WASHINGTON (Feb. 27) — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a preliminary evaluation of Pontiac GTOs, model years 2004 to 2006, because of an alleged problem with the vehicles' struts interfering with the operation of the tires.
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation has received 69 complaints that the struts rub against the tires' inner sidewalls, causing tire damage and failure. One complainant alleged that his tire failure resulted in a crash.
If the agency decides there is sufficient merit to the complaints, it will upgrade the investigation to an engineering analysis, with a recall order the possible result. There is no timetable for NHTSA to complete the investigation.