# Strut Rub Warranty Repair Problems



## coolhandgoat (Nov 2, 2006)

So, I have strut rub, as confirmed by the shiny parts on the struts, and the worn down tires (not so bad that I can't still drive on them though). The local Pontiac dealership says that the symptoms are normal for a bad alignment, and oh by the way they would be happy to do an alignment and throw in two new tires for a mere $488, which seemed in itself pretty steep. In spite of my protests to the contrary, apparently no one either at the dealership OR at GM has ever even heard of this problem.

Here's my question: can anyone out that that got this repaired under warranty give me some assistance is contacting someone who knows about this issue? So far, I have talked with two different "specialists", and finally the "GM Customer Assistance Center Supervisor", who basically told me it was a tire issue and I had to take it up with the tire manufacturer. I told him that since the STRUTS had caused the problem, I failed to see how the tires could possibly be at fault. This all over a three week span that included someone "accidently" marking my case as resolved.

I am dealing with Vince Whibbs Pontiac in Pensacola, Florida, if that somehow helps. The next nearest Pontiac dealership is 45 minutes away, so I would like to fix it locally if possible. If the consensus ends up that I am basically screwed, I am going to go with an aftermarket set up, and spend an afternoon burning the excess rubber off of these stock tires before I upgrade to something better :cheers


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## Taxman (Dec 24, 2005)

Similar problem here tires shakes, eats up tires in 3k miles. GM dont see a proble, 20 calls later get it aligned for free, now it pulls to the right too. Put new tires on it, still pulls, still shakes, going in for 2nd alingment in 2 weeks on Thursday. Hoping these tires last abit longer, I went with cheap ones since they might not make it to next oil change.

Called about the problems since it last went in for service, 10 calls later they decided to look at it, wanted to charge me, getting pissed and cussing helped get it done without them charging.

Other problems that they cannot see. Says its overheating at random times, turnoff/restart fixes this, Stereo dies, wont go into gear sometimes.


Im getting it fixed as best I can under warranty and selling it for something else.


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## coolhandgoat (Nov 2, 2006)

Taxman said:


> Other problems that they cannot see. Says its overheating at random times, turnoff/restart fixes this, Stereo dies, wont go into gear sometimes.


That's actually a TSB for a similar problem, at least for the 04s. The stereo dying is probably caused by overheating, check the forum for the fix, but what did it for me was turning off the option in the startup options for sound leveling (I think that's what it was called). The only problems I had with it after I changed that option were after prolonged heavy base (like 30 minutes) it would overheat and shut down. I ended that problem by going with an after market system not really because of any particular issue, it just sounded better.


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## Taxman (Dec 24, 2005)

coolhandgoat said:


> That's actually a TSB for a similar problem, at least for the 04s. The stereo dying is probably caused by overheating, check the forum for the fix, but what did it for me was turning off the option in the startup options for sound leveling (I think that's what it was called). The only problems I had with it after I changed that option were after prolonged heavy base (like 30 minutes) it would overheat and shut down. I ended that problem by going with an after market system not really because of any particular issue, it just sounded better.


Right now my main concern is the tires, working on that and searching for a trade for it. 

How long did yours last, mind didnt make it an oilchange


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## coolhandgoat (Nov 2, 2006)

Mine lasted until just shy of 18,000... I specifically told them every oil change to check for strut rub, since I am naturally paranoid. This last time, I forgot, and when I looked a week later it was clearly worn down. And the odyssey started. This was coupled with a transmission whine, which the dealer told me they had to speak to the Zone Rep for permission to fix. This was two weeks ago and still no word. Evidently the Zone Rep is pretty elusive.


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## Taxman (Dec 24, 2005)

coolhandgoat said:


> And the odyssey started. This was coupled with a transmission whine, which the dealer told me they had to speak to the Zone Rep for permission to fix. This was two weeks ago and still no word. Evidently the Zone Rep is pretty elusive.


Yea I have yet to hear of the zone rep. Calling up GMs warranty number, getting intouch with someone not in India and then a manager gets abit done.

