The U.S. Department of Transportation announced an investigation into around 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of sudden engine stalls and difficulties in restarting. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicated that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are facing a sudden “loss of motive power” attributed to electrical issues that can cause the engine to shut down, sometimes with intermittent restarting capabilities.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 complaints from consumers regarding engine stalls and loss of power in these Stellantis vehicles, which are outfitted with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines. Many complaints detail incidents where the engine stops unexpectedly, particularly while moving at slow speeds, resulting in the vehicle automatically shifting into park and applying the emergency brake.
Thus far, no injuries related to this malfunction have been reported, but the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation, which may lead to a recall of the affected vehicles. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This latest inquiry adds to difficulties for Stellantis, as the brands Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram all reported declining sales in the second quarter. Additionally, earlier this month, a recall investigation was launched for 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company recalled over one million vehicles in North America due to a identified software bug that could elevate crash risks.