The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is investigating approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to incidents of sudden engine stalls, which often result in the vehicles being unable to restart.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing an unexpected “loss of motive power” caused by electrical issues that lead to engine shutdowns, with intermittent ability to restart.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints related to 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.
Many complaints indicate that the engine may shut off, particularly while driving at low speeds, resulting in the vehicle shifting into park and engaging the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
To date, no injuries have been linked to this malfunction, prompting the NHTSA to initiate a preliminary investigation that could potentially lead to a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation represents another setback for Stellantis, as sales for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands have declined in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government began a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company had to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software issue that could heighten the risk of a crash.