NHTSA Complaint #10291443 — 2002 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. WHILE SHIFTING THE VEHICLE INTO PARK, THE GEAR SELECTOR DISPLAYED DRIVE. WHILE TAKING HIS FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. HE SPECULATED THAT THE RETAINER CLIP, THAT HOLDS THE SHIFTER CABLE TO THE GEAR SELECTOR ARM ON THE TRANSMISSION, HAD FRACTURED. HE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,100. UPDATED 12/01/09 *BF THE TRANSMISSION CABLE LINKAGE FAILED. THE CONSUMER PULLED TO A STOP, APPLIED THE BRAKE AND MOVED THE SHIFTER TO PARK. WHEN HE REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. HE IMMEDIATELY APPLIED THE BRAKE AGAIN, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND SET THE PARKING BRAKE. HE VERIFIED THAT THE SHIFTER WAS IN PARK. HE ALSO OBSERVED THE TRANSMISSION INDICATOR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN DRIVE. HE ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE SHIFTER FROM THE PARK POSITION, BUT THE SAFETY INTERLOCKS WOULD NOT ALLOW THE SHIFTER TO BE MOVED, EVEN AFTER DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN HE LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND CHECKED THE LINKAGE HE SAW THE SHIFTER CABLE WAS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SELECTOR LEVER. THERE WAS A WHITE NYLON BUSHING AT THE END OF THE SHIFTER THAT HOLDS THE CABLE END ON THE SELECTOR LEVER. ONE SIDE OF THE BUSHING HAD BROKEN OFF. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAKE A TEMPORARY REPAIR BY MANUALLY MOVING THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SELECTOR LEVER TO THE PARK POSITION AND PLACING THE LINKAGE CABLE END BACK ONTO THE END OF THE SELECTOR LEVEL. UPDATED 12/01/09.*JB