GM Recalls Pontiacs, Malibus and Saturns for Transmission Problem

General Motors Co. is issuing new recall campaigns, calling back 480,000 vehicles to fix transmission gear shift cables — including 430,000 in the United States.
The Detroit automaker said Friday it is recalling 426,240 Chevrolet, Pontiac and Saturn sedans in the United States to repair a condition in which the transmission gear position may not match the gear on the shifter. That could lead to the vehicles rolling when drivers think they are in park.
"The driver would be able to remove the key from the ignition, but the door locks may not unlock automatically and the PARK indicator lamp would not be illuminated. The driver may not be able to restart the vehicle and the vehicle could roll away," GM said.
The recalled vehicles are 2007-10 Chevrolet Malibu, Saturn Aura and Pontiac G6 models, all with four-speed automatic transmissions. GM is aware of four crashes but no injuries because of the condition.
Dealers will add reinforcement to the shift cable end fitting to prevent the end fitting from fracturing. GM is also recalling 47,600 in Canada, Mexico and other markets outside the United States.
GM discovered the issue while responding to a related investigation by the National Highway Traffic safety Administration into the 2007-08 Saturn Aura on a related shift cable condition. That investigation remains open.
GM observed elevated shift cable warranty claims on certain GM models with a unique shift cable design produced by a new supplier starting the second half of the 2008 model year.