AFTER READING CLEVELAND'S NEWSNET5 REPORT ABOUT FRONT TIRE PROBLEMS ON THE 2004-2005 GTO, I REALIZED I HAVE HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM. I HAD TO REPLACE MY TIRES AT 24,400 MILES DUE TO THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BEING SEVERELY CUT AND WORN ON THE INSIDE TREAD. SINCE MY TIRE TREAD WAS ABOUT HALF WAY WORN, I CHOSE TO REPLACE ALL INSTEAD OF ONE, OR TWO. I DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM DURING A ROUTINE TIRE ROTATION, AND DID NOT SEE ANY SIGN OF ABNORMAL WEAR WHEN I ROTATED THEM AT 20,000. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR TO FIRESTONE AND HAD AN ALIGNMENT DONE. THE RIGHT FRONT WAS OFF SLIGHTLY NEGATIVE CAMBER CAUSING THE TIRE TO RUB AGAINST THE STRUT THE CLEARANCE IS VERY CLOSE WHEN PROPERLY ALIGNED. AFTER REPLACING THE TIRES WITH PIRELLI PZERO M+S 245/45-17 I HAD THE TECHNICIAN VERIFY CLEARANCE WITH THE STRUTS, AND HE SAID YOU CAN SEE LIGHT MEANING THE CLEARANCE WAS CLOSE. I HAVE LOGGED 10,000 MILES ON THESE TIRES AND HAVE ROTATED THEM TWICE NOTICING VERY MINOR INSIDE WEAR AND SLIGHT WEAR INDICATIONS ON THE STRUTS THEMSELVES. SINCE I HAVE LIFETIME WHEEL ALIGNMENTS WITH FIRESTONE, I HAVE HAD THE ALIGNMENT CHECKED 4 TIMES SINCE THEN WITH MINOR CAMBER AND TOE ADJUSTMENTS UP FRONT. MY PRIMARY CONCERN IS A MINOR MISALIGNMENT CAN SHRED A TIRE IN 4,400 MILES, OR LESS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. *JB
2006
SUSPENSION
FRONT STRUT FAILURE - OIL LEAKS FROM STRUT, RESULTING IN LOSS OF SUSPENSION DAMPING ON VEHICLE, AS WELL AS OIL COATING THE FRONT BRAKE ROTOR AND CALIPER. FAILURE OCCURS WITH NO WARNING. TO DATE, VEHICLE IS OUT-OF-SERVICE AND IS WITH THE SELLING DEALER. NO CORRECTIVE ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN. AWAITING REPLACEMENT STRUT FOR VEHICLE. *JB