NHTSA Complaint #10127089 — 2003 GMC YUKON XL

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC YUKON XL. THE IGNITION KEY HAS THREE DIFFERENT SETTING AUXILIARY, RUN, START AND THE VEHICLE HAS A STOP MECHANISM SO THAT OWNER CANNOT TAKE THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK UNLESS STEPPING ON THE BRAKE. HOWEVER, THAT STOP SETTING DID NOT WORK IF THE KEY WAS SET TO THE AUXILIARY. COULD BASICALLY TAKE IT OUT OF PARK AND PUT IT INTO GEAR WITHOUT HAVING TO STEP ON THE BRAKE. UNABLE TO DO IT IF THE KEY WAS SET ON THE RUN POSITION OR IF STARTED VEHICLE. OWNER'S MANUAL DID NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT, AND IT DID NOT TALK DISCUSS THE SAFETY OF THE WAY THIS VEHICLE WAS MADE. WHAT HAPPENED IS HE HAD A 2 YEAR OLD AND A 5 YEAR OLD CHILD WHILE BACKING CAR INTO DRIVEWAY. IS ON A SLANT THEY WERE JUST SITTING THERE THEY HAD THE VEHICLE ON ACCELERATE AND WHEN HE TURNED AROUND 2 YEAR OLD CRAWLED INTO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO GO DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AND ACROSS THE STREET. THE DOORS WERE LOCKED TO THE VEHICLE HE HAD TO JUMP THROUGH THE WINDOW AND HIT THE BRAKE. AND HE HAS READ THE OWNERS MANUAL FROM FRONT TO BACK AND HE CANNOT SEE ANYWHERE IN THERE TO WERE IT IS POSSIBLE TO WEAR YOU CAN TAKE THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE PARK SETTING WITHOUT HITTING THE BRAKE. HE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD HIM THAT THIS WOULD NOT HAPPEN IN THE VEHICLE. HE KNOWS SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAS THIS SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE WITH THIS SAME MECHANISM AND THERE VEHICLE IS THE SAME WAY.*AK