NHTSA Complaint #727965 — 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU

THE TIRES HAVE FAILED TO HOLD AIR PROPERLY FOR ANY LENGHTH OF TIME SINCE ORIGINALLY PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. IT WAS RECENTLY NOTICED THAT THE TIRES HAVE GONE COMPLETELY BALD IN THE CENTER OF THE TIRE. IN CONTACTING THE SERVICE MANAGER AT DAVE HEINRICH CHEVROLET IN LOCKPORT, NY, WE ARE TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE MALIBUS IN THAT GM STATES THAT THESE TIRES WERE NOT DESIGNED FOR THIS CAR. GM HAS SINCE ISSUED A BULLETIN STATING THAT THESE TIRES SHOULD ONLY BE INFLATED TO 28# IN FRONT AND 26# IN BACK, WHICH VARIES FROM THE MANUFACTURER SUGGESTION. GM REFUSES TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND THE TIRES APPEAR TO BE UNSAFE, ALTHOUGH THE SERVICE MANAGER STATES THAT THEY "ARE PROBABLY SAFE". GM SAYS THAT OUR ONLY REMEDY WOULD BE TO CONTACT AN AUTHORIZED FIRESTONE DEALER, EVEN THOUGH GM SOLD THE CAR WITH THE DEFECTIVE TIRES---GM SAYS THAT THEY ARE "NOT DEFECTIVE". PLEASE ADVISE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 15 )