The U.S. 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 and difficulties restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicated that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs may be experiencing a sudden “loss of motive power” caused by electrical issues that lead to engine shutdowns, with intermittent capabilities to restart.
So far, the Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and loss of power 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 unexpectedly while driving at low speeds, resulting in the vehicle shifting into park and engaging the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
There have been no reported injuries related to this issue, and the NHTSA’s preliminary investigation could potentially lead to a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with this investigation.
This inquiry adds to the recent challenging news for Stellantis as sales for brands like Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram fell in the second quarter. Earlier this month, a recall investigation was initiated regarding 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company had to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America following the discovery of a software bug that could heighten the risk of a crash.