NHTSA Complaint #10748917 — 2006 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

ON AUGUST 13, 2015, MY 2006 CORVETTE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF REVERSE. THE CAR WAS STUCK IN THAT REVERSE GEAR AND THE SHIFT LEVER WAS NOT ENABLING THE SELECTION OF ANOTHER GEAR. THE SHIFTER MECHANISM ON THIS AUTOMATIC EQUIPPED VEHICLE WAS OPERATIONAL, BUT THE LINKAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION WAS NO LONGER ENGAGED. THE CAR WAS BEING PULLED INTO THE GARAGE WHEN THIS HAPPENED, SO FORTUNATELY I WAS NOT IN A BUSY INTERSECTION, IN A PARKING LOT, OR IN SOME OTHER LOCATION WHERE I, OR SOMEONE ELSE, MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN HARM'S WAY DUE TO A VEHICLE THAT I COULD NO LONGER CONTROL. SINCE THE CAR COULD NOT BE PUT IN NEUTRAL OR PARK, I HAD TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE WITH IT IN REVERSE AND USE THE PARKING BRAKE TO KEEP THE CAR FROM MOVING. SINCE THE SHIFTER MECHANISM COULD STILL MOVE, THE SWITCH ACTIVATING THE "OK TO START" WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE CAR TO START WHEN PUT IN THE PARK OR NEUTRAL POSITIONS - WHILE THE TRANSMISSION WAS STILL STUCK IN REVERSE; A REAL SAFETY ISSUE. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS A 50 CENT BUSHING THAT ATTACHES TO THE SHIFT LEVER. THIS BUSHING ALLOWS THE BALL END CONNECTOR OF THE SHIFTER TO ENGAGE A SHIFTER CABLE THAT ACTUATES THE LINKAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. SO WHEN THAT BUSHING BREAKS, YOU CAN NO LONGER SHIFT THE CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY, MANY PEOPLE OWNING THE GENERATIONS OF C5 (1997-2004) AND C6 (2005-2013) CORVETTES. YOU CAN READ A SAMPLE THREAD WITH PICTURES HERE: HTTP://WWW.CORVETTEFORUM.COM/FORUMS/C6-CORVETTE-GENERAL-DISCUSSION/3482107-C6-AUTOMATIC-SHIFTER-BROKEN-NEED-HELP-REPLACING-TRANSMISSION-SHIFTER-MODULE.HTML OR HERE (AND THERE ARE MANY MORE!) HTTP://WWW.CORVETTEFORUM.COM/FORUMS/C5-GENERAL/2684621-BROKEN-SHIFTER-LINKAGE-FIX-WITH-PICS.HTML THE PART REPLACED (THE BUSHING) FAILED BECAUSE OF PLASTIC DETERIORATION, THE PICTURES IN THE ABOVE LINKS SHOW THE BROKEN PART AND THE PART OBTAINED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS SERIOUS ATTENTION!