The US Department of Transportation announced an investigation into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs that are reportedly experiencing sudden engine stalls and difficulties restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicated that the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are facing a sudden “loss of motive power due to electrical issues leading to engine shutdown, with intermittent restart capability.”
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints about these engine stalls and power losses in vehicles produced by Stellantis, which are equipped with 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, oftentimes while driving at low speeds, with the vehicle shifting into park and applying the emergency brake.
No injuries stemming from this malfunction have been reported, prompting the NHTSA to initiate a preliminary investigation that could result in a recall. Stellantis stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation marks another challenge for Stellantis, as sales for brands including Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram saw a decline in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government began a recall investigation into 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company was compelled to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software issue that raised crash risk.