NHTSA Complaint #10244618 — 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA

IN THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS I HAD NOTICED THAT THE DOORS OF MY 2003 CHEVY IMPALA WERE NOT AUTOMATICALLY UNLOCKING. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO OCCUR WHEN GEARSHIFT IS MOVED INTO PARK POSITION. AT THE TIME I DID NOT VIEW THIS AS IMPORTANT. IN THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS I HAVE NOTICED THAT MY CAR WOULD NOT START AT VARIOUS TIMES OF THE DAY. ON INSPECTION, I NOTICED THAT EVEN THOUGH THE GEARSHIFT WAS IN THE PHYSICAL POSITION FOR PARK, THE DASH INDICATOR DID NOT INDICATE "P" ON THE DISPLAY. I MOVED THE GEARSHIFT INTO THE NEUTRAL POSITION AND THE VEHICLE STARTED. TODAY, WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE ON AN INCLINE I MOVED THE GEARSHIFT TO THE PHYSICAL PARK POSITION BUT AGAIN THE DASH INDICATOR DID NOT SHOW THE "P" FOR GEARSHIFT POSITION. AFTER REMOVING MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL DOWN THE INCLINE. I REAPPLIED THE BRAKE AND FIDGETED WITH THE GEARSHIFT LEVER AND EVENTUALLY THE DASH INDICATOR EVENTUALLY SHOWED "P" INDICATING THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK. ON REMOVING MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE REMAINED STATIONARY. THERE APPEARS TO ME TO BE SOME MALFUNCTION WITH THE SWITCH SENDING THE GEARSHIFT POSITION INDICATION TO THE TRANSMISSION. *TR