The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is launching an investigation into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of sudden engine stalls and difficulties in restarting the vehicles.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that certain 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing a sudden “loss of motive power” linked to electrical issues, resulting in engine shutdowns with inconsistent restarting capabilities.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 complaints from consumers regarding engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis vehicles, which are powered by the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many of the complaints indicate that the engine would unexpectedly shut off, frequently while the vehicle was moving at low speeds, leading to automatic shifting into park and engagement of the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
Fortunately, no injuries have been reported linked to this defect, and the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that could result in a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with this investigation.
This investigation comes during a challenging period for Stellantis, as its brands Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram all experienced a drop in sales during the second quarter.
Earlier this month, the government also began a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. Additionally, in June, the company had to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software issue that heightened the risk of a crash.