The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday an investigation into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of sudden engine stalls that often prevent the vehicles from restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) noted that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are facing a sudden loss of power caused by electrical issues, leading the engine to shut down with intermittent ability to restart.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and power loss in the affected Stellantis vehicles, which are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints describe situations in which the engine shuts off, particularly at slow speeds, resulting in the vehicle shifting into park and applying the emergency brake. The NHTSA stated that no injuries have been reported related to this failure, and the preliminary investigation could potentially lead to a recall. Stellantis has confirmed its full cooperation with the investigation.
This investigation marks another setback for Stellantis, as the company’s brands, including Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram, experienced a decline in sales in the second quarter. Additionally, earlier this month, the government initiated a recall investigation for 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, over 1 million vehicles were recalled in North America due to a software glitch that raised the risk of accidents.