2009 Chevrolet Corvette

THIS IS HAPPENING INTERMITTENTLY, BUT FREQUENTLY: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTER STAYS LOCKED IN PARK, DESPITE ENGINE RUNNING AND FOOT FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. CAN'T SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THIS HAPPENS WHEN CAR IS PARKED, STARTING IT UP AND TRYING TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE. THE PROBLEM HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE ELECTRONIC/MECHANICAL INTERLOCK OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THERE IS AN ELECTRONIC SWITCH OR SOLENOID THAT IS MALFUNCTIONING, THE PREVENTS THE MECHANICAL TRANSMISSION LOCK FROM DISENGAGING. TO WORKAROUND THE PROBLEM, YOU CAN TRY TO: - TURN THE CAR OFF, AND RESTART IT. AFTER MULTIPLE TRIES, IF YOU ARE LUCKY THE TRANSMISSION INTERLOCK MAY RELEASE SUCCESSFULLY. - THERE IS AN EMERGENCY WORKAROUND PROCEDURE WHERE BY PUTTING THE CAR IN ACCESSORY MODE BEFORE STARTING IT, YOU CAN BYPASS THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM. - THE CHEVROLET DEALERS I HAVE HEARD FROM RECOMMEND REPLACING THE ENTIRE SHIFTER SYSTEM FOR $700-$1000. BUT THE NEW SHIFTERS HAVE THE VERY SAME DESIGN PROBLEM! SO NEW SHIFTERS ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE SAME FAILURES IN THE FUTURE! WHEN GOOGLING THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET FORUMS, IT APPEARS THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM AFFECTING "6TH-GENERATION" CORVETTES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN 2005 AND 2013. (I HAVE A 2009 MODEL.) APPARENTLY GM HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS, BUT HAS NOT INVESTED IN ANY RECALL. AS A RESULT, IT APPEARS MANY OWNERS ARE CHOOSING TO DISABLE THE TRANSMISSION INTERLOCK SINCE IT IS UNRELIABLE. I WOULD LIKE TO URGE GM TO ISSUE A RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON I-275 I FIRST EXPERIENCED A MUFFLED NOISE IN THE CAR THAT SOUNDED LIKE WIND. THE CAR WAS NOT HOLDING THE ROAD AS IT USUALLY DOES AND THE REAR SWAYED A BIT. NEXT, THERE WAS A SOUND LIKE A THUMP. MY DASHBOARD LIT UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE WITH A WARNING THAT TRACTION CONTROL WAS NOT WORKING AND THAT I SHOULD SEEK IMMEDIATE REPAIR. NEXT, THE VEHICLE LOST A LOT OF ITS POWER AND DECELERATED RATHER SUDDENLY FORM 70 TO APPROX 45 MPH. CAR HAD NO ENERGY OR PEP AND LIGHT SAID ENGINE POWER LOSS. FORTUNATELY NOBODY WAS BEHIND ME WHEN THE DECELERATION OCCURRED. I EXITED THE EXPRESSWAY AND WAS JUST FEW MILES FROM HOTEL AND PARKED IT. HAD IT TOWED THE NEXT DAY TO A DEALER IN TAMPA. DO NOT YET KNOW DIAGNOSIS ON THE CAR. WILL PROBABLY HEAR TOMORROW. BUT IT WAS A REAL SHOCK TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN SO SUDDENLY AND THE DECELERATION WAS SUDDEN AND IF CAR HAD BEEN BEHIND ME IT COULD HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM. *TR