NHTSA Complaint #10489505 — 2007 SATURN AURA

I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PARKING MY VEHICLE AT THE GROCERY STORE WITH MY 1 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. I WENT TO PUT MY CAR IN PARK AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO DO SO. I THOUGHT THAT SOMETHING MAY HAVE OCCLUDED THE GEAR SHIFT, SO I TOOK THE CAR OUT OF PARK AND ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT INTO THE DIFFERENT GEARS AND IT EVENTUALLY BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO SHIFT ANY FURTHER AND MY CAR WAS STUCK IN DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO OUR USUAL MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION GEAR SHIFT CABLE WAS "ALL BUT SEPARATED". I RESEARCHED A BIT ON THE INTERNET WHERE AROUND 400,000 OTHER VEHICLES (PONTIACS, CHEVROLET MALIBUS, SATURN AURAS) HAD THE SAME ISSUE THAT I WAS HAVING AND SAW A BULLETIN ISSUED FOR SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 WARNING OF THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE OF THE GEAR SHIFT CABLE BECOMING SEPARATED AND THAT INDIVIDUALS MAY THINK THE CAR IS IN PARK WHEN THE VEHICLE MAY REALLY BE IN A DIFFERENT GEAR AND THE VEHICLE MAY ROLL AWAY. I CALLED THE GENERAL MOTORS HEADQUARTERS REGARDING THIS SITUATION, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE TO BE DIAGNOSED AT A GENERAL MOTORS DEALERSHIP BEFORE ANYTHING REGARDING COMPENSATION COULD BE DISCUSSED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SUPERIOR CHEVROLET IN CONWAY, AR WHERE THE SAME THING WAS SAID ABOUT THE GEAR SHIFT CABLE. CALLED GM HEADQUARTERS AGAIN, THE STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL REGARDING MY ISSUE, AND IF I WANTED TO BE RECONSIDERED FOR COMPENSATION, THE REPAIR WOULD HAVE TO BE COMPLETED AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED AT THE DEALERSHIP COSTING $625 INCLUDING THE TOW BILL. GM STILL MAINTAINED THAT THE REPAIR WAS NOT UNDER A SAFETY RECALL, I WOULD NOT BE COMPENSATED AND FOR MY TROUBLES AT $100 CASH LETTER GOOD AT ANY GM DEALERSHIP. SPOKE WITH LARRY WITH NHTSA ABOUT THIS SITUATION AND I WAS ASKED TO PROVIDE MY STATEMENT. UPDATED 01/10/13*LJ UPDATED 1/11/2013 *JS