The U.S. Department of Transportation announced an investigation into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs after reports of sudden engine stalls and difficulty restarting the vehicles.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has noted that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing unexpected “loss of motive power” linked to electrical issues that can result in the engine shutting down, with intermittent capability to restart.
Eighty consumer complaints regarding these engine stalls and power losses have been filed with the Office of Defects Investigation, particularly concerning vehicles featuring the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many of the complaints describe instances where the vehicle’s engine shuts off while driving at low speeds, prompting the vehicle to shift into park and engage the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
So far, there have been no reported injuries related to this malfunction, and the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation, which could lead to a recall. Stellantis, the parent company, stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This latest issue adds to the challenges faced by Stellantis, as sales for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands declined in the second quarter. Earlier in the 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 problem that raised crash risks.