Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Pontiac Gto submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 169 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 169, in the owner's own words
I WAS DRIVING MY CLUTCH AND GAS WENT TO THE FLOOR AND MY STEERING WHEEL BROKE AND I RAN THROUGH THE WOODS. *TR
I GOT NEW TIRES PUT ON YESTERDAY. THEY ARE THE STOCK SIZED TIRES. SHORTLY AFTER I HEARD A LOUD SOUND COMING FROM THE BACK RIGHT SIDE. I NOTICED THE TIRE WAS RUBBING ON THE FENDER. THE CAR SAGS MORE AND MORE EACH DAY. THEN YESTERDAY, I WAS JUST DRIVING NORMALLY FROM STOP LIGHT TO STOP LIGHT, AND MY CAR WOULD WOULDN'T GO INTO 3RD OR 4TH GEAR. SO I CHECKED FLUIDS AND IT WAS OK ON THAT. I HAD TO DRIVE 30MPH BACK HOME. *TR
I OWN 2004 PONTIAC GTO THAT HAS HAD 2 FRONT END ALIGNMENTS AND HAS BEEN THROUGH 3 SETS OF FRONT TIRES IN 55K MILES. GM STATED TO ME THAT IT HAS TO BE MY DRIVING HABITS AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH A DEFECT ON THEIR PART. AFTER CLOSER INSPECTION DURING MY LAST TIRE SWAP OUT. I NOTICED TIRE DAMAGE TO INSIDE OF TIRE ON SIDEWALL,DUE TO TIRE RUBBING STRUT ASSEMBLY. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE TIRE HAD I NOT BEEN LOOKING. WHO WILL DIE BEFORE GM FIXES THIS ISSUE? THE VEHICLE WILL NOT STAY ALIGNED NO MATTER WHAT I DO,CONSTANTLY LOOSING POSITIVE CAMBER TO THE POINT OF STRUT-TIRE CONTACT. *KB
2004 PONTIAC GTO TIRE BLOW OUT WE PURCHASED OUR 2004 PONTIAC GTO NEW, AND HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH RUBBING SOUNDS AND VIBRATIONS SINCE IT WAS NEW. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 45,000 MILES AND WE HAD A BLOW OUT. APPARENTLY THE TIRES ON 2004 GTO'S RUB THE SPRING POCKET OF THE STRUT CAUSING THE INNER SIDE WALL OF THE TIRES TO FAIL PREMATURELY. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE WEAR UNLESS THE TIRE IS REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE. PONTIAC HAS REPLACED THE TIRES ONCE UNDER WARRANTY DUE TO THIS ISSUE, BUT WHEN I RETURNED TO GM TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE PREVIOUS "FIX" DID NOT WORK - THEY DISMISSED ME STATING THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS IS OUR THIRD SET OF TIRES WITHIN 45,000 MILES AND MY WIFE FEELS THAT THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF HER BLOWOUT EXPERIENCE. I NEED GM TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE RESEARCHED AND SPOKEN TO MANY GTO OWNERS ONLY TO FIND THAT THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME ISSUE, AND SOME DEALERS HAVE RETROFITTED GTO'S WITH THE APPROPRIATE 18" WHEEL AND TIRE COMBINATION, BUT CARL BLACK IN ROSWELL GA AND THE DISTRICT MANAGER "ROD" WILL DO NOTHING TO HELP US. PLEASE - CAN YOU HELP? *TR
1. MY WIFE WAS COMPLAINING OF A SQUEAKING SOUND WHENEVER SHE PUT ON THE BRAKES. WHEN RESEARCHING BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS ONLINE I NOTICED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOR 2004 AND 2005 GTO'S REGARDING TIRES RUBBING ON THE FRONT STRUTS. SINCE I WAS GOING TO REMOVE THE TIRES TO GET A BETTER LOOK AT THE BRAKE PADS I ALSO CHECKED FOR THE TIRE RUB PROBLEM. SURE ENOUGH THE RIGHT SIDE TIRE AND STRUT BOTH SHOWED SIGNS OF WEAR. THE TIRES INSIDE TREAD WAS WORN AND THERE WERE AREAS ON THE TIRES WHERE SMALL CRACKS HAD STARTED AND ONE 3 INCH LONG CRACK THROUGH THE SIDEWALL. LEFT SIDE TIRE TREAD WAS NOT WORN YET THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF TIRE RUB ON THE STRUT. 