NHTSA Complaint #10249671 — 2006 PONTIAC GTO

THE CAR HAD BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER IN MARCH 2008 REGARDING AN ISSUE OF THE FRONT TIRES RUBBING AGAINST THE STRUTS. THE DEALER IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS AN ALIGNMENT ISSUE AND MADE A CORRECTION, HOWEVER THE EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE INSIDE EDGES OF THE TIRES WAS NOT ADDRESSED. THE EXCESSIVE WEAR IS NOT A TIRE DEFECT AND IS A DIRECT RESULT OF STRUT RUB AND ALIGNMENT. EVEN WHEN WITHIN ALIGNMENT SPECS THE EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE INSIDE EDGES OF THE TIRES CONTINUES. AT THE TIME, IN MARCH, THE FRONT TIRES WERE ROTATED TO THE REAR. IN NOVEMBER THE RIGHT REAR TIRE, PREVIOUSLY LEFT FRONT WHICH HAD RUBBED THE STRUT, BEGAN TO SHRED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH. THE TIRE DID NOT GO FLAT. THE INSIDE EDGE OF THE RUBBER PEELED AWAY FROM THE TIRE IN A 1/2 INCH WIDE STRIP, EXPOSING THE STEEL BELT. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE OTHER REAR TIRE, PREVIOUSLY RIGHT FRONT, IS ABOUT TO DO THE SAME. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM BUT SAID THAT BECAUSE THE ALIGNMENT IS WITHIN SPECS IT IS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE. THE DEALER DID OFFER TO REPLACE THE ONE SHREDDED TIRE AT THE EXPENSE OF THE DEALERSHIP, BUT WOULD NOT REPLACE THE OTHER WORN TIRE. THE DEALER ALSO OFFERED TO RECHECK AND ADJUST THE FRONT ALIGNMENT BECAUSE THE FRONT TIRES WERE AGAIN SHOWING SIGNS OF PREMATURE WEAR ON THE INSIDE EDGES. THIS IS NOT A TIRE DEFECT AND IS NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING AND DESIGN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY GM AS MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE A CAR THAT I FEEL SAFE IN, AND THIS CAR HAS AN INCREASED RISK OF BLOWOUTS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. GM NOT ONLY NEEDS TO REPLACE TIRES, IT NEEDS TO DETERMINE HOW TO SOLVE THE ALIGNMENT/STRUT RUB PROBLEM TO PREVENT NEW TIRES FROM EXCESSIVE AND PREMATURE WEAR. *TR