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 that frequently prevent the vehicles from restarting.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing an alarming “loss of motive power” attributed to electrical issues that cause the engine to shut down, with sporadic ability to restart.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles, which are outfitted with Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints indicate that the engine can shut off unexpectedly, often at low speeds, resulting in the vehicle shifting into park and engaging the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
Thankfully, there have been no reported injuries linked to this malfunction, leading the NHTSA to initiate a preliminary investigation that could potentially result in a recall. Stellantis has expressed its commitment to fully cooperating with this investigation.
This probe marks yet another challenge for Stellantis, as it has reported declining sales for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram during the second quarter. Earlier this month, a recall investigation was also launched into 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company was obliged to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software bug that elevated the risk of crashes.