NHTSA Complaint #10276426 — 2006 PONTIAC GTO

NO ABNORMAL EVENT LED TO FAILURES; CONTEXT WAS NORMAL DRIVING. FAILURES WERE FRONT SUSPENSION COMPONENTS; PREMATURELY WORN (1) STRUT ROD BUSHINGS (I.E., RADIUS ROD BUSHINGS), (2) STRUT MOUNT BUSHINGS, (3) LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS, & (4) END LINK BUSHINGS. THE CONSEQUENCES OF (I.E., SYMPTOMS CAUSED BY) COMBINATION OF 1, 2 & 3 WERE EXCESSIVE, IRREGULAR, OUT-OF-SPEC MOVEMENTS IN, & WANDERING OF, FRONT SUSPENSION & STEERING COMPONENTS & FRONT TIRES (WHICH ARE CONNECTED TO SUSPENSION/STEERING COMPONENTS)--BOTH IN CAMBER & CASTOR--AS EVIDENCED BY (A) EXCESSIVE NEGATIVE CAMBER, WHICH CAUSED (A1) PREMATURE INNER TIRE WEAR, (B) EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT OR VIBRATION IN FRONT WHEELS, WHICH CAUSED (B1) SOME INNER FRONT TIRE CONTACT WITH FRONT STRUTS, & (C) SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED CONTROL, & INCREASED INSTABILITY, OF CAR ON ROAD. FRONT TIRES ARE SECURED TO CAR BY TRIANGULATION OF THREE MAJOR SUSPENSION COMPONENTS: FRONT STRUT (SECURED TO STRUT TOWER THROUGH STRUT MOUNT BUSHING & BEARING), STRUT ROD (SECURED TO FRONT OF ENGINE CRADLE THROUGH STRUT ROD BUSHINGS), & LOWER CONTROL ARM (SECURED TO SIDE OF ENGINE CRADLE THROUGH LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS), EACH OF WHICH EXPERIENCED FAILURE. SERVICING DEALER REPLACED, UNDER MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY, STRUT ROD BUSHINGS, STRUT MOUNT BUSHINGS, BEARINGS, & HARDWARE, LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS (& LOWER CONTROL ARMS, SINCE COMES AS AN ASSEMBLY), & END LINK BUSHINGS (HAVE PHOTOS OF COLLAPSED, CROWNED STRUT MOUNT BUSHINGS). NOT REPLACE TIRES OR PRO-RATE. HOWEVER, GM'S REPLACEMENT WITH OEM PARTS DOES NOT CORRECT UNDERLYING PROBLEM OF POOR QUALITY/DESIGN OEM SUSPENSION PARTS. SUBSTANTIAL OUT-OF-SPEC MOVEMENTS IN GEOMETRY OF FRONT SUSPENSION COMPONENTS IN 04-06 GTOS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE NOT APPROPRIATELY ADDRESSED BY GM OR NTSB (NTSB ACTION #PE07010). APPROPRIATE SOLUTION IS SAFETY RECALL 04-06 GTOS TO REPLACE FRONT STRUT MOUNT BUSHINGS & RADIUS ROD BUSHINGS W/HIGH QUALITY, HEAVY-DUTY PARTS (E.G., $350 PART NUMBER GTOTIRERUBPACK AT WWW.PEDDERSUSA.COM).