2. SINCE I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO RUN ACROSS THE INFORMATION ONLINE, I WILL BE ABLE TO AVOID A FAILURE. THE FAILURE IF I WERE TO LET IT GO WOULD MOST CERTAINLY BE EATHER A GRADUAL LOSS OF AIR PRESSURE OR IF RUNNING FREEWAY SPEEDS A SUDDEN BLOWOUT. SIMPLY REPLACING THE TIRES (WITH OEM REPLACEMENTS) AND ADJUSTING THE FRONT END ALIGNMENT WILL NOT PREVENT THE PROBLEM FROM OCCURRING AGAIN. 3. I'M CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF RESEARCHING OPTIONS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. WE PURCHASED THE CAR USED BUT WITH VERY LOW MILES AND GOT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. SINCE OTHER ITEMS CONTRIBUTE TO THE TIRE RUB SUCH AS PREMATURE FAILURE OF BUSHINGS AND BREARNGS I HOPE TO GET AT LEAST THOSE REPLACED SINCE THEY ARE COVERED. A FORMAL RECALL HAS NOT YET BEEN REQUIRED, SO ANY REPLACEMENT PARTS WOULD BE THE SAME AS THOSE THAT FAILED IN THE FIRSTPLACE. I'M STRONGLY LOOKING AT INSTALLING AN AFTERMARKET KIT DESIGNED TO CORRECT ALL THE PROBLEMS. *TR
2004 PONTIAC GTO, STRUT RUB. THE TIRES RUB THE FRONT TIRES AND WERE RIGHT THREW THE TIRES, WENT TO THE DEALER, AND SAID I NEED A ALIGNMENT AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DID, KNOW MY TIRES ARE WORN DOWN ON THE OUT SIDE OF THE TIRES, WAS TOLD THE BUSHINGS ARE ALL BAD BY OTHER GTO OWNERS. *TR
NEAR MISS - AT LEAST THUS FAR. . . 2004 PONTIAC GTO FOUND BOTH FRONT TIRES TO BE WORN THROUGH ON INSIDE OF TIRE SUCH THAT CORD WAS SHOWING THROUGH. LUCKY I FOUND THE WEAR AS IT WAS ON THE FAR INSIDE OF A VERY WIDE TIRE WITH LOW CLEARANCES ALL AROUND. FORTUNATELY I PARKED THE CAR THE OTHER DAY WITH THE TIRES TURNED ALL THE WAY ONE DIRECTION, WHICH IS WHY IT WAS SPOTTED BEFORE A BLOW OUT ON THE INTERSTATE. I HAD THE TIRES REPLACED AT 20K MILES WITH SIMILAR WEAR AND WAS TOLD IT WAS AN ALIGNMENT ISSUE. SO I BOUGHT THE NEW TIRES AND HAD ALL THE WHEELS ALIGNED. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 20K MORE MILE THE TIRES ARE IN A WORSE CONDITION THAN THE PREVIOUS ONES. LOOKS LIKE THE STRUTS MAY BE WEARING THE TIRES. THIS IS A CLEAR CASE OF A DESIGN FLAW IF THERE EVER WAS ONE, WHICH IS WHY I FEEL I MUST REPORT IT. I WILL PROBABLY TRY TO HAVE SHORTER TIRES (EITHER WIDTH OR HEIGHT) INSTALLED TO CORRECT IT. SHAME I AM HAVING TO PAY FOR THIS PROBLEM AGAIN, BUT I AM THANKFUL THAT I FOUND THE PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GOT HURT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC GTO. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE STRUTS BEGAN TO RUB ON THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE CAUSING THE TIRE TO BLOW OUT. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE TIRE AND DROVE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER REGARDING THE STRUTS. THE DEALER REFUSED TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE BUT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE STRUTS WERE A CONCERN. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER TO HAVE ANOTHER DEALER DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BLOW OUT COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH TO OCCUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.
