GM’s Pontiac GTO: Cool Car, Dangerous Tires

Pontiac Gto Tires Defective Products

General Motor’s (GM) Pontiac GTO is certainly a head-turning car. However, many GTO owners say that as cool as the car may be, the tires it comes with are just plain dangerous.
Are the GTO’s tires defective?
That’s what many owners are claiming. According to news reports, over 1,400 GTO owners have filed complaints and warranty claims after having their tires blow out well before they should have. In fact, a class action lawsuit has been filed in California against General Motors alleging just that. GM says that owners are to blame due to driving hard. However, many owners say that simply isn’t the case and point to the numerous complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that allege premature wear, tire blowouts and strut rub on GTOs manufactured in 2004 and 2005.
What the NHTSA found
The NHTSA has reportedly received nearly 100 complaints about the GTO’s tires – mainly with the 2004 and 2005 models which were manufactured for GM by an Australian subsidiary. The Australian version came with standard tires, but those sold in the U.S. were equipped with wider tires that allegedly resulted in contact with the struts. This caused the tires to wear prematurely and damage the car’s struts. GM tried to correct the problem with its 2006 model by redesigning the front strut system, although the NHTSA continues to receive complaints.
GTO owners say they shouldn’t have to pay
GTO owners say that this problem is clearly a design defect and that they shouldn’t have to pay to have it fixed – especially since fixing it means spending thousands of dollars. However, GM has not yet issued a recall and it doesn’t seem likely that it will in the near future. If you’ve been injured due to what you believe are defective tires, contact an attorney whose practice focuses in this area of the law to discuss your situation. Consultations are free, without obligation and are strictly confidential. To contact an experienced attorney, please click here.