— A class action lawsuit alleges a GM shift to park recall should be issued because Buick and Chevrolet models are allegedly equipped with defective transmission control (shifter) assemblies.
According to the GM shift to park lawsuit, the shifter problem prevents a vehicle from detecting when the driver shifts into PARK. This allegedly causes the vehicle into accessory mode and the driver cannot shut off or lock the vehicle.
A GM driver will see a warning message that says “Shift to Park” even though the gear shifter is already in PARK. GM owners assert this can drain the battery.
The General Motors shift to park lawsuit includes:
"All persons or entities who purchased or leased a 2021-2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer, 2020-2022 Chevrolet Traverse, 2020-2023 Chevrolet Malibu or 2020-2023 Buick Encore vehicle in the United States."
The class action lawsuit alleges GM has known a shift to park recall was necessary because dealers have been issued technical service bulletins about the alleged defects.
“Some customers may comment on after placing the transmission control (shifter) into Park, when attempting to turn the vehicle off, the vehicle will go into accessory mode but will not fully turn off. The transmission will mechanically be in Park, but the electrical circuit intended to indicate the shift lever position may not be functioning correctly.” — “Engineering Information – Shift to Park Message Displayed” December 2017
Other bulletins include TSB 18-NA-297, TSB 19-NA-206.
The shift to park lawsuit alleges General Motors didn't send dealers a technical service bulletin to dealers about the vehicles in this lawsuit until November 2023.
TSB 23-NA-119 applies to 2020-2023 Buick Encore GX, 2021-2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer and 2020-2023 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles, but not to 2020-2022 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles even though the plaintiffs contend those models are defective.
The TSB says GM owners may complain the “‘Shift to Park’ message is displayed on the DIC’” and about a “No Start” condition and explained the “condition may be caused by a malfunction of the park switch inside of the shifter assembly.”
Dealerships were told to replace the shifter control.
The GM lawsuit alleges TSB 23-NA-119 was updated in December 2023 and February 2024, but the same repair procedure was involved.
However, a GM shift to park recall is still allegedly needed because the plaintiffs argue replacing the shifter control does not fix the problems.
The plaintiffs also claim a GM shift to park recall is needed because the warranties may have expired by the time service bulletins were issued to dealerships.
GM owners report paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars to repair the alleged shift to park problems.
The GM shift to park lawsuit was filed by plaintiffs Barbie Green, Karen Malmkar and Maria Garza, all of Texas, Glenda Brown of Tennessee, and Michelle Crosier of Massachusetts.
The GM shift to park lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan: Green, et al., v. General Motors LLC.
The plaintiffs are represented by Sergei Lemberg.
