# 1997 GMC YUKON — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT
> NHTSA complaint `432184` · 2003-09-26 · General Motors, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** GMC
- **Model:** YUKON
- **Year:** 1997
- **Manufacturer:** General Motors, LLC
- **Component:** POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT
- **Miles at failure:** 112,000
## Narrative
I PUT MY 1 YEAR OLD IN HIS CAR SEAT AND WENT AROUND THE OTHER SIDE TO CONTINUE FASTENING IN MY OTHER TWO TODDLERS, BROOKE, 4, AND MASON, 3, INTO THEIR SEATS AS WELL.  ONCE I GOT INSIDE THE DRIVERS SEAT, BEFORE STARTING THE VEHICLE, I HAD REALIZED THAT I HAD BETTER GET ANOTHER BOTTLE OUT OF THE REFRIGERATOR.  WHILE I WAS INSIDE THE HOUSE, MY 3 YEAR OLD, MASON, CLIMBED OUT OF HIS SEAT AND JUMPED INTO THE DRIVERS SEAT AND BEGAN PLAYING WITH THE STEERING WHEEL.  HE HAD TURNED THE KEY SWITCH A FOURTH OF AN INCH, NOT EVEN TO THE FIRST CLICK (ON POSITION), AND SUCCESSFULLY PULLED DOWN THE GEAR SHIFTER INTO NEUTRAL (OBVIOUSLY WITHOUT APPLYING HIS FOOT TO THE BRAKE).  AS I WAS COMING BACK OUT OF THE HOUSE, I SEE MY CAR AND THREE CHILDREN GOING BACKWARDS DOWN MY DRIVEWAY WITH MASON BEHIND THE WHEEL, ON HIS KNEES YELLING "UH OH, UH OH!". I RAN, SCREAMING OUT MY CHILDS NAME, IN AN ATTEMPT TO CLOSE THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR SO HE COULDN'T FALL OUT BUT DIDNT MAKE IT IN TIME. THEY WENT STRAIGHT UP A BANK AND INTO THE WOODS PLOWING THROUGH THREE TREES. SOUNDS OF GLASS SHATTERING AND CHILDRENS CRY  SURROUNDED MY HEAD.  FINALLY, THE VEHICLE CAME TO A SUDDEN HALT.                            IT SAYS ON THE DASH OF MY VEHICLE YOU MUST APPLY BRAKE IN ORDER TO PULL OUT OF PARK. THE SERVICE MANAGERS DIAGNOSIS OF MY VEHICLE BEING OF NORMAL OPERATION IS IN FACT A CONTRADICTION TO WHAT ALL MANUALS STATE.    THIS DEFECT ALMOST TOOK THE LIVES OF MY THREE VERY YOUNG CHILDREN.   I WOULD GREATLY APPREC
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*