An investigation by Channel 5 News in Cleveland, Ohio that unveiled a possible defect with the Pontiac GTO has now garnered the federal government's attention.
The investigative team discovered that the tires of the GTO may be rubbing against the strut of the car’s suspension system and causing the tires to shred and blow.
The U.S. Department of Transportation, through its National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) branch, has opened an official investigation into the alleged defect. General Motors, which own Pontiac, will be required to provide all complaint reports and warranty repair information. If the NHTSA feels the defect is real, it will order the automaker to do a complete engineering analysis.
At the time of the report, the had received 65 complaints from GTO owners. No injuries have been reported at the time of the original report.
Our take? The GTO is currently in hiatus until the all-new version arrives around 2009. That still leaves around 30,000 older models that GM may have to contend if the NHTSA requests a recall. We think GM should contact owners and resolve any issues now before its reputation takes another beating.