Wheel Balance; Wear Indicators - Subaru Legacy Outback 2006 Owner's Manual

11-44
Maintenance and service
Driving at high speeds with exces-
sively low tire pressures can cause
the tires to deform severely and to
rapidly become hot. A sharp in-
crease in temperature could cause
tread separation, and destruction of
the tires. The resulting loss of vehi-
cle control could lead to an acci-
dent.

Wheel balance

Each wheel was correctly balanced when
your vehicle was new, but the wheels will
become unbalanced as the tires become
worn during use. Wheel imbalance caus-
es the steering wheel to vibrate slightly at
certain vehicle speeds and detracts from
the vehicle's straight-line stability. It can
also cause steering and suspension sys-
tem problems and abnormal tire wear. If
you suspect that the wheels are not cor-
rectly balanced, we recommend that you
have them checked and adjusted by your
SUBARU dealer. Also have them adjusted
after tire repairs and after tire rotation.
NOTE
Loss of correct wheel alignment* caus-
es the tires to wear on one side and re-
duces the vehicle's running stability.
We recommend that you contact your
SUBARU dealer if you notice abnormal
tire wear.
*: The suspension system is designed to hold
each wheel at a certain alignment (relative to
the other wheels and to the road) for optimum
straight-line stability and cornering perfor-
mance.

Wear indicators

1 3
1) New tread
2) Worn tread
3) Tread wear indicator
Each tire incorporates a tread wear indica-
tor, which becomes visible when the depth
of the tread grooves decreases to 1.6 mm
(0.063 in). A tire must be replaced when
the tread wear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread.
When a tire's tread wear indicator
becomes visible, the tire is worn be-
yond the acceptable limit and must
be replaced immediately. With a tire
in this condition, driving at high
speeds in wet weather can cause
the vehicle to hydroplane. The re-
sulting loss of vehicle control can
lead to an accident.
2
NOTE
For safety, inspect tire tread regularly
and replace the tires before their tread
wear indicators become visible.
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