NHTSA complaint: 2006 PONTIAC GTO — SUSPENSION:FRONT
I TOOK MY 2006 GTO INTO THE DEALER IN JAN. 2009 FOR SOME WARRANTY REPAIR WORK ON THE FAN SWITCH. WHILE PERFORMING A SAFETY INSPECTION THE DEALER NOTICED THE RIGHT FRONT STRUT WAS RUBBING ON THE TIRE AND CAUSING SIGNIFICANT WEAR ON THE INNER TREAD. I HAD NOTICED A CLUNKING SOUND AS I WENT OVER SPEED BUMPS OR TURNED TIGHT LIKE YOU WOULD IN A PARKING LOT FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS PRIOR TO THAT. I ASKED IF THEY WERE RELATED AND THE SERVICE ATTENDANT SAID POSSIBLY, BUT THAT ALL THE GTOS MADE NOISE WHEN CRANKING THE WHEEL BECAUSE OF THE WIDE TIRES. I ASKED IF THE STRUT WAS COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY AND THEY SAID NO, IT WAS SOME TYPE OF FRONT END DAMAGE THAT CAUSED IT. THE CAR HAD A FENDER BENDER IN NOV. 2006, BUT IT WAS RE-ALIGNED IN DEC. 2006. NO MENTION WAS MADE AT THE TIME THAT THE STRUT RUBBED ON THE TIRE. I DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO HAVE IT REPAIRED RIGHT AWAY SO I WASN'T DRIVING IT UNTIL I APRIL 2009 WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES MADE IT MY ONLY VEHICLE. AFTER A FEW DAYS OF DRIVING, I NOTICED THE CAR WOULD SOMETIMES SUDDENLY SHUDDER IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION AND PULL VERY HARD TO THE RIGHT. ON MAY 8, 2009 AFTER MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN FROM A STOP, AS I STARTED TO STRAIGHTEN THE WHEEL THE CAR JERKED TO THE RIGHT ONTO THE SHOULDER. I TRIED TO STEER IT BACK ONTO THE ROAD AND THE CAR CONTINUED TO SLIDE INTO THE DITCH. A PASSERBY PULLED THE CAR OUT OF THE DITCH AND I LIMPED IT BACK TO A FRIENDS HOUSE WHERE WE JACKED IT UP AND INSPECTED IT. IT SEEMED TO DRIVE FINE AND OTHER THAN TH
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation