No recall has been issued yet, but over 2.3 million vehicles are currently part of the investigation.
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a probe into 2.3 million US market models from Honda, Ram, and Jeep over reports of sudden power loss.
- Owners reported total power loss at highway speeds, loss of hydraulic braking pressure, and even inadvertent differential locking, though no crashes or injuries have been reported to date.
- Jeep’s Compass and Ram’s 2500 and 3500 series trucks are all subject to the investigation, while Honda’s CR-V and HR-V lineup accounts for 1.7 million units in the probe.
Long gone are the days with no power steering and no power brakes, thanks to robust electrical and hydraulic systems that make driving easier. Consumers have rightfully come to expect light steering, modulated brake pedals, and a suite of instruments at their disposal. When these systems fail, however, it can quickly become an emergency. For hundreds of Honda, Jeep, and Ram owners, this emergency scenario became reality, and millions of models are now under watch by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Launching a probe into cases of sudden power loss, the NHTSA will be investigating claims from hundreds of Honda CR-V/HR-V, Jeep Compass, and Ram 2500/3500 owners that their vehicles randomly lose power at the least opportune times. Over 1.7 million of Honda’s popular crossover lineup from 2019-2022 are included in this inquiry, as a result of a sudden loss of power accompanied by rear differential lockups.
The total number of 2017-2018 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks under investigations adds up to 390,000 units.
Dodge
Ram 2500-3500 pickups from 2017-2018 are also included in the same investigation, with 134 reports of intermittent or permanent loss of braking performance. Likewise, Jeep’s Compass crossover from 2019-2020 is subject to examination, following 15 complaints of total power loss following high coolant-temperature messages. Around 620,000 units from Stellantis are currently included in NHTSA’s latest investigation.
It’s important to note that no recalls have been issued. Both Honda and Stellantis have issued statements that each company is fully cooperating, with Honda claiming it is working internally to remedy the problem as well. Additionally, the NHTSA has currently labeled this investigation as a probe, meaning it would need to upgrade the situation to an engineering analysis before any recalls are necessary.
Around 230,000 Jeep Compass models are part of the probe.
FCA US LLC
As the investigation continues, it’s possible these issues could be isolated, as some remedies have already proven effective. For example, replacing the ABS module and hydraulic control unit remedied the problem on Ram trucks, according to Reuters. With Honda’s popular crossovers, however, cases involving locked differentials and fractured driveshafts could signal a more serious mechanical problem.
There have been no crashes or injuries related to these issues, the NHTSA says. Even so, the potential for millions of vehicles to be recalled is problematic for the affected manufacturers. Loss of power has been an increasingly common occurrence across the manufacturer spectrum, from Audi and Ford to Kia and Hyundai.
Emmet White Associate Editor A New York transplant hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Emmet White has a passion for anything that goes: cars, bicycles, planes, and motorcycles.
Keyword: Honda, Jeep, Ram Probed by NHTSA for Sudden Loss of Power