1995 PONTIAC TRANS AM — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 PONTIAC TRANS AM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS ISNPECTED BY THE CONTACT. THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR PARK BRAKE LEVER RETURN SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 296,493.

LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL (SEE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 95V046000). THIS HAS AFFECTED MY VEHICLE FOR THE PAST COUPLE YEARS AND THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP KEEPS TELLING ME THAT IT IS THE WAY THE ROADS ARE MADE HERE AND/OR THE LOW PROFILE TIRES. WHEN CALLING YOU GUYS AND THE DEALERSHIPS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, I AM TOLD THAT THE RECALL DOESN'T AFFECT MY PARTICULAR VIN NUMBER [XXX]. PLEASE ASSIST.*AK *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

OUR PROBLEM CONCERNS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. WHEN WE PURCHASED THE CAR ALMOST 4 YEARS AGO WE NOTICED THE TAILLIGHTS WERE LEAKING. THEY HAD CORRODED THE TAIL LIGHTS AND THEY SHORTED OUT. THIS CAR WAS BARELY 7 YEARS OLD AND HAD NO WORKING TAIL LIGHTS. WE BROUGHT THIS UP TO GM AS IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND A DEFAULT OF A FAULTY TAIL LIGHT AND THEY TOLD US THEY HAVE A SPECIAL GLUE MAN THAT WORKS THROUGH GM AND HE WILL COME OUT AND GLUE THE SEAL BUT REFUSED TO REPAIR THE LIGHTS. WE WERE ANGRY ABOUT THIS BUT HAD THEM SEND THE MAN OUT TO DO THE REPAIR. IT DID NOT WORK AND WE TOLD GM THIS AND THEY TOLD US THEY WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR NEW TAILLIGHTS AND HAVE THE ELECTRICAL FIXED THERE AND THE COST WOULD BE OVER 1,000 DOLLARS. WE WERE VERY ANGRY AND HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET HELP WITH THIS SAFETY ISSUE. WE PURCHASED ANOTHER VEHICLE MEANWHILE A TOYOTA CRESSIDA AND THERE IS NO PROBLEMS WITH THOSE TAILLIGHTS EVEN WITH THE AGE OF THE BEING OVER DOUBLE THAN THE TRANSAM. THE TAILLIGHTS DO NOT WORK. THE SIGNALS DON'T WORK AS THEY CANNOT BECAUSE OF THE ELECTRICAL SHORT. WE ARE NOT GOING TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT IS OBVIOUSLY A FAULT IN GMS WORK. WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO. *NM

THE PURPOSE TO THIS LETTER IS TO ADVISE YOU OF AN INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED SATURDAY JUNE 19, 2004. WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 80 AT 65 MPH, I EXPERIENCED A FRIGHTENING ENCOUNTER. I HEARD A LOUD POP AND IMMEDIATELY THE REAR RIGHT OF MY CAR BEGAN TO SWAY AND I ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE, TO FIND A VERY SURPRISINGLY STRANGE TIRE BLOW OUT. THE ENTIRE SIDEWALL OF MY 285/35/18 NITTO NT555 COLLAPSED, AND WAS PUSHED IN TOWARD THE REAR SIDEWALL CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGES TO MY 18 Z06 WHEEL. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A SIDEWALL COMPLETELY BLOW OUT AND DETACH ITSELF FROM THE TIRE, LET ALONE FROM NORMAL USE. THIS TIRE APPEARED AS IF A KNIFE WAS TAKEN TO IT AND SEVERED OFF. DAMAGES SUFFERED TO THE RIM, AS A RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT ARE SO EXTENSIVE THAT REPAIRS ARE NOT AN OPTION. A REPLACEMENT RIM WILL NEED TO BE PURCHASED, AS WELL AS THE NEW NITTO TIRE. THE DEFECTIVE TIRE CURRENTLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 90-95% TREAD WEAR LEFT, WHICH IS THE REASON WHY I AM ASKING FOR NITTO CORP. TO COMPENSATE MY LOSSES. ENCLOSED PLEASE REVIEW THE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT WERE TAKEN ON SITE, AND PROCESS THIS REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT. I AM FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT THIS MISHAP CAUSED BY YOUR DEFECTIVE TIRE DID NOT RESULT IN DAMAGES EXCEEDING THE ONES THAT OCCURRED. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE. ENCLOSED IS ALSO A PRICE QUOTE ON A REPLACEMENT RIM. THE RIM PRICE IS $315, FROM AAA RIMS. THIS QUOTE WAS OBTAINED THROUGH JASON, AN AAA RIM REPRESENTATIVE THE MORNING OF 7/21/2004. THE TIRE HAS BEEN SHIPPED OFF TO TOYO TIRES INC. I ALSO FILED A CLAIM WITH TM CLAIM SERVICE, WHICH IS TOYO TIRES INSURANCE COMPANY. THE TIRE WAS SHIPPED OFF FOR INSPECTION, AND TWO WEEKS LATER I AM STILL WAITING FOR A RESPONSE. I ALSO HAVE PICTURES THAT WERE TAKEN ONSITE, AND VARIOUS OTHERS. THANK YOU P.S OLD PARTS ARE STILL AVAILABLE. *LA

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST STEERING POWER AND HIT A CURB. *AK