The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is investigating approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs that have been reported to experience sudden engine stalls and difficulties restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that the vehicles affected include the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs, which are experiencing a sudden “loss of motive power due to electrical issues that cause the engine to shut down with intermittent ability to restart.”
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints concerning engine stalling and power loss in vehicles manufactured by Stellantis. These vehicles 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 often while the vehicle is moving at low speeds, causing the vehicle to shift into park and engage the emergency brake.
So far, there have been no reported injuries related to this malfunction, prompting the NHTSA to launch a preliminary investigation that may lead to a recall. Stellantis confirmed to Quartz that it is fully cooperating with the inquiry.
This investigation adds to the challenges facing Stellantis, as sales for its Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands declined in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government initiated a recall investigation concerning 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 could increase the risk of crashes.