NHTSA Complaint #10534611 — 2007 CHRYSLER 300C

I PARKED MY CAR AT A CVS PHARMACY DRIVE THRU TO PICK UP A PRESCRIPTION. ONCE THE TRANSACTION WAS COMPLETED I ATTEMPTED TO LEAVE THE AREA AND THE GEAR WOULD NOT MOVE FROM THE PARK POSITION. I CALLED AAA (KEYSTONE) FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO MOVE MY CAR. UPON ARRIVAL TO MY CAR THE AAA FLEET DRIVER INFORMED ME THAT THE PROBLEM SEEMS COMMON WITH CHRYSLER-MADE VEHICLES RECENTLY. HE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT MY OVERRIDE BUTTON WAS BROKEN AND DID NOT WORK, THEN HE SHOWED ME HOW TO REMOVE THE GEAR SHAFT COVER TO ACCESS THE BACK UP OVERRIDE - THE GEAR RELEASE BUTTON. HE NOTED THAT HE JUST ASSISTED A DODGE CHARGER OWNER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND RECOMMENDED I CHECK FOR ANY RECALL DATA FOR THIS ONGOING CHRYSLER PROBLEM. I IMMEDIATELY CHECKED ONLINE TO LEARN THAT THERE IS A K39 RECALL FOR THE GEAR SHAFT OF 2005-2007 MODELS OF THE CHRYSLER 300. I CALLED THE NEAREST DEALER FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. ONCE I ARRIVED AT THE DEALER, I WAS TOLD THAT MY VIN NUMBER DID NOT FIT THE RECALL REQUIREMENTS AND TOLD THAT I MUST PAY TO FIX THE PART OUT OF POCKET. THIS $400 REPAIR SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY THE RECALL, AND CHRYSLER! MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED MAY 23, 2007 AND THE "ARBITRARY" CUT OFF DATE FOR THE K39 RECALL IS JUNE 1, 2007! HOW CAN ONE - TWO WEEKS MAKE THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE?!? HOW CAN 2005 MODELS BE INCLUDED YET TWO WEEKS PRIOR NOT??? IF THE PROBLEM EXISTS AND IS NOTED AS A RECALL ISSUE ALL VEHICLES THAT ENCOUNTER THE MALFUNCTION MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL!! IT SHOULD BE CLEAR THAT THE PROBLEM IS SYSTEMATIC, NOT DATE OR LOCATION SPECIFIC!! THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE FIXED AT CHRYSLER'S EXPENSE, NOT THE CUSTOMER!!! *TR