Recall - Shift Lever Indicator May Not Display Correct Gear: Overview
SAFETYBulletin No.: 12106C
Date: April 30, 2013
Subject: 12106C Shift Lever Indicator May Not Display Correct Gear
Models:
2008-2010 Chevrolet Malibu
2008-2010 Pontiac G6
2007-2010 Saturn AURA
Equipped with 4-Speed Automatic Transmission (ME7/MN5)
and
2005-2008 Pontiac G6
2007-2008 Saturn AURA
Equipped with 4-Speed Automatic Transmission (ME7/MN5) and Serviced with a Suspect Replacement Shift Cable
Supercede:
The suspect transmission shift cables involved in this recall were also sold to customers as service replacement parts. Our records indicate that a small number of vehicles were repaired by GM dealers with suspect cables sold as service replacement parts. These vehicles were not included in the original recall and have been added to the involved vehicle population. They require completion of the service procedure described in this bulletin. Additional vehicles may have been repaired with suspect cables sold as service replacement parts but VIN information is not available. Included in this bulletin is a "Safety Recall Notice" for public display at your dealership. Please make sure a copy is displayed in areas where it can be easily seen by customers who may have purchased one of the suspect cables as a service replacement part. Customers who purchased a suspect transmission shift cable or had one installed somewhere other than a GM dealer, may have their vehicle inspected and, if necessary, repaired. The suspect shift cable part numbers are 25910201 and 20922585 for the Pontiac G6, 25910202, 25974057 and 20922586 for the Chevrolet Malibu and 25907379 for the Saturn Aura. Please discard all copies of bulletin 12106B.
Condition
General Motors has decided that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2008-2010 model year Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6 vehicles, 2007-2010 model year Saturn AURA vehicles, equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission (ME7/MN5), also 2005-2008 model year Pontiac G6 and 2007-2008 model year Saturn AURA vehicles that are equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission (ME7/MN5) and were serviced with a suspect replacement shift cable. Some of these vehicles may have a shift cable with conduit end locking tabs near the transmission bracket that could fracture. These tabs could fracture without warning. If this occurs, the transmission may not be in the PARK position and may not match the gear position indicated by the shift lever. The driver would be able to remove the key from the ignition, but the door locks may not unlock automatically and the PARK indicator lamp would not be illuminated. The driver may not be able to restart the vehicle and the vehicle could roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible crash without prior warning.
Correction
Dealers are to install a retainer over the transmission shift cable end fitting. If the end fitting tabs are fractured, the shift cable must be replaced.
Vehicles Involved
All involved vehicles are identified by Vehicle Identification Number on the Investigate Vehicle History screen in GM Global Warranty Management system. Dealership service personnel should always check this site to confirm vehicle involvement prior to beginning any required inspections and/or repairs. It is important to routinely use this tool to verify eligibility because not all similar vehicles may be involved regardless of description or option content.
For dealers with involved vehicles, a listing with involved vehicles containing the complete vehicle identification number, customer name, and address information has been prepared and will be provided to US and Canadian dealers through the GM GlobalConnect Recall Reports, or sent directly to export dealers. Dealers will not have a report available if they have no involved vehicles currently assigned.
The listing may contain customer names and addresses obtained from Motor Vehicle Registration Records. The use of such motor vehicle registration data for any purpose other than follow-up necessary to complete this recall is a violation of law in several states/provinces/countries. Accordingly, you are urged to limit the use of this report to the follow-up necessary to complete this recall.
A "Safety Recall Notice" will also be displayed in dealerships in an attempt to identify customers who may have purchased a suspect transmission shift cable without the clamshell reinforcement or who had a replacement shift cable installed at a non-GM service center without the clamshell reinforcement. See the last page of this bulletin for a copy of the notice. If a customer indicates that they have a vehicle that may fall into one of these categories, and the vehicle has not already been serviced under this product safety recall, the vehicle should be inspected, and repaired if necessary.
Parts Information
Parts required to complete this recall are to be obtained from General Motors Customer Care and Aftersales (GMCC&A). Please refer to your "involved vehicles listing" before ordering parts. Normal orders should be placed on a DRO = Daily Replenishment Order. In an emergency situation, parts should be ordered on a CSO = Customer Special Order. Kit P/N 19210732 is not eligible for RIM Management.
Customer Reimbursement - For US
Customer requests for reimbursement of previously paid repairs for the recall condition are to be submitted to the dealer by May 31, 2014, unless otherwise specified by state law. If this is not convenient for the customer, they may mail the completed Customer Reimbursement Request Form and all required documents to the GM Customer Assistance Center.
All reasonable and customary costs to correct the condition described in this bulletin should be considered for reimbursement. Any questions or concerns should be reviewed with your District Service Manager - Aftersales prior to processing the request.
When a customer requests reimbursement, they must provide the following:
- A completed Customer Reimbursement Request Form. This form is mailed to the customer or can be obtained through GM GlobalConnect.
- The name and address of the person who paid for the repair.
- Paid receipt confirming the amount of the repair expense, a description of the repair, and the person or entity performing the repair.
Important
GM requires dealers to approve or deny a reimbursement request within 30 days of receipt. If a reimbursement request is approved, the dealer should immediately issue a check to the customer and submit an appropriate warranty transaction for the incurred expense. If a reimbursement request is denied, the dealer MUST provide the customer with a clear and concise explanation, in writing, as to why the request was denied. The bottom portion of the Customer Reimbursement Request Form may be used for this purpose. If the denial was due to missing documents, the customer can resubmit the request when the missing documents are obtained, as long as it is still within the allowed reimbursement period.
