DETROIT -- General Motors is recalling 7,601 Chevrolet Caprice police vehicles from the 2011-13 model years for a problem with the gear shifter that could allow the car to roll away while in park.
GM said today that the sedans, imported from Australia, can be shifted out of park without a foot on the brake pedal. Drivers also may have difficulty shifting between gears, and may be able to move the shift lever between gears without pressing the shift lever lock button.
Also, the ignition key can be removed without the transmission being in park, potentially allowing it to roll away and "increasing the risk of injury to exiting occupants or bystanders," GM said in a recall notice filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
GM said it is aware of one crash but no injuries or fatalities. A service kit is being shipped to dealers to fix the condition.
It is GM's 75th recall this year, totaling about 30 million vehicles.
