I PURCHASED A 2006 PONTIAC GTO IN AUGUST 2007. AFTER DRIVING FOR 1 MONTH, I PARKED THE CAR IN MY GARAGE AND WAS DEPLOYED OVERSEAS TO IRAQ FOR 3 MONTHS. AFTER RETURNING, AND DRIVING MY CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS, WITH A TOTAL CAR MILEAGE OF LESS THAN 20,000, MY FRONT TIRE UNEXPECTEDLY STARTED TO FRAY AND CAUGHT ON TO THE AXLE AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN MAY OF 2008. THE TIRE LITERALLY STARTED TO UNRAVEL LIKE A BALL OF YARN. I TOOK MY CAR INTO THE PONTIAC DEALERSHIP AT 16200 FREDERICK RD, GAITHERSBURG, MD 20898. THE SERVICE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT LOW TIRE PRESSURE CAUSED THE TIRE TO RUB AGAINST THE STRUT AND THAT IS WHAT CAUSED THE TIRE FAILURE. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT BOTH FRONT TIRES NEEDED REPLACEMENT. AT THAT TIME, I JUST HAD THE ONE TIRE REPLACED AND THE TIRES ROTATED. ON OCTOBER 2, WHILE TAKING MY CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALER SAYING I NEEDED TWO NEW FRONT TIRES, AS THE INNER TREAD HAD STARTED TO WEAR QUITE RAPIDLY AND WAS BECOMING DANGEROUS. MY CAR HAS LESS THAN 21,000 MILES ON IT, WITH TIRE PRESSURE INSPECTED, AND IF NEEDED, FILLED ON A BI-WEEKLY BASIS. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND IT APPEARS THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH MY VEHICLE MAKE. I FEEL THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE CAR. ALL OF THE PARTS ON MY CAR ARE DIRECTLY FROM THE FACTORY AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN RACED OR ABUSED. I DRIVE MY CAR EACH DAY LESS THAN 5 MILES, AS I TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO WORK. MY CAR IS MAINLY A WEEKEND CAR, WITH LITTLE USE DURING THE WEEK. I HAVE OWNED 2 SEPARATE CARS IN THE PAST AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. I REALIZE MY CAR IS A HIGH-PERFORMANCE VEHICLE, BUT OTHER CARS OF THE SAME CATEGORY DO NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *TR
2006
SUSPENSION
2006 PONTIAC GTO ENGINE FAILURE AT 15,000 MILES. FRONT SUSPENSION PULLS TO THE LEFT, WITH TREMENDOUS VIBRATION FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, VEHICLE WILL NOT HOLD AN ALIGNMENT. BRAKING IS HARSH WITH FURTHER FRONT END VIBRATIONS, OCCASIONAL SQUEALING AND DRIFTING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. CAN HEAR THE COLLAPSING NOISE OF THE COMPRESSED STRUT TOWERS, ALONG WITH SOME INNER WHEEL STRUT RUB. THE PRESENCE OF MECHANICAL KNOCKING AND POPPING NOISE WITH THE VEHICLE SITTING STILL AND JUST TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL FROM RIGHT TO LEFT AND LEFT TO RIGHT. REAR SUSPENSION SAGGING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, ROLLING OVER UNEVEN ROAD SURFACES CAUSES COLLAPSING OF RIGHT REAR SHOCKS AND SPRING TO RUB THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. NORMAL ACCELERATION FROM A STOP WITH A FULL TANK OF FUEL, THE REAR END BOTTOMS OUT RUBBING THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. PLACING THE VEHICLE IN GEAR FROM A STOP, CAUSES THE REAR END TO DROP SOME 2 - 3 INCHES. CAN HEAR THE SOUND OF A BLOWN SHOCK KNOCKING AND CLANKING ON CERTAIN ROAD SURFACES, HARD TO DUPLICATE FOR SERVICE MANAGER AT DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE HAS BEEN WITH THE DEALERSHIP FOR SEVEN DAYS STRAIGHT, DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE REGIONAL MANAGER HAS BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL IN SEEKING OUT A RESOLUTION TO FIX THE PROBLEM. NO ACCIDENTS AS OF YET? DEALERSHIP STANDS BY LEAD MECHANIC, STATING THAT THE VEHICLES SUSPENSION IS WITHIN GM SPECIFICATION, AND THAT THE FAULT IS WITH THE FITMENT OF AFTERMARKET WHEELS AND TIRES. I BEGAN COMPLAINING ABOUT THE ISSUE AT ABOUT 18,000 MI, WITH FACTORY SETUP STILL INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE KNOW IS AT 27,000 MI WITH AFTER MARKET WHEELS AND TIRES ON FOR 1,200 MI. DEALERSHIP IS COMPLETELY AWARE OF THIS CHANGE AND WHEN. *TR