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EnglishMaintenance and service -> Tires and wheels for your Subaru Forester 2019-2024
Tires and wheels 471
! Winter (snow) tires
11-16. Tires and wheels
CAUTION
Winter tires are best suited for driving on
snow-covered and icy roads. However,
winter tires do not perform as well as
summer tires and all season tires on roads
other than snow-covered and icy roads.
If you continue to drive despite the
scraping noise from the audible
brake pad wear indicator, it will
result in the need for costly brake
rotor repair or replacement.
& Types of tires
You should be familiar with the type of tires
present on your vehicle.
! All season tires
All season tires are designed to provide an
adequate measure of traction, handling
and braking performance in year-round
driving including snowy and icy road
conditions. However, all season tires do
not offer as much traction performance as
winter (snow) tires in heavy or loose snow
or on icy roads.
& Tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) (U.S.-spec.
models)
& Breaking-in of new brake
pads
The tire pressure monitoring system pro-
vides the driver with a warning message by
sending a signal from a sensor that is
installed in each wheel when tire pressure
is severely low. The tire pressure monitor-
ing system will activate only when the
vehicle is driven. Also, this system may not
react immediately to a sudden drop in tire
pressure (for example, a blow-out caused
by running over a sharp object).
When replacing the brake pad, use only
genuine SUBARU parts. After replace-
ment, the new parts must be broken in.
Contact your SUBARU dealer for details.
All season tires are identified by āALL
SEASONā and/or āM+Sā (Mud & Snow) on
the tire sidewall.
! Summer tires
Summer tires are high-speed capability
tires best suited for highway driving under
dry conditions.
Summer tires are inadequate for driving on
slippery roads such as on snow-covered or
icy roads.
If you drive your vehicle on snow-covered
or icy roads, we strongly recommend the
use of winter (snow) tires.
When installing winter tires, be sure to
replace all four tires.
If you adjust the tire pressures in a warm
garage and will then drive the vehicle in
cold outside air, the resulting drop in tire
pressures may cause the low tire pressure
warning light to illuminate. To avoid this
problem when adjusting the tire pressures
in a warm garage, inflate the tires to
pressures higher than those shown on
the tire inflation pressure label. Specifi-
cally, inflate them by an extra 1 psi (6.9
2
kPa, 0.07 kgf/cm ) for every difference of
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Tires and wheels
472
108F (5.68C) between the temperature in
the garage and the temperature outside.
By way of example, the following table
shows the required tire pressures that
correspond to various outside tempera-
tures when the temperature in the garage
is 608F (15.68C).
turns off a few minutes later. If the low tire
pressure warning light does not turn off,
the tire pressure monitoring system may
not be functioning normally. In this event,
go to a SUBARU dealer to have the
system inspected as soon as possible.
ignition switch is turned on or the
light illuminates steadily after blink-
ing for approximately 1 minute, you
should have your tire pressure mon-
itoring system checked at
a
SUBARU dealer as soon as possi-
ble.
While the vehicle is driven, friction be-
tween tires and the road surface causes
the tires to warm up. After illumination of
the low tire pressure warning light, any
increase in the tire pressures caused by an
increase in the outside air temperature or
by an increase in the temperature in the
tires can cause the low tire pressure
warning light to turn off.
Example:
Tire size: 225/60R17
If this light illuminates while driving,
never brake suddenly and keep
driving straight ahead while gradu-
ally reducing speed. Then slowly
pull off the road to a safe place.
Otherwise, an accident involving
serious vehicle damage and serious
personal injury could occur.
Standard tire pressures:
Front: 33 psi (230 kPa, 2.3 kgf/cm2)
Rear: 32 psi (220 kPa, 2.2 kgf/cm2)
Garage temperature: 608F (15.68C)
Adjusted pressure
[psi (kPa, kgf/cm2)]
Front Rear
Outside
temperature
If this light still illuminates while
driving after adjusting the tire pres-
sure, a tire may have significant
damage and a fast leak that causes
the tire to lose air rapidly. If you have
a flat tire, replace it with a spare tire
as soon as possible.
