The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is investigating approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs that have been experiencing unexpected engine stalls and difficulties in restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicated that the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are facing sudden “loss of motive power due to electrical issues causing the engine to shut down with intermittent restart capabilities.”
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles, which feature the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
According to the NHTSA, many complaints describe instances where the engine shut off, often while the vehicle was moving at low speeds. In such events, the vehicle would shift into park and engage the emergency brake.
Fortunately, there have been no reported injuries stemming from this malfunction, prompting the NHTSA to initiate a preliminary investigation that could potentially result in a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation adds to the challenges facing Stellantis, as sales for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram have all declined in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government began a recall investigation for 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 increased the risk of crashes.