The US Department of Transportation revealed on Monday that it is probing around 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of sudden engine stalls that frequently prevent the vehicles from restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing a sudden “loss of motive power” attributed to electrical issues that cause the engine to shut down, often with a 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 the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints detail instances where the engine shut down while the vehicle was moving at low speeds, resulting in unexpected changes to park mode and activating the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
Thus far, no injuries have been tied to this malfunction, and the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that could lead to a formal recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with this investigation.
This development adds to the challenges faced by Stellantis, as sales for the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands have declined in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also began a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company had to issue a recall for over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software issue that could elevate crash risks.