30 calls in now, not very encouraged to purchase anything GM again. 

Thier phone reps dont call you back alot too.


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## coolhandgoat (Nov 2, 2006)

I have actually had that problem. My first "specialist" left me feeling good that she was squared away and would hook me up. She never called back, so I called a week later to the general number after she wouldn't answer her phone or call me back. Come to find out they had marked my case as complete. So the low level lackey transferred me to another specialist, who actually called me back on the appointed day, albeit two hours late. After she told me there was nothing she could do, I demanded to talk to her boss. He came on the phone, and proceeded to tell me it was actually the tire manufacturer's responsibility. When I asked how the hell it could be the tire's fault, he basically repeated over and over it wasn't GM's fault, and that I had no further recourse.


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## Taxman (Dec 24, 2005)

coolhandgoat said:


> I have actually had that problem. My first "specialist" left me feeling good that she was squared away and would hook me up. She never called back, so I called a week later to the general number after she wouldn't answer her phone or call me back. Come to find out they had marked my case as complete. So the low level lackey transferred me to another specialist, who actually called me back on the appointed day, albeit two hours late. After she told me there was nothing she could do, I demanded to talk to her boss. He came on the phone, and proceeded to tell me it was actually the tire manufacturer's responsibility. When I asked how the hell it could be the tire's fault, he basically repeated over and over it wasn't GM's fault, and that I had no further recourse.


yea had the same thing happen a few times. 

GM is about the worst phone service I have gotten and I work as a CSR have for a few places, I dont see us doing that bad.


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## coolhandgoat (Nov 2, 2006)

I don't think you could reasonably be that bad, and still have a job. I think the only reason they get away with it is because they are ultimately saving GM some money.


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## Taxman (Dec 24, 2005)

coolhandgoat said:


> I don't think you could reasonably be that bad, and still have a job. I think the only reason they get away with it is because they are ultimately saving GM some money.


Working in call canters you would be surprised

We had someone who for a year came in worked abit, watched TV, walked around, sat in breakroom, everytime they said a word about it, he blamed it on him being black and a single father.

I seen alot of people get away with stuff they should have gotten fired over


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## coolhandgoat (Nov 2, 2006)

Still no helpful advice on solving my problem? People... come on!


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## Taxman (Dec 24, 2005)

Spoke with Dustin at GM one of my oringal reps, had not heard from him in about a week, he had been out of office, Im going in for work on it tomorrow will see how it goes


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## rwilson831 (Aug 23, 2004)

I had strut rub and chewed up the facory tires within 16,000 miles. I tried going through GM and was ready to get an attorney. I threw in the towel and bought some 18 inch stock rims on ebay. Plenty of clearance now. The dealerships act like they have never heard of such a problem but off the record my service rep told me GM is well aware of the problem. I just didn't have the energy to bicker back and forth with them. Now that I don't have to worry about strut rub I can have some fun with my car!


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## coolhandgoat (Nov 2, 2006)

rwilson831 said:


> I had strut rub and chewed up the facory tires within 16,000 miles. I tried going through GM and was ready to get an attorney. I threw in the towel and bought some 18 inch stock rims on ebay. Plenty of clearance now. The dealerships act like they have never heard of such a problem but off the record my service rep told me GM is well aware of the problem. I just didn't have the energy to bicker back and forth with them. Now that I don't have to worry about strut rub I can have some fun with my car!


Thanks for the input! That is pretty much the conclusion I have came to: either I can put on 18" (probably after markets in my case), or I can redo the suspension with something like Pedders. Anyone out there have a cost estimate on a Pedders setup? If anyone knows of a good place to order wheels from, I am all ears.

One one hand, I am kinda scared about starting down the after market road, because I have a feeling as soon as I put on different wheels, an 05/06 hood is going to magically appear on it, and probably the 06 tails as well


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## Taxman (Dec 24, 2005)

Took it in to the appointment GM setup for me at a dealership.

Was told by GM they would look at front end problem and alingment without charge.