2004 PONTIAC GTO, BOTH FRONT STRUTS GOUGED FRONT TIRES TO THE POINT STEEL BELTS WERE SHOWING. 44,000 MILES ON CAR. ALMOST HAD A BLOW OUT! *TR
2004 PONTIAC GTO STRUT RUB. *TR
I PURCHASED A USED 04 PONTIAC GTO. I NOTICED THE CAR TIRES WERE VERY NOISY. AFTER CLOSE INSPECTION OF THE TIRES, I DISCOVERED THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE WAS WORN ALMOST BALD WITH SEVERE CUPPING. I BOUGHT NEW TIRES AND WAS TOLD THE INSIDE OF THE PREVIOUS TIRES HAD WEAR ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE- APPARENTLY FROM RUBBING AGAINST THE BOTTOM OF THE STRUT. I WAS TOLD THAT I SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE STRUT REPLACEMENT ON THE CAR OR THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. U BEGAN TO RESEARCH THIS ISSUE AND FOUND THAT IT WAS INHERENT IN THIS CAR AND THAT THE SIMPLEST REMEDY WAS TO HAVE A PEDDERS CERTIFIED MECHANIC INSTALL A KIT OF BUSHINGS MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PROBLEM. THIS KIT REPLACED DEFECTIVE OEM BUSHINGS THAT HAS DISINTEGRATED AT LESS THAN 16K MILES. IN MY CASE, BOTH OEM SHOCKS AND STRUTS WERE LITERALLY SHOT AT 18K MILES AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE SIZE TIRE THE MANUFACTURER PUT ON THE CAR TO HANDLE THE HEFTY WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE, THE TIRE SITS LESS THAN A PENCIL WIDTH FROM THE STRUT SO ON IMPACTED SURFACE CONTACT, THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE RUBS ON THE STRUT AND WILL EVENTUALLY SHRED THE TIRE. MY CARS REAR SPRINGS ARE SHOT FROM EXCESSIVE COMPRESSION TIED-DOWN IN SHIPPING FROM AUSTRALIA TO AMERICA SO THE COMPLETE FIX JOB WILL COST ME 3 THOUSAND DOLLARS - GM KNEW ABOUT THE ENGINEERING FLAW IN THE MATCH OF TIRES AND SUSPENSION WITH PARTS THAT WOULD BUST IN SHORT TIME AND THEY ALSO KNEW ABOUT SPRINGS BEING WEAKENED IN SHIPMENT BUT SOLD THESE CARS WITHOUT WARNING TO THE CUSTOMER OR ANY RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETIN. I BELIEVE THAT GM SHOULD PAY THE 3K TO GET THE CORRECTIVE SUSPENSION CONFIGURATION ON MY CAR AND REIMBURSE ME FOR THE 1100. I REPLACEMENT STRUTS (TEMP FIX) AND PEDDERS STRUT-RUB BUSHING REPLACEMENT KIT. NO ONE IS SAFE IN THIS CAR OR ANY GTO. I CAN PROVIDE EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY/AFFIDAVITS FROM THE SHOP THAT PERFORMED THE REPAIR. *TR
NO FAILURE BUT THE TIRES ON MY 2004 PONTIAC GTO ARE WEARING EXCESSIVELY DUE TO BAD BUSHINGS AND REAR SPRINGS. *TR
2004 PONTIAC GTO TIRE CUT BY STRUT RUB. *TR
I OWN A 2004 PONTIAC GTO AND RECENTLY TOOK ALL OF THE WHEELS OFF TO PAINT THE BRAKE CALIPERS AND I NOTICED THAT MY TIRES WERE RUBBING ON THE STRUTS REALLY BAD, AND IM ABOUT TO HAVE A FEW BLOWOUTS. I'VE BEEN READING ALOT ON THE INTERNET THAT THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THE GTO'S. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE BEFORE I HAVE AN ACCIDENT? *TR
MY 2004 GTO EXHIBITS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THESE CARS: THE FRONT STRUTS RUB ON THE INSIDE TIRE SIDEWALLS. THIS OCCURRED IN MY VEHICLE AT ONLY 9100 MILES, AND THE DEALER HAD THE CAR TWICE BUT FAILED TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THEY CLAIMED THIS WAS "NORMAL". I FAIL TO SEE HOW THIS IS NORMAL - THESE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR
SEVERE FRONT TIRE WEAR DUE TO RUBBING ON THE STRUT HOUSING. *TR
I HAVE A 2004 PONTIAC GTO AND THE INNER WALL OF THE TIRES ARE RUBBING ON THE STRUT JUST BELOW THE FRONT COIL PERCH NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE SPRING. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THIS AND HAVE ALSO BEEN DEATHS BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY, BUT NEVER HAD THESE REPLACED AND I AM AFRAID OF IT BEING A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN, BUT CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX IT MYSELF. THE PROBLEM IS A RESULT OF PREMATURE FAILURE OF SUSPENSION COMPONENTS (THE FRONT STRUT TOP BUSHINGS). *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC GTO. WHILE PLACING AIR IN THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT AIR WAS ESCAPING. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, SHE OBSERVED THAT THE STRUT FAILED AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, THE CONTACT FOUND A SERVICE BULLETIN, WHICH STATED THAT THE STRUTS WERE SHREDDING THE TIRES IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 45,000. UPDATED 03-04-09 *BF