Warranty transactions for customer reimbursement of previously paid repairs are to be submitted as required by GM Global Warranty Management. Additional information can also be found in Warranty Administration Bulletin 11-00-89-004.
Customer Reimbursement - For Canada and Export
Customer requests for reimbursement of previously paid repairs to correct the condition described in this bulletin are to be submitted to the dealer prior to or by May 31, 2014.
When a customer requests reimbursement, they must provide the following:
- Proof of ownership at time of repair.
- Original paid receipt confirming the amount of unreimbursed repair expense(s) (including Service Contract deductibles), a description of the repair, and the person or entity performing the repair.
All reasonable and customary costs to correct the condition described in this bulletin should be considered for reimbursement. Any questions or concerns should be reviewed with your GM representative prior to processing the request.
Courtesy Transportation - For US and Canada
The General Motors Courtesy Transportation program is intended to minimize customer inconvenience when a vehicle requires a repair that is covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranties. The availability of courtesy transportation to customers whose vehicles are within the warranty coverage period and involved in a product program is very important in maintaining customer satisfaction. Dealers are to ensure that these customers understand that shuttle service or some other form of courtesy transportation is available and will be provided at no charge. Dealers should refer to the General Motors Service Policies and Procedures Manual for Courtesy Transportation guidelines.
Warranty Transaction Information
Important
For vehicles serviced as a result of a customer's response to the Safety Recall Notice displayed at your dealership, the warranty transaction must be approved by your GM District Manager - Aftersales (U.S.), GM District Manager - Customer Care and Service Process (CN) or the GM Warranty Support Center prior to submission. This is required because these vehicles will not be identified in the GM Global Warranty Management system as being involved in this recall.
Submit a transaction using the table below.
* Customer reimbursement will not close this recall. The service procedure must also be performed on the vehicle.
** The amount identified in the "Net Item" column should represent the dollar amount reimbursed to the customer.
Customer Notification - For US and Canada
General Motors will notify customers of this recall on their vehicle (see copy of customer letter included with this bulletin). A "Safety Recall Notice" will also be displayed in dealerships in an attempt to notify customers who may have purchased or had a suspect transmission shift cable installed (see the last page of this bulletin for a copy of the notice).
Customer Notification - For Export
Letters will be sent to known owners of record located within areas covered by the US National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. For owners outside these areas, dealers should notify customers using the attached sample letter. A "Safety Recall Notice" will also be displayed in dealerships in an attempt to notify customers who may have purchased or had a suspect transmission shift cable installed (see the last page of this bulletin for a copy of the notice).
Dealer Recall Responsibility - For US and Export (US States, Territories, and Possessions)
It is a violation of Federal law for a dealer to deliver a new motor vehicle or any new or used item of motor vehicle equipment (including a tire) covered by this notification under a sale or lease until the defect or noncompliance is remedied.
The US National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act provides that each vehicle that is subject to a recall of this type must be adequately repaired within a reasonable time after the customer has tendered it for repair. A failure to repair within sixty days after tender of a vehicle is prima facie evidence of failure to repair within a reasonable time. If the condition is not adequately repaired within a reasonable time, the customer may be entitled to an identical or reasonably equivalent vehicle at no charge or to a refund of the purchase price less a reasonable allowance for depreciation. To avoid having to provide these burdensome remedies, every effort must be made to promptly schedule an appointment with each customer and to repair their vehicle as soon as possible. In the recall notification letters, customers are told how to contact the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration if the recall is not completed within a reasonable time.
Dealer Recall Responsibility - All
All unsold new vehicles in dealers' possession and subject to this recall must be held and inspected/repaired per the service procedure of this recall bulletin before customers take possession of these vehicles.
On the last page of this bulletin, is a "Safety Recall Notice" for public display at your dealership. Please make sure a copy is displayed in areas where it can be easily seen by customers who may have purchased a suspect transmission shift cable without the clamshell reinforcement or who had a replacement shift cable installed at a non-GM service center without the clamshell reinforcement. If a customer indicates that they have a vehicle that may fall into one of these categories, and the vehicle has not already been serviced under this product safety recall, the vehicle should be inspected, and repaired if necessary.
On the last page of this bulletin, is a "Safety Recall Notice" for public display at your dealership. Please make sure a copy is displayed in areas where it can be easily seen by customers who may have purchased a suspect transmission shift cable without the clamshell reinforcement or who had a replacement shift cable installed at a non-GM service center without the clamshell reinforcement. If a customer indicates that they have a vehicle that may fall into one of these categories, and the vehicle has not already been serviced under this product safety recall, the vehicle should be inspected, and repaired if necessary.
Dealers are to service all vehicles subject to this recall at no charge to customers, regardless of mileage, age of vehicle, or ownership, from this time forward.
Customers who have recently purchased vehicles sold from your vehicle inventory, and for which there is no customer information indicated on the dealer listing, are to be contacted by the dealer. Arrangements are to be made to make the required correction according to the instructions contained in this bulletin. A copy of the customer letter is provided in this bulletin for your use in contacting customers. Recall follow-up cards should not be used for this purpose, since the customer may not as yet have received the notification letter.
In summary, whenever a vehicle subject to this recall enters your vehicle inventory, or is in your dealership for service in the future, you must take the steps necessary to be sure the recall correction has been made before selling or releasing the vehicle.
Disclaimer