New Front Struts @ 4,700 miles??

[BigBill]

Dealer is advising that my 2025 GV70 needs new front struts at 4700 miles. Car was brought in following a flat resulting from balding/wear on the inside front tires. Dealership believes that both front struts are bent from what they are describing as a "user issue." No other noticeable front end issues (i.e. no wheel damage, no tire rod or bushing issues, etc.). Prior to the flat, there was no indication of any front end issues - no noise, no pulling to one side, etc. Dealership is hypothesizing that I must have hit a speed bump or pot hole in "just the wrong way." [I have no recollection of any such event, just ordinary driving]. Also, I took the car into the dealer at 2800 miles for suspension noises front and back end; dealer did not identify anything at that time.

Has anyone had a similar issue? Is this a known issue with the GV70? Any thoughts on how to proceed with Genesis corporate? Genesis is not covering any of the work under the warranty, even though there is no evidence (other than the bent struts) of a significant collision that would lead to bent struts.

With new front tires, I'm looking at almost $5,000 in repair costs...

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[EdP]

Dealer is advising that my 2025 GV70 needs new front struts at 4700 miles. Car was brought in following a flat resulting from balding/wear on the inside front tires. Dealership believes that both front struts are bent from what they are describing as a "user issue." No other noticeable front end issues (i.e. no wheel damage, no tire rod or bushing issues, etc.). Prior to the flat, there was no indication of any front end issues - no noise, no pulling to one side, etc. Dealership is hypothesizing that I must have hit a speed bump or pot hole in "just the wrong way." [I have no recollection of any such event, just ordinary driving]. Also, I took the car into the dealer at 2800 miles for suspension noises front and back end; dealer did not identify anything at that time.

Has anyone had a similar issue? Is this a known issue with the GV70? Any thoughts on how to proceed with Genesis corporate? Genesis is not covering any of the work under the warranty, even though there is no evidence (other than the bent struts) of a significant collision that would lead to bent struts.

With new front tires, I'm looking at almost $5,000 in repair costs...

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Never heard of the tire wear you had at such low milage. I agree something mechanical, such as the struts, it the probable cause.

Dealer may also be correct about being physically damaged by hitting something. But what? Perhaps it was when the vehicle was unloaded by the transport at the dealer's lot. Or the guy that prepped the car when sold. They could have done the damage but it took a long time to show up.

I think you will have to involve Genesis in this for some resolution. Inspection by an engineer? If you hit road construction, you'd probably recall it and perhaps insurance would be involved.

 

[David Williamson]

With the strut suspension design only toe is adjustable for alignment, so if that is in spec the only other way the tires would wear out like yours did is if the camber is off. Camber is not adjustable and is set by the location of the struts and lower susprnsion links and the locations they bolt into the unibody/frame. So something is either bent or was manufactured way out of spec. I would get the alignment numbers as they are now and after the struts are changed. That way you can see if the struts fixed it or if there is something else wrong and that I think would be on Genesis as a manufacturing defect that got past inspection some how.
Just my opinion as a retired Mech engineer with lots of automotive experience, and hope it helps
David W

 

[EdP]

With the strut suspension design only toe is adjustable for alignment, so if that is in spec the only other way the tires would wear out like yours did is if the camber is off. Camber is not adjustable and is set by the location of the struts and lower susprnsion links and the locations they bolt into the unibody/frame. So something is either bent or was manufactured way out of spec. I would get the alignment numbers as they are now and after the struts are changed. That way you can see if the struts fixed it or if there is something else wrong and that I think would be on Genesis as a manufacturing defect that got past inspection some how.
Just my opinion as a retired Mech engineer with lots of automotive experience, and hope it helps
David W

Good information. Raises some questions for me. '
If, say, he did hit a pothole, seems only one strut would be damaged, but he has wear on both. Maybe a curbing could do that.

Are both struts identical or mirror images? Defects do happen, but what are the odds of two on the same car? Of have hundreds of car had the same problem?
Seems that someone knowledgeable, say a retired ME, should inspect the old and the new for differences and perhaps determine the real cause.

 

[Lima-GV]

When the front suspension is damaged by an impact, the most commonly affected parts are tie rods, knuckles, and control arms—rarely the struts. If a dealer claims you need new struts, that would usually indicate that multiple other suspension components are also badly damaged and must be replaced.

If, as example, your vehicle had a major square impact with a speed bump, the wheels could be pushed rearward, throwing caster out of spec. But in that case, nearly all suspension parts would be compromised. The repair bill for that kind of damage would be far higher than $5K.

Something doesn’t add up here—get a second opinion. And by the way, if caster is only slightly out of spec, it will not cause premature tire wear.