The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is investigating approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of sudden engine stalls that often prevent the vehicles from restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing a sudden “loss of motive power” attributed to electrical issues that cause the engine to shut down, along with intermittent restart problems.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints detailing engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles. The affected models are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
According to the NHTSA, many complaints indicate that the engine would shut off unexpectedly, often while the vehicle was traveling at low speeds, leading to the vehicle shifting into park and engaging the emergency brake.
So far, there have been no reported injuries linked to this malfunction, but the NHTSA has launched a preliminary investigation that could potentially result in a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the inquiry.
This investigation adds to the woes facing Stellantis, as sales figures for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram all declined in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also initiated a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. Additionally, in June, Stellantis was compelled to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software defect that raised the risk of crashes.