The US Department of Transportation has initiated an investigation into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to issues with sudden engine stalls that often prevent the vehicles from restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are facing an unexpected “loss of motive power due to electrical problems leading to engine shutdown,” with intermittent restart capabilities.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received around 80 consumer reports detailing problems with engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis vehicles, which come equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints indicate that the engine shuts off while the vehicle is moving at low speeds, causing it to shift into park and engage the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
Currently, there have been no reported injuries linked to this malfunction, but the NHTSA’s preliminary investigation may result in a recall. Stellantis announced that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation adds to the challenges facing Stellantis, which has reported a decline in sales for their Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands during the second quarter. Earlier this month, a recall investigation was also launched for 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company recalled over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software flaw that could raise the risk of accidents.