NHTSA Complaint #10041187 — 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM

ISSUE CONCERNS TSB 02-03-10-003. THE VEHICLE IS 2002 PONTIAC GRAND AM GT WITH ALUMINUM ALLOY WHEELS AND 16 INCH EAGLE RSA TIRES. THE VEHICLE HAS 41,000 MILES AND IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. PRIOR TO OCT. 3 2003 - A SCRUNCHING AND GRINDING NOISE IN THE FRONT PART OF THE VEHICLE THAT SOUNDS LIKE A WHEEL BEARING OR BRAKE ASSEMBLY WENT BAD. DECIDED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS BAD ENOUGH TO TAKE TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT CAUSE WAS COMBINATION OF THE STOCK ALUMINUM WHEEL AND THE STOCK GOODYEAR RSA TIRE DESCRIBED IN TSB 02-03-10-003 AND THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM WITHOUT REPLACING THE TIRES. THE DECISION WAS IF I WANTED THE PROBLEM FIXED, I HAVE TO PAY FOR 4 NEW TIRES. I BROUGHT 3 ISSUES TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALER: 1. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE ANY OTHER MECHANICAL FAILURES OF A SIMILAR SOUND WILL NOT BE HEARD OVER THE CURRENT SOUND AND THEREFORE BE LEFT UNCHECKED UNTIL A TIME WHEN THE PART COULD FAIL CATASTROPHICALLY. 2. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE REASON THAT UNDER PRESSURE OR HEAT DEVIATING FROM THE NORM AS A RESULT OF THE TIRE AND RIM RUBBING IN SUCH A WAY TO CAUSE THE SOUND. 3. IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO RESELL A VEHICLE THAT WAS UNSAFE. FOR THESE THREE REASONS I REQUESTED THAT THE DEALERSHIP PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THEY SAID THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE THAT DECISION AND THAT I SHOULD CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. OCT. 3 2003 I CONTACTED PONTIAC CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AND SPOKE TO MERRILL HAMMOND CONCERNING THE PROBLEM. SHE SAID THAT PONTIACS POSITION IS THAT THE CAR IS OPERATING WITHIN NORMAL AND ACCEPTABLE PARAMETERS AND DID NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR SINCE IT WAS NOT A SAFETY RECALL. TOLD THAT IF I HAD BROUGHT THE CAR IN UNDER WARRANTY, NEW TIRES WOULD HAVE BEEN PUT ON THE CAR BY THE MANUFACTURER. SHE SUGGESTED I CONTACT THE NHTSA IF I WAS UNHAPPY WITH THE SAFETY ISSUES CONCERNING TSB. I FEEL THE CAR IS UNSAFE AND THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED FOR THE TIRE COMBINATION STATED IN THE TSB. *LA