The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is looking into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs that are reporting sudden engine stalls and difficulties restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has noted that the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUV models are experiencing a sudden loss of power attributed to electrical issues that cause the engines to shut down, with intermittent success in restarting.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received around 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and power failures in vehicles manufactured by Stellantis. These vehicles feature the 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines from Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA).
Many consumers have reported that their vehicles’ engines would turn off, frequently while driving at low speeds, causing the vehicles to shift into park and engage the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
So far, there have been no reported injuries related to the engine malfunction, and the NHTSA has commenced a preliminary investigation, which may lead to a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation adds to the challenges facing Stellantis, as sales for the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands declined in the second quarter. Additionally, earlier this month, the government began a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company was compelled to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software issue that raised crash risk concerns.