NHTSA Complaint #10169324 — 2004 PONTIAC GTO

I OWN A 2004 PONTIAC GTO. I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON THE FREEWAY AT 5:30AM ON SEPT. 6, 2006. I WAS PASSING A SEMI TRUCK WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. THE VEHICLE PULLED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT, BUT I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL AND AVOID STRIKING THE SEMI. I PULLED THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE WAS SHREDDED. THE FRONT TIRES BOTH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND I WAS TOLD THE REAR TIRES WERE WORN TO THE POINT OF REPLACEMENT. WHEN I PICKED THE CAR UP LATER THAT NIGHT, I WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT I WAS GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE TIRES WERE TOO WIDE, CAUSING THEM TO RUB AGAINST THE STRUT BRACE. I HAD HIM SHOW ME THE OLD TIRES. THE ONE THAT HAD BLOWN OUT WAS WORN COMPLETELY DOWN TO THE BELTS, AND IT LOOKED AS THOUGH IT HAD BEEN CUT WITH A KNIFE, SIMILAR TO OPENING A TUNA CAN. I ALSO FOUND THAT WHEN THE TIRE BLEW OUT, IT DENTED TO THE TOP OF THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WELL AND SCRATCHED THE FRONT BUMPER. I TOOK THE TIRES WITH ME. THE PONTIAC GTO IS AN IMPORT FROM HOLDEN IN AUSTRAILIA. IN AUSTRAILIA THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH 235/45R17 TIRES ON IT. WHEN PONTIAC BROUGHT IT TO THE STATES, THEY EQUIPPED 245/45R17 TIRES ON IT, 10MM WIDER. THE INCREASE IN WIDTH CAUSES THE TIRE TO RUB AGAINST THE STRUT BRACE, MOSTLY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE NEXT DAY I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT IT. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE FIRST THEY HAD EVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM, AND THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID HE WOULD CALL GM TO SEE WHAT THE DEAL WAS. I HEARD BACK THE NEXT DAY. GM WAS GOING TO REIMBURSE ME FOR 2 OF THE 4 TIRES I PURCHASED AND REDO THE ALIGNMENT BY ADJUSTING THE POSITIVE CAMBER OF THE FRONT TIRES, BUT THEY WANTED THE OLD TIRES BACK. SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE BEEN OFFERED THE SAME DEAL, WITH THE INCLUSION OF FIXING THE BODY WORK, AND I CAN KEEP THE TIRES. MY GTO HAS LESS THAN 19K MILES ON IT, AND GAVE NO PRIOR INDICATION OF A PROBLEM. *NM