It may not be possible to install TPMS
valves on certain wheels that are on the
market. Therefore, if you change the
wheels (for example, a switch to snow
tires), use wheels that have the same part
number as the standard-equipment
wheels. Without four operational TPMS
valve/sensors on the wheels, the TPMS
will not fully function and the warning light
on the combination meter will illuminate
steadily after blinking for approximately 1
minute.
308F
36 (250, 2.5) 35 (240, 2.4)
38 (265, 2.65) 37 (255, 2.55)
(ā18C)
108F
(ā128C)
ā108F
(ā238C)
39 (270, 2.7)
41 (280, 2.8)
When a spare tire is mounted or a
wheel rim is replaced without the
original pressure sensor/transmitter
being transferred, the low tire pres-
sure warning light will illuminate
steadily after blinking for approxi-
mately 1 minute. This indicates the
TPMS is unable to monitor all four
road wheels. Contact your SUBARU
dealer as soon as possible for tire
If the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates when you drive the vehicle in
cold outside air after adjusting the tire
pressures in a warm garage, re-adjust the
tire pressures using the method described
above. Then, increase the vehicle speed
to at least 20 mph (32 km/h) and check to
see that the low tire pressure warning light
WARNING
If the low tire pressure warning light
does not illuminate briefly after the
Tires and wheels 473
Consult your SUBARU dealer.
and sensor replacement and/or sys-
tem resetting. If the light illuminates
steadily after blinking for approxi-
mately 1 minute, promptly contact a
SUBARU dealer to have the system
inspected.
pressed against the curb when
you park the vehicle.
& Tire inspection
. If you feel unusual vibration
while driving or find it difficult
to steer the vehicle in a
straight line, one of the tires
and/or wheels may be da-
maged. Drive slowly to the
nearest authorized SUBARU
dealer and have the vehicle
inspected.
Check on a daily basis that the tires
are free from serious damage,
nails, and stones. At the same time,
check the tires for abnormal wear.
Contact your SUBARU dealer im-
mediately if you find any problems.
! TPMS valve self-registration
When the wheels are replaced (such as
when installing snow tires) or when a new
TPMS valve is mounted on a new installed
wheel, you will need to perform TPMS
valve self-registration. Refer to the follow-
ing procedure to perform TPMS valve self-
registration.
1. Install the wheels with TPMS valves on
the vehicle.
2. Adjust the tire pressure to the specified
value. For information about the spe-
cified value of the tire pressure, refer to
āTiresā ļæ½P504.
NOTE
. When the wheels and tires
strike curbs or are subjected
to harsh treatment as when the
vehicle is driven on a rough
surface, they can suffer da-
mage that cannot be seen with
the naked eye. This type of
damage does not become evi-
dent until time has passed. Try
not to drive over curbs, pot-
holes or on other rough sur-
faces. If doing so is unavoid-
able, keep the vehicleās speed
down to a walking pace or less,
and approach the curbs as
squarely as possible. Also,
make sure the tires are not
& Tire pressures and wear
Maintaining the correct tire pres-
sures helps to maximize the tiresā
service lives and is essential for
good running performance. Check
and, if necessary, adjust the pres-
sure of each tire and the spare (if
equipped) at least once a month
and before any long journey.
3. Drive at speeds above 25 mph (40
km/h) for at least 4 miles (6 km) or until
the low tire pressure warning light turns
off.
NOTE
.
When installing TPMS valves, use
only genuine SUBARU parts.
Registration of TPMS valves can
also be done at a SUBARU dealer.
.
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Tires and wheels
474
When a tire becomes warm, the air
inside it expands, causing the tire
pressure to increase. Be careful not
to mistakenly release air from a
warm tire to reduce its pressure.
NOTE
. The air pressure in a tire
increases by approximately
2
4.3 psi (30 kPa, 0.3 kgf/cm )
when the tire becomes warm.
. The tires are considered cold
when the vehicle has been
parked for at least three hours
or has been driven less than 1
mile (1.6 km).
