The US Department of Transportation revealed on Monday that it is investigating approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to issues of sudden engine stalls and difficulties in restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has indicated that the models affected include 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs, which are facing sudden “loss of motive power due 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 stalling and power loss in these Stellantis vehicles, which feature the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
According to the NHTSA, many complaints describe incidents where the engine shuts off, often at low speeds, causing the vehicle to shift into park and engage the emergency brake.
Thankfully, no injuries have been linked to this issue, and the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that may result in a recall. Stellantis has stated it is fully cooperating with the inquiry.
This investigation adds to the challenges facing Stellantis, as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram all reported sales declines in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government also began a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers. Furthermore, in June, the company had to recall more than 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software flaw that could increase crash risk.