The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is launching an investigation into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs that are reportedly experiencing sudden engine stalls and difficulties in restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are facing issues with a sudden “loss of motive power” stemming from electrical problems that cause the engine to shut down and have intermittent restart capabilities.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received around 80 consumer complaints related to engine stalls and loss of power in these Stellantis vehicles, which come equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many of these complaints detail incidents where the engine shuts off, particularly at low speeds, leading the vehicle to shift into park and engage the emergency brake, according to NHTSA statements.
So far, there have been no reported injuries linked to this malfunction, prompting the NHTSA to initiate a preliminary investigation that could potentially result in a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation adds to the challenges faced by Stellantis, as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram have all reported declining sales in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the government started a recall investigation concerning 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, Stellantis was compelled to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software issue that raised the risk of crashes.