Tire inflation pressure label
Check the tire pressures when the
tires are cold. Use a pressure
gauge to adjust the tire pressures
to the values shown on the tire
inflation pressure label. The tire
inflation pressure label is located
on the door pillar on the driverās
side.
WARNING
Do not let air out of warm tires
to adjust pressure. Doing so
will result in low tire pressure.
Driving even a short distance
warms up the tires and increases
the tire pressures. Also, the tire
pressures are affected by the out-
side temperature. It is best to check
tire pressure outdoors before driv-
ing the vehicle.
1
Correct tire pressure (tread
worn evenly)
Roadholding is good, and
steering is responsive. Rolling
resistance is low, so fuel con-
sumption is also lower.
Incorrect tire pressures detract from
controllability and ride comfort, and
they cause the tires to wear abnor-
mally.
Tires and wheels 475
2
3
Under inflated tire (tread worn
on shoulders)
Rolling resistance is high, so
fuel consumption is also high-
er.
Over inflated (tread worn in the
center)
Ride comfort is poor. Also, the
tire magnifies the effects of
road-surface bumps and dips,
possibly resulting in vehicle
damage.
vehicle control could lead to
an accident.
CAUTION
Loss of correct wheel align-
ment causes the tires to wear
on one side and reduces the
vehicleās running stability.
Contact your SUBARU dealer
if you notice abnormal tire
wear.
& 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 causes the steer-
ing wheel to vibrate slightly at
certain vehicle speeds and detracts
from the vehicleās straight-line sta-
bility. It can also cause steering and
suspension system problems and
abnormal tire wear. If you suspect
that the wheels are not correctly
balanced, have them checked and
adjusted by your SUBARU dealer.
Also have them adjusted after tire
repairs and after tire rotation.
NOTE
The suspension system is de-
signed to hold each wheel at a
certain alignment (relative to the
other wheels and to the road) for
optimum straight-line stability
and cornering performance.
If the tire inflation pressure label
shows tire pressures for the vehicle
when fully loaded, adjust the tire
pressures to the values that match
the loading conditions.
WARNING
Driving at high speeds with
excessively low tire pressures
can cause the tires to deform
severely and to rapidly heat
up. A sharp increase in tem-
perature could cause tread
separation and destruction of
the tires. The resulting loss of
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Tires and wheels
476
& Wear indicators
& Rotational direction of tires
is worn beyond 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 hydro-
plane. The resulting loss of
vehicle control can lead to an
accident.
NOTE
For safety, inspect tire tread
regularly and replace the tires
before their tread wear indicators
become visible.
Example of rotational direction
marked on the sidewall
1
2
3
New tread
Worn tread
Tread wear indicator
1
Front
If the tires have specific rotational
direction, refer to the arrow marked
on the side wall.
The arrow should be pointing for-
ward direction when the wheels are
fitted.
Each tire incorporates a tread wear
indicator, which becomes visible
when the depth of the tread grooves
decreases to 0.063 in (1.6 mm). A
tire must be replaced when the
tread wear indicator appears as a
solid band across the tread.
WARNING
When a tireās tread wear indi-
cator becomes visible, the tire
Tires and wheels 477
& Tire rotation
Vehicles equipped with unidi-
rectional tires
Models with a spare tire of the
same wheel type as the in-
stalled tires
Vehicles equipped with 4 non-
unidirectional tires
1
Front
1
Front
1
Front
NOTE
In prior to carrying out a tire
rotation, check the side wall of
the tires and confirm the follow-
ing.
. All 5 tires are the same in
brand and tread pattern.
. The rotational directions and
sizes match.
Tire wear varies from wheel to
wheel. Move the tires to the posi-
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Tires and wheels
478
speed symbol and load index matching
those shown on the tire inflation pressure
label.
(f) Manufacturer
tions shown in the illustration each
time they are rotated. For the tire
rotation schedule, refer to the āWar-
ranty and Maintenance Bookletā.
