Product Safety - Transmission Case Porosity at Park Pawl Pivot Pin Bore 6T70 6-Speed Transmission (RPO MH2; MH4) - Replace Transmission

General Motors has decided that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2008 Saturn VUE vehicles, equipped with a 6T70 6-Speed FWD (RPO MH2) or AWD (RPO MH4) transmission. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which the transmission case side bore that holds the park pawl pivot pin may have a casting porosity. This condition, coupled with normal operating stresses, could lead to failure, eliminating the ability to secure the transmission in ‘park’ position. If this happens while the vehicle is parked on a non-level surface, the vehicle could roll without warning and cause injury to people in its path.

Retailers are to replace the transmission.

Involved are certain 2008 Saturn VUE vehicles, equipped with a 6T70 6-Speed FWD (RPO MH2) or AWD (RPO MH4) transmission and built within these VIN breakpoints:

Important: Retailers are to confirm vehicle eligibility prior to beginning repairs by using the system below. Not all vehicles within the above breakpoints may be involved.

For retailers with involved vehicles, a listing with involved vehicles containing the complete vehicle identification number, customer name, and address information has been prepared and will be provided through the applicable system listed below. Retailers will not have a report available if they have no involved vehicles currently assigned.

-- US Saturn retailers - GM DealerWorld Recall Information

The listing may contain customer names and addresses obtained from Motor Vehicle Registration Records. The use of such motor vehicle registration data for any purpose other than follow-up necessary to complete this recall is a violation of law in several states/provinces/countries. Accordingly, you are urged to limit the use of this report to the follow-up necessary to complete this recall.

Important: Due to the small number of vehicles involved, dealers should only order the transmission for listed VINs.

Saturn will not be doing a pre-shipment of parts for this recall. Please place orders for the required parts as necessary.

Refer to Automatic Transmission - 6T70/6T75 in Service Information (SI) for the following:

The General Motors Courtesy Transportation program is intended to minimize customer inconvenience when a vehicle requires a repair that is covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranties. The availability of courtesy transportation to customers whose vehicles are within the warranty coverage period and involved in a product program is very important in maintaining customer satisfaction. Dealers are to ensure that these customers understand that shuttle service or some other form of courtesy transportation is available and will be provided at no charge. Saturn retailers should refer to the General Motors Service Policies and Procedures Manual for Courtesy Transportation guidelines.

1. To receive credit, submit a claim with the information below:

2. Submit courtesy transportation using Net Item C.

General Motors will notify customers of this recall on their vehicle (see copy of customer letter included with this bulletin).

The US National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act provides that each vehicle that is subject to a recall of this type must be adequately repaired within a reasonable time after the customer has tendered it for repair. A failure to repair within sixty days after tender of a vehicle is prima facie evidence of failure to repair within a reasonable time. If the condition is not adequately repaired within a reasonable time, the customer may be entitled to an identical or reasonably equivalent vehicle at no charge or to a refund of the purchase price less a reasonable allowance for depreciation. To avoid having to provide these burdensome remedies, every effort must be made to promptly schedule an appointment with each customer and to repair their vehicle as soon as possible. In the recall notification letters, customers are told how to contact the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration if the recall is not completed within a reasonable time.

All unsold new vehicles in dealers' possession and subject to this recall must be held and inspected/repaired per the service procedure of this recall bulletin before customers take possession of these vehicles.

Retailers are to service all vehicles subject to this recall at no charge to customers, regardless of mileage, age of vehicle, or ownership, from this time forward.

Customers who have recently purchased vehicles sold from your vehicle inventory, and for which there is no customer information indicated on the retailer listing, are to be contacted by the retailer. Arrangements are to be made to make the required correction according to the instructions contained in this bulletin. A copy of the customer letter is provided in this bulletin for your use in contacting customers. Recall follow-up cards should not be used for this purpose, since the customer may not as yet have received the notification letter.

In summary, whenever a vehicle subject to this recall enters your vehicle inventory, or is in your facility for service in the future, you must take the steps necessary to be sure the recall correction has been made before selling or releasing the vehicle.

Dear General Motors Customer:

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

General Motors has decided that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2008 Saturn VUE vehicles, equipped with a 6T70 6-Speed automatic transmission. As a result, GM is conducting a safety recall. We apologize for this inconvenience. However, we are concerned about your safety and continued satisfaction with our products.

Important: 

Why is your vehicle being recalled?

Some of these vehicles have a condition in which the transmission case side bore that holds the park pawl pivot pin may have a casting porosity. This condition, coupled with normal operating stresses, could lead to failure, eliminating the ability to secure the transmission in ‘park’ position. If this happens while the vehicle is parked on a non-level surface, the vehicle could roll without warning and cause injury to people in its path.

What will we do?

Your Saturn retailer will replace the transmission. This service will be performed for you at no charge . Because of service scheduling requirements, it is likely that your retailer will need your vehicle longer than the actual transmission replacement time of up to approximately eight and a half hours.

If your vehicle is within the New Vehicle Limited Warranty your retailer may provide you with shuttle service or some other form of courtesy transportation while your vehicle is at the facility for this repair. Please refer to your Owner’s Manual and your retailer for details on courtesy transportation.

What should you do?

At least until your vehicle is serviced, please apply the parking brake every time you park your vehicle.

You should contact your Saturn retailer to arrange a service appointment as soon as possible. Bring the enclosed customer reply form with you when you visit your retailer. The form identifies the repairs required. If you no longer own this vehicle, please let us know by completing the form and mailing it back to us.

Do you have questions?

If you have questions or concerns that your retailer is unable to resolve, please contact the appropriate Customer Assistance Center at the number listed below. More information about this recall can be found at the Owner Center at MyGMLink, http://www.gm.com/recall

If after contacting your retailer and the Customer Assistance Center, you are still not satisfied we have done our best to remedy this condition without charge and within a reasonable time, you may wish to write the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington DC 20590, or call the toll-free Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1.888.327.4236 (TTY 1.800.424.9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Federal regulation requires that any vehicle lessor receiving this recall notice must forward a copy of this notice to the lessee within ten days.

Scott Lawson

General Director,

Customer and Relationship Services

Enclosure

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