NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE24-018: Engine Stall With Intermittent Restart
- Open
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE24-018 on July 19, 2024; NHTSA's investigations file listed it as open on October 23, 2026. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Jeep Wagoneer and Ram 1500 for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE24-018 (also written PE24018)
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
- Status
- Open since July 19, 2024
- Opened
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
- Components
- Electrical System; Electrical System — 12V/24V/48V Battery; Electrical System — Alternator/Generator/Regulator; Electrical System — Body Control Module/BCM; Electrical System — Body Control Module — Software; Engine; Engine and Engine Cooling — Engine — Engine Control Module (ECU/ECM); Engine and Engine Cooling — Engine — Engine Control Module (ECU/ECM) — Software; Hybrid Propulsion System; Hybrid Propulsion System — Inverter
- Vehicles and equipment
- Jeep Wagoneer and Ram 1500
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE24-018.
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 80 consumer complaints alleging an engine stall and loss of motive power on model year (MY) 2022 RAM 1500 pickup trucks and 2022 Jeep Wagoneer SUV vehicles. The particular engines in the subject vehicles are equipped with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive Group LLC (FCA) 5.7L Hemi eTorque system. The eTorque system is a mild hybrid system that lets the vehicle partially power itself. It accomplishes this by converting the captured energy from the braking system into electricity for the battery pack, which is then used to power a variety of electrical components. ETorque engines replace the alternator with a 48-volt battery-powered belt drive and a motor generator. The motor generator provides extra torque to the crankshaft during gear changes. Simultaneously, the motor generator uses the 48-volt battery pack to increase torque. Many of the complaints state that the vehicle's engine would shut off, often while travelling at slow speed, the vehicle would shift into park and apply the emergency brake. The vehicles were sometimes able to be restarted. In addition, complaints state that the malfunction warning light with the battery fault symbol appeared on the dash. Many complaints state that a low voltage condition fault is present, sometimes not being able to restart the vehicle. On April 13, 2023, FCA announced recall 23V-265 describing a defect in certain 2021 Ram 1500 vehicles equipped with 5.7L eTorque engines. The recall described a defect in the powertrain control module software can cause an incorrect fuel mixture condition in the engine, and result in an engine stall. In February of 2024, ODI provided the complaints on the 2022 Ram 1500 and Wagoneer vehicles to FCA. After reviewing the complaints, FCA stated that “the loss of motive power was likely not caused by an over rich fuel condition (as outlined in recall 23V-265), but rather some other cause (e.g., an electrical concern that causes the engine to shut down).” A Preliminary Evaluation has been opened to assess the scope, frequency, root cause(s) and consequences of these loss/stall of motive power incidents. Additionally, ODI may expand the scope of the subject population during the investigation, if needed. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE24-018. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
Jeep
Jeep Wagoneer
Ram
Ram 1500
What an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE24-018
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.