GM Shift-to-Park Lawsuit Says Newer Trailblazer, Traverse, Malibu, Buick Encore Models Equipped With Faulty Shift Assemblies [UPDATE]

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General Motors faces a new proposed class action lawsuit that alleges several Chevrolet and Buick models contain defective transmission control, or shifter, assemblies that dangerously prevent the cars from knowing when they are placed in “park.” 

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The 58-page General Motors lawsuit says that as a result of the alleged “shift-to-park” defect, an impacted vehicle, unable to be placed in “park,” will instead go into accessory mode and leave the driver unable to shut off or lock the car, with the instrument cluster displaying a “shift to park” message even though the gear shifter is plainly in park, and draining the battery. 

According to the case, Chevy and Buick drivers who have experienced the shift-to-park defect have reported it taking as long as 20 minutes to get their vehicle to shut off. 

“When the defect manifests, owners must resort to all manner of gimmicks to get the vehicle to recognize the transmission has been placed in Park and allow the driver to turn off the vehicle,” the complaint says. “For instance, owners must manipulate the shifter back and forth or repeatedly drive forwards and backwards before placing the vehicle in Park again.” 

General Motors vehicles allegedly hampered by the shift-to-park defect include 2021-2023 Chevy Trailblazer, 2020-2022 Chevy Traverse, 2020-2023 Chevy Malibu and 2020-2023 Buick Encore models (class vehicles). The alleged defect renders these vehicle models not only unable to provide safe, reliable transportation as warranted but “unmerchantable and worth less money at the time of sale or lease,” the suit contends.

Although shifter assemblies generally do not require repairs or replacements, GM has failed to fix the shift-to-park defect under its new vehicle limited warranty, the filing claims. The automaker did not issue a service bulletin to dealers about the problem until last November, “at which point many Class Vehicles’ 36,000 mile/36 month warranty periods had already expired,” the case says, and to date has not issued a voluntary recall about the problem, the complaint shares. 

“As a result, GM dealers regularly charge Class Vehicle owners hundreds or thousands of dollars to attempt repair,” the suit alleges, adding that GM’s purported repair, replacing the shifter control assembly, does not correct the shift-to-park problem. 

The lawsuit highlights that GM knew of the shifter defect before selling or leasing the Chevy and Buick models at issue. In particular, prior model year GM vehicles (2016-2019) suffered from similar transmission control assembly problems, and the automaker has been sued several times over the apparent defect, the suit states. 

The lawsuit looks to cover all persons or entities who bought or leased a 2021-2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer, 2020-2022 Chevrolet Traverse, 2020-2023 Chevrolet Malibu or 2020-2023 Buick Encore in the United States. 

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