Get there, they cannot look at front end or alingment issues without charging me, cannot be of any help.

Call up GM, 2 hours later I got to take it back to the dealer who "alingined" it and said it was fixed, which means it pulls you to the left. I got to drive 50 miles to go to them on Wednesday. As for it eating up my tires Im told by GM not to drive it until then, and to find another way to get around.


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## coolhandgoat (Nov 2, 2006)

That sucks. I am going to a different dealer, another 15 miles away (so probably 50 total). Luckily it looks like mine only rub when I am turning either sharp or hard, I haven't decided yet... but either way it doesn't seem to be getting worse. I am going to get it aligned, and run these tires on my way home for Christmas (about a 2000 mile round trip). After I am done venturing into snow country, I am slapping on some 18s and making a sweet video of burning these ones up arty:


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## Taxman (Dec 24, 2005)

Leaves me fairly pissed that it seems the only fix is replacing parts at your own cost due to GM not wanting to fix cars problems just give you a run around until you giveup.


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## rwilson831 (Aug 23, 2004)

Taxman said:


> Leaves me fairly pissed that it seems the only fix is replacing parts at your own cost due to GM not wanting to fix cars problems just give you a run around until you giveup.


I agree! Just talking about it again gets my blood pressure up. Until they are ready to acknowledge the problem, if they ever do, I don't see you or I doing much except wasting a lot of our own money on attorney fees and wasting our time as well.


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## Taxman (Dec 24, 2005)

rwilson831 said:


> I agree! Just talking about it again gets my blood pressure up. Until they are ready to acknowledge the problem, if they ever do, I don't see you or I doing much except wasting a lot of our own money on attorney fees and wasting our time as well.


I had been nice about it when trying to get it fixed, now Im an ******* when I talk to them. Everytime I look at another car/truck GM makes to buy even in I like it, I stop and think, do I want to get something from a company that not only avoided my problems but gave me close to a month of run around to do it.


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## rgraulic (Sep 16, 2005)

Jay Pontiac in Columbus Ga did align mine for free. I demanded they put on the stock eighteens. of course they refused. said it was an alignment problem. would not acknowledge that this was a problem with many others.


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## Taxman (Dec 24, 2005)

rgraulic said:


> Jay Pontiac in Columbus Ga did align mine for free. I demanded they put on the stock eighteens. of course they refused. said it was an alignment problem. would not acknowledge that this was a problem with many others.



I got mine aligned for free by a dealer too, since then it pulls into oncoming traffic, now they want to charge to fix it


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## coolhandgoat (Nov 2, 2006)

I went ahead and compulsively ordered a set of Stern ST1s today, in hyperblack. This will fix my problem, but damn I am still angry at both Pontiac, AND the local dealer for being such morons.


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## BILLYGTO (Dec 12, 2006)

I've had poor experience with GM on other vehicles as well like this. 

One question about this strut rub issue.....does installing aftermarket performance struts fix the issue?


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## rwilson831 (Aug 23, 2004)

I heard that it remedies the problem, but I didn't want to take the chance of redoing the suspension and still having the problem or new problems. Those chickens____ts at the dealership would probably hold that against me if something else were to go wrong.


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## BILLYGTO (Dec 12, 2006)

rwilson831 said:


> I heard that it remedies the problem, but I didn't want to take the chance of redoing the suspension and still having the problem or new problems. Those chickens____ts at the dealership would probably hold that against me if something else were to go wrong.


Good Point!


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## Taxman (Dec 24, 2005)

rwilson831 said:


> I heard that it remedies the problem, but I didn't want to take the chance of redoing the suspension and still having the problem or new problems. Those chickens____ts at the dealership would probably hold that against me if something else were to go wrong.


They will I can see that happening

Mine has a new problem causing problems everytime it goes in

Was telling me it was tires before even looking at it, when I told them they were new it was balance, after checking balance somewhere else (it was Fine) same day they told me it was warped brake rotors, didnt say a word about them earier that day, or last 2 times it was there that month


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