NHTSA Complaint #11459426 — 2021 GMC SIERRA 3500

Problem: Unable to shift transmission from D to another position like R, P, N due to snow/slush being on shifter. I travel on Idaho state highways and County roads that are plowed. In February, I traveled state highway 14. Road conditions were plowed snow roads, broken snow floor, slush and pavement without slush or snow. I had a passenger with me on this trip from Elk City, Idaho to Grangeville, Idaho via SH-14. When I pulled into my storage unit, I could not shift from D to P or N or R. I could only drive forward. The temperature in Grangeville was mid 40s. I did not have any tremendous snow build up on the under carriage or wheel wells. I drove to the dealer Gortsema Motors and their service technician said that I needed to go to a car wash and blow out the snow buildup next to the transmission linkage shifter. When I pulled into the car wash, I still could not shift the transmission. My passenger got out and used the water to push out the snow buildup around the linkage shifter. Then I was able to shift between all gears P, R, N, D. This is a big concern because this should not have happened. This is a major problem in the winter and had there not been a car wash to blow out the snow/slush, I would not be able to turn the truck off or restart the diesel truck in gear. There needs to be a protective shield around the shifter so that snow/slush does not get up into area and cause the shifter to not shift.