The contact owns a 1997 Saturn Sl. The contact stated that he was reversing from a residential driveway when he shifted to first gear and the shifter cable became detached from the shifter lever. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer stated they had to replace two shifter cables. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure and current mileage was 127,000. Updated 7/26/12 the consumer stated the root of the problem was the failure of a small plastic bushing used to join the shifting lever to the shifting cable in a manual transmission. When the bushing failed, the shifting cable fell off the shifting lever which left the consumer unable to shift gears. The consumer stated the failure happened while he was stopped in his driveway. The dealer would not replace the broken bushing, but instead replaced the entire cable as well as an adjoining cable. Updated 08/06/12

- Cincinnati , OH, USA

1997 Saturn Sl, 4 door sedan, manual transaxle, 143000 miles at a parking lot: Shifter cable plastic bushing broke locking my transaxle in reverse. Problem fixed with an aftermarket kit sold by Napa auto stores.

- Naprville, IL, USA

The contact owns a 1997 Saturn SL1. The contact stated that when attempting to shift from 2nd to 3rd gear the shift lever cable fractured; thus disabling the vehicle from shifting into 3rd gear. Gear failure while driving increases the risk for vehicle crash. The vehicle was taken to a dealership in which the shift cable assembly was replaced. The current and failure mileages were 102000.

- Bellton, TX, USA

Driving along community road and manual shift linkage became inoperative. Failure was total, shifting was impossible, was lucky to be able to get to the side of the road. Saturn used a plastic push-in button to retain the shift mechanism to the eyelet of the shift cable........a plastic bushing for a part of the car that is critical! a replacement was bushing fabricated out of suitable material and a tapped hole, and bolt, was added to the shifter rod so that complete failure is not possible. Too bad detroit engineers seem to have forgotten their responsibilities to society, they should be ashamed to put peoples lives in such danger with such a poor design of a critical part.

- Long Beach, NY, USA

On 13sep2008, at approximately 1400hrs I was operating my 1997 Saturn SL2 (manual) at low speed in my driveway; when the vehicle failed to engage in gear. Upon further investigation, I discovered that my shifting cable linkage had become disengaged (specifically the shifting rod and the plastic ball-joint cover). After attempting to locate the part via local auto part merchants I contacted a local Saturn dealership. I spoke to a member of the service department who informed me that the disengagement of the shifting rod assembly, and concurrent damage to the plastic ball-joint cover was a common problem. When asked how much it was to buy the plastic ball-joint cover the service employee informed me it would cost $195; because one has to buy the entire assembly and not just the plastic ball-joint cover. At this time the vehicle has yet to be repaired.

- Charlotte, NC, USA

While driving, the shifted cable bushing (which is made of plastic) broke preventing the driver from being able to shift gears. Nlm

- St. Petersburg, FL, USA

Transmission will not lock in first gear for braking on steep mountain grades. Nlm

- Bedford, TX, USA

Transmission will not lock in first gear for braking on steep mountain grades. Nlm

- Bedford, TX, USA

Transmission will not lock in first gear for braking on steep mountain grades. Nlm

- Bedford, TX, USA