2 TIRES ON THE RIGHT REAR HAVE BEEN SHREDDED ON THE INSIDE EDGE (PERIMETER) OF THE TIRE. THE FIRST TIME WAS BLAMED ON ALIGNMENT. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH MY 2004 GTO. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC GTO. EVER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THREE WEEKS AGO, THE FRONT STRUTS HAVE BEEN STRIKING THE INSIDE OF THE TIRES. AS A RESULT, THE SIDEWALLS HAVE BECOME WORN. THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY FAILURES BECAUSE NEW TIRES HAD JUST BEEN PLACED ON THE VEHICLE. THROUGH RESEARCH ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE, THE CONTACT HAS FOUND COMPLAINTS AND INVESTIGATIONS FOR THIS SAME FAILURE, AND BELIEVES A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 18,000.
2004 PONTIAC GTO ON DEC 27, 2006 (31,802 MILES), VEHICLE SUFFERED CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF FRONT TIRES AS A RESULT OF RUBBING AGAINST STRUT TOWER. VEHICLE SERVICED (AND SUPPOSEDLY FIXED) BY MCCONNELL PONTIAC. ON OCT 20, 2008 (56,800 MILES), THE VEHICLE AGAIN SUFFERED CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF FRONT TIRES AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE OF STRUT BUSHINGS, CAUSING THE TIRES TO RUB AGAINST THE STRUT TOWERS. BLOWOUT OF PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE OCCURRED ON INTERSTATE 10 APPROX MILE MARKER 24 ON THE I-10 BAYWAY BRIDGE. INSPECTION OF DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE YIELDED CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF INTERIOR SIDEWALL. *TR
I HAVE A 2004 PONTIAC GTO AND I JUST FOUND OUT THAT I POSSIBLY NEED TO REPLACE THE FRONT STRUTS! THE CAR ONLY HAS ABOUT 56,000 MILES ON IT AND I DO NOT THINK THAT A CAR OF ITS AGE SHOULD NEED STRUTS! IS THERE ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS COMPLAINING ABOUT A SIMILAR ISSUE? IF SO IS GM GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT? I DON'T THINK THAT I SHOULD NEED TO REPLACE STRUTS ON A 2004 CAR WITH 56,000 MILES ON IT! *TR
TIRE BLOWOUT DUE TO RUBBING STRUT HOUSING PREMATURE WEAR OF INSIDE TREAD OF TIRE. REPLACED FRONT STRUTS AND MOUNTS REPLACE RADIUS ROD BUSHINGS, FRONTEND ALIGNMENT. *TR
I GUESS I WAS JUST WONDERING AFTER READING SO MANY PEOPLE WITH COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE 2004-2006 PONTIAC GTO WITH THE SAME 3 PROBLEMS, STRUTS, STEERING COLUMN, AND IGNITION PROBLEMS, THAT NOTHING IS BEING DONE TO TAKE CARE OF THIS POTENTIALLY DEADLY SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT IF YOU HAVE 2004-2006 WITH ALL THE SAME ISSUES THAT SHOULD HAVE LONG AGO RAISED ALOT OF ATTENTION STILL HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. *TR
I HAVE A 2004 PONTIAC GTO THAT EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN TIRE SEPARATION WHILE DRIVING ON A FREEWAY. UPON TAKING IT TO A NATIONAL TIRE CHAIN DEALER WE WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT THE TIRE SEPARATED DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE INSIDE CORNER DUE TO RUBBING AGAINST THE STRUT TOWER. THE SEPARATION DID NOT CAUSE A BLOW OUT BUT DID CREATE MINIMAL DAMAGE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL. FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE OTHER FRONT TIRE WAS IMMINENT FOR THE SAME FAILURE. I WAS LUCKY, THE POSTED SPEED IS 70 MPH, AND I WAS GOING NEARLY THAT FAST WHEN THE TIRE SEPARATED. *TR
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