2006 SUBARU LEGACY tire pressure

11 - 3 4 Maintenance and service
goes off a few minutes later. If the low tire
pressure warning light does not go 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.
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 in-
crease 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 warn-
ing light to go off.
System resetting is necessary when the
wheels are changed (for example, a
switch to snow tires) and new TPMS
valves are installed on the newly fitted
wheels. Have this work performed by a
SUBARU dealer following wheel replace- ment.
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
in the instrument panel will flash.
When a tire is replaced, adjustments are
necessary to ensure continued normal op-
eration of the tire pr
essure monitoring sys-
tem. As with wheel replacement, there-
fore, you should have the work performed
by a SUBARU dealer.
„ Tire inspection
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 immediate-
ly if you find any problem.
NOTE y When the wheels and tires strike
If the low tire pressure warning light
does not come on br iefly after the ig-
nition switch is turned ON or the
light is flashing, you should have
your Tire Pressure Monitoring Sys-
tem checked at a SUBARU dealer as
soon as possible.
If this light comes on while driving,
never brake suddenly and keep driv-
ing straight ahead while gradually
reducing speed. Then slowly pull off
the road to a safe place. Otherwise
an accident involving serious vehi-
cle damage and serious personal in-
jury could occur.
If this light still comes on while driv-
ing after adjusting the tire pressure,
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.
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 flash. This in-
dicates the TPMS is unable to moni-
tor all four road wheels. Contact
your SUBARU dealer as soon as
possible for tire and sensor replace-
ment and/or system resetting. If the
light flashes, promptly contact a
SUBARU dealer to have the system
inspected.

Maintenance and service 11 - 3 5
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curbs or are subjected to harsh treat-
ment as when the vehicle is driven on a
rough surface, they can suffer damage
that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
This type of damage does not become
evident until time has passed. Try not
to drive over curbs, potholes or on oth-
er rough surfaces. If doing so is un-
avoidable, keep the vehicle’s speed
down to a walking pace or less, and ap-
proach the curbs as squarely as possi-
ble. Also, make sure the tires are not
pressed against the curb when you
park the vehicle. y
If you feel unusual vibration while
driving or find it difficult to steer the ve-
hicle in a straight line, one of the tires
and/or wheels may be damaged. Drive
slowly to the nearest authorized
SUBARU dealer and have the vehicle
inspected. „ Tire pressures and wear
Maintaining the correct tire pressures
helps to maximize the tires’ service lives
and is essential for good running perfor-
mance. Check and, if necessary, adjust
the pressure of each tire (including the
spare) at least once a month (for example,
during a fuel stop) and before any long
journey. 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 placard. The tire placard is located
on the door pillar on the driver’s side.
Driving even a short distance warms up
the tires and increases the tire pressures.
Also, the tire pressures are affected by the
outside temperature. It is best to check tire
pressure outdoors before driving the vehi- cle.
When a tire becomes warm, the air inside
it expands, causing the tire pressure to in-
crease. Be careful no
t to mistakenly re-
lease air from a warm tire to reduce its
pressure.
NOTE y The air pressure in a tire increases
by approximately 4.3 psi (30 kPa, 0.3
kgf/cm 2
) when the tire becomes warm.
y The tires are considered cold when
the vehicle has been parked for at least
three hours or has been driven less
than one mile (1.6 km).
Incorrect tire pressures detract from con-
trollability and ride comfort, and they
cause the tires to wear abnormally.
B00128Do not let air out of warm tires to ad-
just pressure. Doing so will result in
low tire pressure.

11 - 3 6 Maintenance and service
yCorrect tire pressure (tread worn
evenly)
Roadholding is good, and steering is re-
sponsive. Rolling resistance is low, so fuel
consumption is also lower. y
Abnormally low tire pressure (tread
worn at shoulders)
Rolling resistance is high, so fuel con-
sumption is also higher. y
Abnormally high tire pressure (tread
worn in center)
Ride comfort is poor. Also, the tire magni-
fies the effects of road-surface bumps and
dips, possibly resulting in vehicle damage.
B00050B00051
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.
B00052

