The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is probing approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of unexpected engine stalls that often prevent the vehicles from restarting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that certain 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are facing a sudden “loss of motive power,” linked to electrical issues causing the engines to shut down with inconsistent ability to restart.
So far, the Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 consumer complaints regarding engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles, which are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
Many complaints indicate that the engine would turn off, frequently while the vehicle was moving at low speeds, resulting in the vehicle shifting into park and activating the emergency brake, according to the NHTSA.
No injuries have been reported as a result of this issue, and the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation, which could potentially lead to a recall. Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This inquiry adds to the challenges faced by Stellantis, as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram all reported a decrease in sales during the second quarter.
Earlier this month, the government began a recall investigation involving 94,000 Jeep Wranglers, and in June, the company was compelled to recall over 1 million vehicles in North America following the discovery of a software bug that could elevate the risk of accidents.