regarding engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles, which are equipped with the 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines from Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA).
Many complaints indicate that the engine would turn off while the vehicle was moving at low speeds, resulting in the vehicle shifting into park and applying the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
So far, no injuries have been reported as a result of this 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 investigation comes as recent challenges for Stellantis, with sales for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram declining in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also began a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. Additionally, in June, the company was required to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software glitch that could increase the risk of a crash.