The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that General Motors is recalling 54,686 2013-MY vehicles due to a possible fractured park lock cable or malformed steering column lock actuator gear in the lock module assembly. Vehicles affected include 2013-MY Chevrolet Express, Silverado, Suburban, and Tahoe vehicles; GMC Savana, Sierra, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles; and Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT SUVs.

This potential issue means a vehicle could roll away as it could shift from the “Park” setting when the ignition key is removed or in the “off” position. It could also shift out of “Park” when the brake pedal isn’t applied while the key is off. In either scenario, the vehicle could roll away after the driver has left the vehicle.

GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the affected vehicles and replace the steering column as necessary, free of charge. NHTSA said it expects the recall to begin on January 17, 2013. General Motors' number for this recall is 12331. Chevrolet owners can call 1-800-630-2438. Cadillac owners can call 1-866-982-2339, and GMC owners can call 1-866-996-9463.