Recall Alert: 2008-2010 Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6, 2007-2010 Saturn Aura

GM is recalling 426,240 model-year 2008-10 Chevrolet Malibus and Pontiac G6s, along with model-year 2007-10 Saturn Aura sedans due to problems with the automatic transmission, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The affected vehicles are equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission with a faulty shift cable. The tabs on the cable may fracture, so the shift lever and the position of the transmission may not match. This could cause the car to roll away if the driver thinks it’s in Park and it isn’t, increasing the risk of a crash.

GM has not provided an owner notification schedule, but dealers will replace the affected parts free of charge. Owners can call GM at 800-521-7300 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

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GM 72-Hour Sale: 0% for 72 Months

Maybe GM’s math skills got them into the trouble they’re in. Their just announced 72-hour sale starts today and runs through July 6, which is 144 hours by our count. Maybe they wanted to tie the sale name in with the sale terms, namely 0% financing for 72 months on select models for those buyers who qualify.

Included 2009 and 2010 models in the 0% for 72-months term are: Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra regular, extended and crew cab light-duty pickups; Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon XL SUVs; Chevrolet Impala; and the Pontiac Vibe, G3, G5, G6 and G8.

Other models have separate incentives you can find here.

GM Kills High-Performance Trims for 2010

Throughout the day, we’ve been seeing reports surface online of GM killing high-performance trim levels of a few models across its brands. We contacted the company and can now confirm that a number of these stories are indeed true.

The least surprising cancellation is the Pontiac G6 GXP, which will not see a 2010 model year. It sported a slightly more powerful V-6 engine than the G6 GT and a six-speed automatic.

What the End of Pontiac Means To You

Today GM announced it would stop producing new Pontiac models by the end of 2010. This is the end of an era for the once-proud performance brand, but it also leaves a lot of questions for car shoppers and Pontiac owners.

We talked to Jim Hopson, Pontiac’s manager of communications, this morning to clarify GM’s statement. He said that Pontiac will continue to operate normally even with today’s announcement. All warranty work will be completed as usual; any new Pontiacs sold will have the same full warranty they did last week, one which has the backing of the U.S. government. The government's backing is to help ensure consumers that its safe to still purchase new GM cars while the company seeks to restructure. Only cars purchased through May get the government-backed warranty.

GM will continue to make parts for Pontiac models indefinitely and most Pontiac dealers also sell the Buick and GMC brands and will continue to operate. The automaker still produces replacement parts for the defunct Oldsmobile, which GM shuttered in 2004.

What Hopson couldn’t say was when certain models would be phased out.

The current Pontiac lineup reads as follows, including how many days of inventory was sitting on lots as of April 1.

• Pontiac G3: 617 days of inventory
• Pontiac G5: 443 days of inventory
• Pontiac G6: 83 days of inventory
• Pontiac G8: 92 days of inventory
• Pontiac Solstice: 276 days of inventory
• Pontiac Vibe: 149 days of inventory
• Pontiac Torrent: 99 days of inventory

The national average for all brands is 83 days of inventory.

We detail specific information on Pontiac models below.

Recall Alert: 276,729 GM Vehicles From 2009 Model Year

GM has issued a wide-ranging recall for several brands and models from the 2009 model year, all affected by a potential malfunction in the transmission shift cable, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Affected models include the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Cobalt, Chevrolet HHR, Chevrolet Malibu, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, Pontiac G5, Pontiac G6, Saturn Aura and Saturn Outlook.

The problem has to do with a clip to the transmission cable, which may not lock into place. Therefore, the lever on the transmission may seem like it’s in the proper position when in Park, but the car might still roll away.

Dealerships will inspect the cable and replace the clip if necessary, free of charge. Owners can contact Buick at 866-608-8080, Chevrolet at 800-630-2438, GMC at 866-996-9463, Pontiac at 800-620-7668 and Saturn at 800-972-8876. They can also contact the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236.