General Motors Corp.: Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch
General Motors Corp. reported this defect to federal regulators on Oct 12, 2000 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 65,000. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES, FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 114, "THEFT PROTECTION." THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH AN IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE PARK LOCK CABLE ASSEMBLY. IF IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED, IT IS POSSIBLE TO SHIFT FROM THE "PARK" POSITION WITH THE IGNITION KEY REMOVED.
The risk
THIS CONDITION INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH RESULTING FROM THE UNINTENDED MOVEMENT OF PARKED VEHICLES.
The remedy
SATURN IS ASKING OWNERS AND RETAILERS TO PERFORM A FUNCTIONAL CHECK OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE PARK LOCK CABLE ASSEMBLY OPERATION, AND IF NECESSARY, TO HAVE THE CABLE ADJUSTED. IF OWNERS ARE NOT COMFORTABLE PERFORMING THE FUNCTIONAL CHECK THEMSELVES, THEY CAN HAVE THEIR DEALER PERFORM THIS INSPECTION FOR THEM.
8 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 Saturn SC | 21 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 2001 Saturn SC1 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 2001 Saturn SL | 111 | 3 | 0 | 14 |
| 2001 Saturn SW | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 2000 Saturn SC | 7 | 7 | 0 | 2 |
| 2000 Saturn SC1 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 2000 Saturn SL | 148 | 8 | 3 | 10 |
| 2000 Saturn SW | 15 | 7 | 1 | 2 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 00V310000.
Full record for the 2001 Saturn SC → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →