The US Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it is looking into approximately 150,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs due to reports of sudden engine stalls, which often prevent vehicles from restarting.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUVs are experiencing a sudden loss of power attributed to electrical issues that cause the engine to shut down, with only intermittent capability to restart.
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 80 complaints from consumers regarding engine stalls and power loss in these Stellantis-manufactured vehicles, which utilize the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque hybrid engines.
The NHTSA noted that many complaints indicated the engine would turn off unexpectedly, often while driving at low speeds, leading to the vehicle shifting into park and activating the emergency brake.
Thankfully, no injuries have been linked to this malfunction, although the NHTSA has initiated a preliminary investigation that may result in a recall. Stellantis stated that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
This investigation adds to a series of challenges for Stellantis, as sales for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram decreased 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 recall over 1 million vehicles in North America due to a software glitch that raised crash risk.