NHTSA Complaint #10331653 — 2004 PONTIAC GTO

1. MY WIFE WAS COMPLAINING OF A SQUEAKING SOUND WHENEVER SHE PUT ON THE BRAKES. WHEN RESEARCHING BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS ONLINE I NOTICED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOR 2004 AND 2005 GTO'S REGARDING TIRES RUBBING ON THE FRONT STRUTS. SINCE I WAS GOING TO REMOVE THE TIRES TO GET A BETTER LOOK AT THE BRAKE PADS I ALSO CHECKED FOR THE TIRE RUB PROBLEM. SURE ENOUGH THE RIGHT SIDE TIRE AND STRUT BOTH SHOWED SIGNS OF WEAR. THE TIRES INSIDE TREAD WAS WORN AND THERE WERE AREAS ON THE TIRES WHERE SMALL CRACKS HAD STARTED AND ONE 3 INCH LONG CRACK THROUGH THE SIDEWALL. LEFT SIDE TIRE TREAD WAS NOT WORN YET THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF TIRE RUB ON THE STRUT. 2. SINCE I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO RUN ACROSS THE INFORMATION ONLINE, I WILL BE ABLE TO AVOID A FAILURE. THE FAILURE IF I WERE TO LET IT GO WOULD MOST CERTAINLY BE EATHER A GRADUAL LOSS OF AIR PRESSURE OR IF RUNNING FREEWAY SPEEDS A SUDDEN BLOWOUT. SIMPLY REPLACING THE TIRES (WITH OEM REPLACEMENTS) AND ADJUSTING THE FRONT END ALIGNMENT WILL NOT PREVENT THE PROBLEM FROM OCCURRING AGAIN. 3. I'M CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF RESEARCHING OPTIONS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. WE PURCHASED THE CAR USED BUT WITH VERY LOW MILES AND GOT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. SINCE OTHER ITEMS CONTRIBUTE TO THE TIRE RUB SUCH AS PREMATURE FAILURE OF BUSHINGS AND BREARNGS I HOPE TO GET AT LEAST THOSE REPLACED SINCE THEY ARE COVERED. A FORMAL RECALL HAS NOT YET BEEN REQUIRED, SO ANY REPLACEMENT PARTS WOULD BE THE SAME AS THOSE THAT FAILED IN THE FIRSTPLACE. I'M STRONGLY LOOKING AT INSTALLING AN AFTERMARKET KIT DESIGNED TO CORRECT ALL THE PROBLEMS. *TR