CHICAGO (AFP)--General Motors is recalling nearly 277,000 vehicles in the United States because of a problem with the gear shift that could cause parked vehicles to roll away, officials said Friday.

The problem stems from a clip on the transmission shift cable that stops the vehicle from being shifted into the "park" gear.

"With this condition, the driver could move the shifter to 'park' and remove the ignition key, but the transmission gear may not be in park," GM said in a filing with federal regulators.

"The driver may not be able to restart the vehicle and the vehicle could roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible crash without warning."

The recall affects 2009 model years of ten GM brands: the Buick Enclave; Chevy Cobalt, HHR, Malibu and Traverse; GMC Acadia; Pontiac G5 and G6; and the Saturn Aura and Outlook.

GM said it was also recalling 1,738 Hummer H3T vehicles of the 2009 model year because some have a "condition in which the fuel tank front support strap may fracture."

"The fuel tank could separate from the vehicle increasing the risk of a crash," GM said in a separate filing.

-Dow Jones Newswires, 201-938-5500