GM Recalls 277K Vehicles for Shift Lever Problem

General Motors Corp. recalled about 277,000 vehicles late last week because of a potential defect in the shift lever that could cause a vehicle to roll away.

GM said the recall involves 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.

GM spokeswoman Carolyn Markey said about 75,000 of the recalled vehicles had been purchased and the remainder were still at dealerships. Markey said dealers were inspecting the vehicles to see if they had any problems.

No crashes or injuries have been reported, Markey said.

In some cases, the shift lever and the transmission gear’s position may not match, meaning a driver could move the shifter to the park position but the transmission gear may not be in park.

The potential defect could lead to a vehicle rolling away and crashing or make it more difficult for the driver to restart the car.

Owners are expected to be notified about the recall in late March. Dealers will inspect the vehicle and may replace the shift cable if necessary.

For more information, owners may contact Buick at 866-608-8080, Chevrolet at 800-630-2438, GMC at 866-996-9463, Pontiac at 800-620-7668 and Saturn at 800-972-8876. Consumers may also go to GM’s owner Web site at http://www.gmownercenter.com.