NHTSA Complaint #10724744 — 2008 PONTIAC G6

MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER HAD JUST COME OUT OF A RESTAURANT. MY WIFE STARTED THE CAR, PUT IT INTO REVERSE, AND BACKED UP TO EXIT THE LOT. WHEN SHE PUT THE CAR INTO 'DRIVE', THE SHIFT INDICATOR WAS CORRECTLY POSITIONED ON THE CONSOLE BUT THE CAR REMAINED IN REVERSE. MY WIFE TRIED TO PUT THE CAR INTO PARK, BUT WAS UNABLE BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT COME OUT OF REVERSE. SHE ENDED UP SHUTTING OFF THE CAR AND WITH THE HELP OF A COUPLE OF STRANGERS, THEY WERE ABLE TO PUSH IT INTO AN EMPTY SPACE. BECAUSE THE CAR WAS STUCK IN REVERSE, IT WOULD NOT RESTART WHEN SHE TRIED. SHE DECIDED TO LEAVE THE CAR IN THE LOT OVERNIGHT AND HAVE IT TOWED THE NEXT MORNING. WHEN THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER ARRIVED THE NEXT DAY, MY WIFE EXPLAINED THE SITUATION TO HIM. HE OPENED THE HOOD, REACHED DOWN AND ADJUSTED A PLASTIC MOUNTING SNAP AND THEN HAD MY WIFE TRY TO START THE CAR. SHE WAS ABLE TO PUT IT INTO 'PARK' AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS WRONG AND TOLD HER THAT G6'S WERE PRONE TO THIS PROBLEM AND HE INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ITEM OUT FOR IT (GM RECALL 14152). MY WIFE TOOK THE CAR TO FLOW GM AUTO SERVICE OF WINSTON-SALEM AND THEY HAD THE BRACKET AND CABLE IN STOCK AND INDICATED FURTHER THAT THERE WAS, INDEED, A RECALL FOR THAT SAME ISSUE ON 2008 PONTIAC G6'S BUT THE VIN OF OUR CAR WAS NOT IN THE LIST, SO THE RECALL WOULD NOT BE IN EFFECT. IN OTHER WORDS, WE WOULD HAVE TO PAYFOR IT OURSELVES. THE MECHANICAL FAILURE OF OUR CAR MATCHES THE FAULT FOR 2008 PONTIAC G6 AS OUTLINED IN THE RECALL. HAD MY WIFE BEEN BACKING OUT AT A FASTER SPEED, OR INTO TRAFFIC, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. PLEASE TELL ME WHAT I HAVE TO DO TO GET REIMBURSED.