Why can't the A6 shift cable fail (BTW it's a know problem GM) at a convenient time if there is such a time. At least modern technology saved the day. Last Saturday my Wife & I pulled into the parking lot for dinner with friends at 5:30PM. As I pull around to back in I'm shifting into reverse and then it happens - that pit in your stomach feeling of a useless shifter. Immediately told the wife that we're done for the night - car's broke. It was a nice look in the Country Club parking lot watching a woman pushing a C6 Grand Sport into a parking spot. Sh&t happens. Now for the modern technology part. 5:45PM I call my insurance for road side assistance - the roll back is there within ten minutes (I joking asked the driver if he was practicing his putts) he said he just finished another job. My friend calls his buddy that owns an exotic car shop to arrange a drop off. 6:25PM we drop the car there, it will be secured later that evening. 6:30PM I Uber back to the dinner party / concert arriving at 7:00PM!!! I missed Happy Hour and was late eating my dinner but the night was saved. I thought about what if this effort if it had happened back in the day where I'd have to find a pay phone and try to coordinate everything, I'm thinking I probably would have missed dinner. Anyway I asked the shop to take care of a few things while they had the car - new shift cable, replace the RR TMS & Oil / Filter change (Mobil 1 of course) total bill $585. Happy camper. I left the shop like any respectable Vette owner should just a little out of shape.

 

With almost 130k on my 08 I've thought about replacing the cable before I end up like yourself! I just hope if or when it does happen things go as smoothly for me. Glad it worked out for you.

 

Why was your wife pushing the car, and not you?

 

Most likely nothing more then a grommet. Mine failed a few months back. Fixed it myself for less then $10.

 

I know when my grommet fails for the third time, I won't be so lucky

1st time: Backing out of garage. Driveway fix.

2nd time: Pulling up in store parking lot to help my mom with her dead battery. She got me home to get a floor jack. Zip tied linkage enough to get in gear and drive straight home.

3rd time: Probably in middle of nowhere on a road trip.

 

Mine broke about a year ago (2006 conv.) also at the most inconvenient time at the most inconvenient place. I was about 3 miles from my final destination. I stopped to top off the tank and when I got ready to leave - nothing. The shifter slid up and down the travel range with no resistance and no engagement. Pouring down rain (south FL in Dec.). Called roadside assistance and they sent a rollback to take me to the nearest dealer. It was late Friday so no work until Monday. I was staying in the area for the weekend anyway so one call to Enterprise and I was on my way with a new Cadillac XTS sedan at the compact car rate (dealer and military discount). Car was ready at 1000 Monday morning and no problems since. Total bill with towing was $400.

 

....but, did you have run-flats? According to a majority of forum members, you definitely don't want to leave home without those. Too bad they don't make "nine-lives" shifter cables.

 

Mine broke at a gas station too. So I called my girlfriend and told her to bring my tools. I removed the center console and reached down onto the cable shaft and put it in drive. I'm sure the customers were upset with me blocking the pump. I replaced the whole shifter cable at home at my convenience. That was about a year ago and no problems since.

 

My buddies were assisting her...

 

Yeah my run flats were of little use..... my lucky break was the cable let go when the car was in Neutral.
A shift cable in my opinion shouldn't even be on the radar relative to a cars dependability. I asked about a more robust cable to be installed but a new OEM GM cable was installed. I should 'should' be good for another couple of years with the cable...

 

I agree. And as much as I hate 'HATE' having to admit this - I'm just not interested in diving under my car anymore to fix it. Reason being at 64 my eyes aren't as keen, I don't know exactly what I'm doing, concrete is extremely hard and its much easier to write the check.

 

Mine broke going to a meeting about 50 miles from home. Car was in drive so went to the meeting, parked out of danger of hitting anything and set the parking break. Conducted a 20 minute meeting then hopped in the car and drove 50 miles home.

Pulled the console and shifter to see what the problem was and promptly went a bought a new grommet. after replacing the grommet I pulled the cable up to attach to shifter and heard the snap of the mounting bracket about 8" back in the tunnel. Apparently the tunnel heat gets to that piece as well.

Bought new cable (175.00) and commenced to install. Turned an hour fix to an afternoon repair. To this day I don't know if removing the tunnel plate would have been easier or not.

Now that we are on the subject might have to do some preventive maintenance and replace both grommets. It's been about another 4 years and another 50,000 miles.

 

Maybe, just maybe the guy who complained in another thread calling Corvettes junk was in a way correct.
I'll correct it to say GM has a deaf ear on items that have been a problem for years, such as this one and the dreaded harmonic balancer, know trouble for how long now Yet no recall , TSB, or willingness to correct their flaws, shame for their Flagship sports car.
NSF