(g) Brand (tread pattern)
(h) Degree of wear
Using tires of a non-specified size detracts
from controllability, ride comfort, braking
For items (a) to (c), you must
obey the specification that is
printed on the tire inflation pres-
sure label. The tire inflation pres-
sure label is located on the dri-
verās door pillar.
Replace any damaged or unevenly performance, speedometer accuracy and
odometer accuracy. It also creates incor-
worn tires at the time of rotation.
After tire rotation, adjust the tire
pressures and make sure the wheel
nuts are correctly tightened.
rect body-to-tire clearances and inappro-
priately changes the vehicleās ground
clearance.
If all the four tires are not the
same for items (a) to (h), serious
mechanical damage could be
caused to the drivetrain of the
car, and affect the followings.
All four tires must be the same in terms of
After driving approximately 600 manufacturer, brand (tread pattern), con-
struction, and size. You are advised to
miles (1,000 km), check the wheel
nuts again and retighten any nut
that has become loose.
replace the tires with new ones that are
identical to those fitted as standard equip-
ment.
ā
ā
ā
ā
Ride
Handling
Braking
For handling alloy wheels, refer to āAlloy
wheelsā ļæ½P479.
For safe vehicle operation, SUBARU
recommends replacing all four tires at the
same time.
Speedometer/Odometer cali-
bration
& Tire replacement
WARNING
ā
Clearance between the body
and tires
The wheels and tires are important and
integral parts of your vehicleās design; they
cannot be changed arbitrarily. The tires
fitted as standard equipment are optimally
matched to the characteristics of the
vehicle and were selected to give the best
possible combination of running perfor-
mance, ride comfort, and service life. It is
essential for every tire to have a size and
construction matching those shown on the
tire inflation pressure label and to have a
.
When replacing or installing
tire(s), all four tires must be the
same for following items.
It also may be dangerous and
lead to loss of vehicle control,
and it can lead to an accident.
(a) Size
.
Use only radial tires. Do not use
radial tires together with belted
bias tires and/or bias-ply tires.
Doing so can dangerously re-
duce controllability, resulting in
(b) Speed symbol
(c) Load index
(d) Circumference
(e) Construction
Alloy wheels 479
an accident.
11-17. Alloy wheels
11-18. Windshield washer
fluid
Alloy wheels can be scratched and da-
maged easily. Handle them carefully to
maintain their appearance, performance,
and safety.
& Wheel replacement
When replacing wheels due, for example,
to damage, make sure the replacement
wheels match the specifications of the
wheels that are fitted as standard equip-
ment. Replacement wheels are available
at your SUBARU dealer.
.
When any of the wheels are removed
and replaced for tire rotation or to
change a flat tire, always check the
tightness of the wheel nuts after driving
approximately 600 miles (1,000 km). If
any nut is loose, tighten it to the
specified torque.
WARNING
Use only those wheels that are
specified for your vehicle. Wheels
not meeting specifications could
interfere with brake caliper opera-
tion and may cause the tires to rub
against the wheel well housing dur-
ing turns. The resulting loss of
vehicle control could lead to an
accident.
.
Never apply oil to the threaded parts,
wheel nuts, or tapered surface of the
wheel.
When there is only a small amount of
washer fluid remaining, the windshield
washer fluid warning light will illuminate.
When this occurs, refill the washer fluid.
.
.
Never let the wheel rub against sharp
protrusions or curbs.
When wheel nuts, balance weights, or
the center cap are replaced, be sure to
replace them with genuine SUBARU
parts designed for alloy wheels.
& Adding the windshield
washer fluid
.
When stacking and storing removed
tires, place shock-absorbing material
between the tires to protect the wheels
from becoming scratched.
NOTE
CAUTION
When any of the wheels are removed
and replaced for tire rotation or for any
other reason, always check the tight-
ness of the wheel nuts after driving
approximately 600 miles (1,000 km). If
any nut is loose, tighten it to the
specified torque.
Never use engine coolant as washer
fluid because it could cause paint
damage.
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