NHTSA Complaint #10490867 — 2010 CHEVROLET IMPALA

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, NEARLY AT THE END OF A 50 MILE TRIP, THE CAR WAS FUNCTIONING NORMALLY WITH NO ABNORMAL NOISES OR INDICATIONS OF PROBLEMS. I DROVE THE CAR INTO THE PARKING LOT AND WAS MAKING A SLIGHT RIGHT TURN, TRAVELING AT ABOUT 15 MPH, WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR SCREECHED TO AN IMMEDIATE HALT AND STALLED THE ENGINE. THE SUDDEN STOP WAS VIOLENT AND THREW ME AGAINST MY SEATBELT. I MOVED THE GEAR SELECTOR LEVER FROM DRIVE TO PARK AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE WITHOUT ANY TROUBLE. THE ENGINE RAN SMOOTH AND WITHOUT ANY UNUSUAL NOISE. I PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE, BUT IT WOULD NOT MOVE AND IT MADE LOUD GRINDING AND CLUNKING SOUNDS. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, BUT STILL IT WOULD NOT MOVE AND AGAIN MADE LOUD NOISES. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND A FRIEND CAME OVER TO HELP ME PUSH THE CAR TO A MORE SAFE AREA, BUT STILL THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. APPARENTLY THE DRIVETRAIN WAS LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT MOVE, NO MATTER WHAT GEAR POSITION THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN. THE CAR WAS LATER DRAGGED ON TO A FLATBED TRUCK AND TAKEN TO MY LOCAL AUTO SERVICE CENTER, WHERE THEY DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION WAS BAD. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO MY LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER TO BE FIXED UNDER THE GM 100,000MI/5 YEAR POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. I AM VERY SHAKEN UP BY THIS INCIDENT AND FEAR WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPEN IF THE VEHICLES FRONT WHEELS WOULD HAVE VIOLENTLY LOCKED UP LIKE THIS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I FEAR THE RESULT WOULD HAVE BEEN A TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND POSSIBLY SEVERE INJURY OR EVEN DEATH TO MYSELF AND OTHERS. I HOPE GM AND THE NHTSA INVESTIGATE THIS INCIDENT AND FIND THE CAUSE OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITH THE GOAL OF PREVENTING THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED. *TR