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Pontiac Gto Suspension Front Macpherson Strut Safety Report | Feb 19, 2005



Reported on Feb 19, 2005


I REFERENCE CLAIM OID#10116796. I AM HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. MY TIRES ARE RUBBED ON MY FRONT STRUTS AND AFTER ROTATION ALL 4 TIRES WERE WORN. TWO OF THEM WERE WORN DOWN TO THE CORDS AND ALL 4 TIRES NEEDED IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT. THE DEALER SAID THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY AND REFUSED TO REPLACE MY DANGEROUSLY WORN TIRES. THIS CONDITION COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED A BLOWOUT. I DID SAVE THE LEAST WORN OF THE 4 TIRES FOR A FULL SIZE SPARE AND HAVE A PICTURE OF THE DAMAGE DONE TO WORST OF THE 4. HISTORY: THE 2004-2005 PONTIAC GTO IS AN IMPORTED VERSION OF THE AUSTRALIA HOLDEN MONARO. THE HOLDEN MANARO COMES FROM THE FACTORY WITH 235/45R17 TIRES, TIRES THAT ARE GENERALLY 235MM (9.25 ) WIDE. HOWEVER, WHEN PONTIAC SPEC'D THE GTO FOR THE US, THEY FINALLY DECIDED ON A 10MM WIDER TIRE, A 245/45R17 BF GOODRICH G-FORCE KDWS TIRE. CURRENT PROBLEM: THE LARGER TIRE CAUSES RUBBING ON THE FRONT STRUT, NAMELY AND MORE COMMONLY THE PASSENGER SIDE STRUT. THIS IS EVIDENCED BY A RUBBING MARK ON THE STRUT BODY AND MANY TIMES WEAR MARKS ON THE TIRES THEMSELVES. IN SOME CASES, FRONT SUSPENSION BINDING HAS OCCURRED. IN OTHER CASES, TIRE REPLACEMENT WAS NECESSARY. THIS IS DUE, IN FACT, TO THE INCREASE IN SIZE OF THE TIRE THAT PONTIAC HAS CHOSEN TO PUT ON THE IMPORTED VERSION. SEVERAL PONTIAC DEALERSHIPS ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, AND IT HAS BEEN SPECULATED THAT PONTIAC IS AWARE AS WELL. FUTURE PROBLEMS: TIRES ARE NOT ALL THE SAME SIZE. ONE 245/45R17 TIRE CAN BE SMALLER OR LARGER DEPENDING ON THE MANUFACTURER OF THE TIRE. THERE IS A STRONG POSIBILITY THAT WHEN A CONSUMER REPLACES HIS/HER WORN FACTORY TIRES WITH ANOTHER SET OF TIRES, OF THE SAME SIZE , THAT THEY WOULD BE EVEN LARGER AND COULD CAUSE SERIOUS PROBLEMS. IN LIGHT OF THE FORD-FIRESTONE TIRE PROBLEMS, I BELIEVE THIS IS A SITUATION THAT SHOULD BE RESEARCHED. PLEASE NOTE: DEALERSHIP LOT CARS WOULD MOST LIKELY NOT DEMONSTRATE THIS PROBLEM AS THEY WILL NOT HAVE BEEN DRIVEN ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE RUBBING.
Make: Pontiac
Model: Gto
Manufactured by: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Year: 2004
Was a crash reported? N
Was an injury reported? 0 person(s) were injured.
Was a death reported? 0 person(s) died.
Was a fire reported? N
Location: NEW PORT RICHEY FL
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): 6G2VX12G44L
Mileage: 17000 miles.
Speed: 0 MPH
Number of cylinders: 8
Vehicle type: RWD
Vehicle fuel: GAS Fuel injection.
Was a police report filed? N
Tire size:
Dealer name and location: AUTOWAY PONTIAC SOUTH CLEARWATER FL 33764
Previous Report:Service Brakes, Hydraulic Foundation Components Master Cylinder Next Report:Suspension

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