NHTSA Complaint #10568096 — 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER

WHEN SHIFTING AUTO TRANSMISSION INTO REVERSE GEAR FROM PARK THE CLIP THAT HOLDS THE SHIFT CABLE ONTO THE SHIFT LEVER ON THE TRANSMISSION BROKE. DEALER TOLD ME THAT ENTIRE SHIFT CABLE MUST BE PURCHASED TO GET THE SMALL CLIP THAT HOLDS CABLE END TO TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER. I WENT TO A LOCAL JUNK YARD TO FIND THIS SMALL CLIP (PART) AND WAS ASTONISHED TO FIND THAT EVERY AUTO OF THIS YEAR AND MAKE HAD THE SIMILAR PROBLEM. ALL OF THESE AUTOS HAS THE CABLE WIRED TO THE SHIFT LEVER. SOME USED A WIRE TIE TO SECURE THE LEVER TO CABLE. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER WHO RESPONDED TO TOW MY VEHICLE SAID HE SEES THIS PROBLEM "ALL THE TIME". WHEN I CALLED THE LOCAL CHEVY DEALER THEY SAID THEY WERE OUT OF STOCK FOR THIS CABLE AND CLIP AND HAD TO ORDER IT. THIS MAY ALSO INDICATE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WIDE SPREAD. IF THIS SHIFT CABLE WERE TO FALL OFF WHILE TRYING TO MANUALLY SHIFT THE AUTO TRANSMISSION, WELL, I AM SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THE RESULTS. *TR