NHTSA Complaint #10643733 — 2008 BUICK ENCLAVE

MY FAMILY AND I WERE ON OUR WAY BACK TO WISCONSIN FROM A TRIP TO FLORIDA ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 2014. MY HUSBAND HAD EXITED THE INTERSTATE AND WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT. THE SPACE WAS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. AS HE PULLED INTO THE SPACE, THE ENCLAVE STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARD. I CHECKED THE POSITION OF THE GEARSHIFT THINKING THAT HE HAD ACCIDENTALLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL BUT FOUND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN DRIVE. THE ENGINE REVVED WHEN HE PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR BUT THE CAR CONTINUED TO ROLL BACKWARD. THE ONLY GEAR THE WOULD WORK WAS PARK. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE LOCAL BUICK GMC CADILLAC DEALER. ON MONDAY, AUGUST 18, A SERVICE TECHNICIAN CALLED TO LET US KNOW THAT THE 35R WAVE PLATE HAD FAILED AND THE 35R HOUSING WAS ALSO DAMAGED AND THAT METAL DEBRIS HAD BEEN FOUND THROUGHOUT THE UNIT. THE REPAIR TOOK ABOUT TWO DAYS AND COST $3589.49. THANKFULLY WE WERE NOT ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. HAD WE REMAINED ON THE INTERSTATE ANOTHER MILE AND SUDDENLY NOT BEEN ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE MOVING FORWARD WHILE THE TRAFFIC AROUND US MOVED AT EXPRESSWAY SPEEDS, WE COULD HAVE HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT THAT RESULTED IN TERRIBLE INJURY OR FATALITY. I WROTE A LETTER TO BUICK REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT OF COST OF THE REFUND AND EXPENSE WE INCURRED DUE TO HAVING TO WAIT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. I ALSO REQUESTED THAT THEY ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE WAVE PLATE FAILURE DUE TO THE SEVERE DANGER THAT THE FAILURE CREATES. FINALLY, I MENTIONED INFORMATION I FOUND ON THE INTERNET STATING THAT THIS FAILURE IS COMMON ON THE ENCLAVE AND ITS SISTER VEHICLES. THEY REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ME SINCE THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. THEY ALSO SAID THAT THE NHTSA, NOT GM, ISSUES RECALLS AND GAVE ME THE PHONE NUMBER TO CONTACT THE NHTSA TO FILE A COMPLAINT. *TR