The defect
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Saturn Aura and model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6 vehicles, equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission. On these vehicles, the tabs on the transmission shift cable end may fracture and separate.
The risk
If the tabs were to fracture and separate, the shift lever and the actual position of the transmission gear may not match. The driver would be able to move the shifter to 'PARK' and remove the ignition key, but the transmission gear may not be in 'PARK.' The vehicle may not be able to be restarted and the vehicle could roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible crash without prior warning.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer over the cable end or replace the shift cable as necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. Notification to owners began on on November 9, 2012. Owners were instructed to not bring their vehicles for repair until January 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Chevrolet Malibu | 2008, 2009, 2010 |
| Pontiac G6 | 2008, 2009, 2010 |
| Saturn Aura | 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 |
Components: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Malibu | 2008 | 989 | 4 |
| Chevrolet Malibu | 2009 | 1,509 | 5 |
| Chevrolet Malibu | 2010 | 1,363 | 3 |
| Pontiac G6 | 2008 | 1,080 | 4 |
| Pontiac G6 | 2009 | 713 | 4 |
| Pontiac G6 | 2010 | 272 | 2 |
| Saturn Aura | 2007 | 607 | 3 |
| Saturn Aura | 2008 | 432 | 4 |
| Saturn Aura | 2009 | 390 | 4 |
| Saturn Aura | 2010 | 2 | 2 |
Other power train recalls in 2012
19 of the 583 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2012 concerned the power train; General Motors LLC filed 272 campaigns in all.
| 12V474000 2 Oct 2012 | CHRYSLER GROUP LLC |
| 12V461000 19 Sept 2012 | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) |
| 12V407000 20 Aug 2012 | PACCAR INCORPORATED |
| 12V317000 6 Jul 2012 | VOLVO CARS OF N.A. LLC. |
| 12V256000 4 Jun 2012 | HONDA (AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.) |
| 12V216000 16 May 2012 | CHRYSLER GROUP LLC |
| 12V200000 8 May 2012 | FOREST RIVER, INC. |
| 12V193000 3 May 2012 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2012