Pontiac Power Train: Gear Position Indication (prndl)

Pontiac is recalling about 28,068 vehicles over a problem with the power train. Consequence of non-compliance: the driver of the vehicle would not be able to see the actual position of the transaxle gear selector resulting in a driver either inadvertently leaving a parked or idling vehicle in drive, reverse, or neutral rather than park, or selecting an incorrect transaxle shift position while driving the vehicle.

Campaign
96V003000
Manufacturer
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Reported
2 January 1996
Vehicles
28,068
Built between
Jul 1994 – Jun 1995
Models
1
Recall type
Vehicle
Initiated by
Manufacturer
Owners notified
2 February 1996
Repaired
Not reported
Unrepaired
Not reported

Does this affect my vehicle?

This recall covers vehicles built between July 1994 and June 1995. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.

  • 1995 Pontiac SunfireBuilt July 1994 to June 1995

What the defect is

The instrument panel cluster trim plate/bezel can sag and cover the light emitting diode portion (lighted pointed above panel) of the transaxle shift indicator display. This does not comply with FMVSS no. 101, "control location, identification, and illumination."

What could happen

Consequence of non-compliance: the driver of the vehicle would not be able to see the actual position of the transaxle gear selector resulting in a driver either inadvertently leaving a parked or idling vehicle in drive, reverse, or neutral rather than park, or selecting an incorrect transaxle shift position while driving the vehicle.

What gets fixed

DEALERS ARE TO INSTALL A NEW INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER TRIM PLATE/BEZEL ASSEMBLY WHICH IS NOT SUBJECT TO THIS CONDITION.

Timeline

  1. Vehicles builtJuly 1994 to June 1995
  2. Recall reported to NHTSA2 January 1996
  3. Owners notified2 February 1996

Your rights

A safety recall repair is free. Under US federal law the manufacturer must fix a safety defect at no cost to you — no charge for parts, labor or diagnosis — whether or not you are the original owner. A dealer cannot charge you for recall work, and cannot require you to have bought the vehicle from them.

That entitlement is not unlimited. It applies where the vehicle was first sold less than 15 years before the recall was announced — 5 years for tires. Past that a manufacturer may still do the repair free of charge, and many do, but they are no longer obliged to. This recall was reported on 2 January 1996.

To arrange the repair, contact any franchised dealer for the brand. If a dealer refuses the work or tries to charge for it, you can report that to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls or on 1-888-327-4236.

Official source

Recalling manufacturer
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Safety standard
FMVSS 101
Recall initiated by
MFR

Everything on this page — the models listed, the build dates and the repair figures — comes from the manufacturer's filing to NHTSA and describes the vehicle line as a whole, not any individual car. Only the manufacturer can confirm whether a specific vehicle is affected, and whether its recall work has already been carried out. Check yours by VIN and read the official notice at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Additional notes

System: powertrain; transmission; automatic; indicator; FMVSS no. 101.VEHICLE description: passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmission.note: owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time, should contact pontiac at 1-800-762-2737. Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393.

Check your own vehicle

This page describes the recall, not any one car. To see which recalls cover a specific vehicle, search by make, model and year.

A VIN lookup here identifies your vehicle and shows recalls issued for that make, model and year. It cannot tell you what is still open on your individual car - only the manufacturer knows that. Search by VIN instead, or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov for whether a recall is still open on your individual car.

Same component

Same brand