GM recalls 474K midsize cars over bad transmission

The logo of General Motors, seen in Detroit, Mich. / AP Photo/Paul Sancya

(AP) DETROIT - General Motors (GM) is recalling nearly 474,000 Chevrolet, Pontiac and Saturn cars to fix a transmission problem that can cause the cars to roll away unexpectedly.

The recall affects 2007-2010 Chevrolet Malibus, Pontiac G6s and Saturn Auras in the U.S., Canada and Mexico as well as a small number of exports. All the cars have four-speed automatic transmissions.

GM says part of the transmission cables can break. That can cause the shifter to show that the car is in park when it's really in gear. GM says it knows of four crashes from the problem but no injuries.

Dealers will put a retainer over the end of the cables or replace them. Owners will be told by letter when to set up appointments with dealers.

GM, Isuzu recall 258K SUVs over fire fears
GM recalls Cruze cars over risk of engine fire
Ford recalls 485K SUVs because of sticky gas pedals

The problem was discovered as GM gathered data for a U.S. government investigation of a similar problem with transmission cables on the same cars.

GM spokesman Alan Adler said that as part of the recall, dealers will put retainer covers over both ends of the cables to fix both problems. In some cases, the whole cable will have to be replaced.

The government began investigating the cars last year after getting reports of seven crashes and one injury.

In March of 2009, GM recalled about 277,000 vehicles for a similar shift lever problem.

At that time the recall involved 2009 model year versions of the Buick Enclave; Chevrolet Cobalt, HHR, Malibu and Traverse; GMC Acadia; Pontiac G5 and G6; and the Saturn Aura and Outlook. Only 75,000 of the vehicles had been sold, with the rest still at dealerships.

[AmazingGrce]

AND our government and the MEDIA have been condemning Toyota and other foreign car companies while here in this country the recalls just keep coming.

How many was that GM 474,000. And what was that other recalls on Sticky gas pedals on Fords, Fires in the Chevy Cruze.

AND ON AND ON AND ON the recalls keep going on all our US manufacturers. BUT the big headlines are only used for Toyota. Sounds like media and government protectionism.

Hey I'd love to see that US built cars were far better but the facts don't support it yet.

[2happy2ride]

At least they are consistent! They've had transmission, engine, rear & electrical problems for decades.

Crap repackaged is still crap.

[Kalameredith]

GM did not pay back all their loans!!!! They borrowed mony from the FED to pay back some of it. Their stock price has dropped like a rock. The government doesn't want to sell theshares because it will mean they lost 50 MILLION dollars of Taxpayer money.

[askagain]

We must be a spoiled bunch of people. It takes thousands of parts to make a car. It is a miracle manufacturers don't have far more problems with parts than they do. In this case, both the government and GM are aware of the problem and GM intends to fix the problem. The way people complain about every little inconvenience, you might think they have to leave their homes in the middle of the winter to sit in an unheated outhouse. At least that complaint might make more sense.

[makemyday2day]

Interesting how on the main page the automaker (GM) wasn't even mentioned. I had to click on the link to see which one it was. Hmmm, who says the media isn't biased?

[arkajun-2009]

Give them some more stimulus money so they can continue to put defective/dangerous vehicles on the road.

[hypnotoad72]

Let them all fail. The rest of the world doesn't need the US anymore... especially as US taxpayers helped subsidize the offshoring and destruction of regulations that compelled management to build better cars in the first place.

No regulations, no control, no care, highway robbery ensues (literally).

It's one big stinking hole.

[retmw1]

What do you want to bet those cables were made in China or some other slave labor country.

[makemyday2da]

I'd be MORE willing to bet they were made by "slave" union workers in the USA. These poor [GM] union workers haven't put out a decent vehicle in decades - although they have gotten a teensy bit better in the last couple years.

[Jhihmoac]

I remember a play on spelling in an old issue of Mad Magazine...

"The mark of excellence, is a fiGMent of an ad man's imagination..."

[Jhihmoac]

I remember a play on spelling in an old issue of Mad Magazine...

"The mark of excellence, is a fiGMent of an ad man's imagination..."

[123986]

Your headline is very misleading. There is no issue with the transmission itself but just the cable.

[ttipbc]

123986 - Exactly what I was thinking. The headline makes it sound as though the transmissions themselves are failing, which WOULD be a major problem, but it's only a defective cable, a minor problem. I know some will say that if the cable does break, it IS a major problem because you're stuck where your are & you can't get the transmission into the gear you want, but the only thing major about it is that it's an inconvenience. It's not like GM is having to replace an entire transmission.