11 - 3 8 Maintenance and service
Tire wear varies from wheel to wheel. To
maximize the life of each tire and ensure
that the tires wear uniformly, it is best to
rotate the tires every 7,500 miles (12,500
km). Rotating the tires involves switching
the front and rear ti res on the right-hand
side of the vehicle and similarly switching
the front and rear tires on the left-hand
side of the vehicle. (Each tire must be kept
on its original side of the vehicle.)
Replace any damaged or unevenly worn
tire at the time of rotation. After tire rota-
tion, adjust the tire pressures and make
sure the wheel nuts are correctly tight-
ened.
After driving approximately 600 miles
(1,000 km), check the wheel nuts again
and retighten any nut that has become
loose. „ Tire replacement
The wheels and tires are important and in-
tegral parts of your vehicle’s design; they
cannot be changed arbitrarily. The tires fit-
ted as standard equipment are optimally
matched to the characteristics of the vehi-
cle and were selected to give the best pos-
sible combination of running performance,
ride comfort, and service life. It is essential
for every tire to have a size and construc-
tion matching those shown on the tire placard and to have a speed symbol and
load index matching those shown on the
tire placard.
Using tires of a non-specified size detracts
from controllability, ride comfort, braking
performance, speedometer accuracy and
odometer accuracy. It
also creates incor-
rect body-to-tire clearances and inappro-
priately changes the vehicle’s ground
clearance.
All four tires must be the same in terms of
manufacturer, brand (tread pattern), con-
struction, and size. You are advised to re-
place the tires with new ones that are
identical to those fitted as standard equip-ment.
For safe vehicle operation, SUBARU rec-
ommends replacing all four tires at the
same time.
„ 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
from SUBARU dealers.
y All four tires must be the same in
terms of manufacturer, brand
(tread pattern), construction, de-
gree of wear, speed symbol, load
index and size. Mixing tires of dif-
ferent types, sizes or degrees of
wear can result in damage to the
vehicle’s power train. Use of dif-
ferent types or si zes of tires can
also dangerously reduce control-
lability and braking performance
and can lead to an accident.
y Use only radial tires. Do not use
radial tires together with belted
bias tires and/or bias-ply tires. Do-
ing so can dangerously reduce
controllability, resulting in an ac-
cident.

12-10 Specifications
Vehicle identification
C00104
1 2
7
6
54 3
1) Emission control label
2) Vehicle identification number
3) Certification and bar code label
4) Tire inflation pressure label
5) Vehicle identification number plate
6) Model number plate
7) Fuel label

13
Consumer information and Reporting safety defects
Tire information .................................................. 13-2 Tire labeling ............................................................. 13-2
Recommended tire inflation pressure .................. 13-5
Glossary of tire terminology .................................. 13-6
Tire care – maintenance and safety practices ..... 13-7
Vehicle load limit – how to determine ................... 13-8
Determining compatibility of tire and vehicle load capacities ...................................................... 13-10
Adverse safety consequences of overloading on handling and stopping and on tires ................... 13-11
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit ........... 13-11
Uniform tire quality grading standards ............ 13-12 Treadwear ................................................................ 13-12
Traction AA, A, B, C ................................................ 13-12
Temperature A, B, C ............................................... 13-12
Reporting safety defects (USA) ......................... 13-13

Consumer information and Reporting safety defects 13-3
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Example:
(6) Load Index: A numerical code
which specifies the maximum load a
tire can carry at
the speed indicated
by its speed symbol, at maximum in-
flation pressure.
For example, “88” means 1,234 lbs
(560 kg), “87” means 1,201 lbs (545
kg), “86” means 1,168 lbs (530 kg)
(7) Speed Rating: An alphabetical
system describing a tire’s capability to
travel at established and predeter-
mined speeds.
For example, “V” means 149 mph(240 km/h)
T Tire Identification Number (TIN)
Tire Identification Number (TIN) is
marked on the intended outboard
sidewall. The TIN is composed of four
groups. Here is a brief review of the
TIN with a breakdown of its individual
elements. (1) Manufacturer’s Identification Mark
(2) Tire Size
(3) Tire Type Code
(4) Date of Manufacture
The first two figures identify the week,
starting with “01” to represent the first
full week of the calendar year; the
second two figures represent the
year. For example, 0101 means the
1st week of 2001. T
Other markings
The following makings are also
placed on the sidewall. V Maximum permissible inflation
pressure
The maximum cold inflation pressure
to which this tire may be inflated. For
example, “300 kpa (44 PSI) MAX. PRESS” V Maximum load rating
The load rating at the maximum per-
missible weight load for this tire. For
example, “MAX. LOAD 730 kg (1609
LBS) @ 300 kpa (44 PSI) MAX. PRESS.”
Load indices apply only to the
tire, not to the vehicle. Putting a
load rated tire on any vehicle
does not mean the vehicle can
be loaded up to the tire’s rated load.
P 205 / 50 R 17 88 V Size designation (6) (7)y
Speed ratings apply only to
the tire, not to the vehicle. Put-
ting a speed rated tire on any
vehicle does not mean the ve-
hicle can be operated at the
tire’s rated speed.
yThe speed rating is void if the
tires are worn out, damaged,
repaired, retreaded, or other-
wise altered from their original
condition. If tires are repaired,
retreaded, or otherwise al-
tered, they may not be suitable
for original equipment tire de-
signed loads and speeds.
DOT XX XX XXX XXXX
(1) (2) (3)(4)

Consumer information and Reporting safety defects 13-5
– CONTINUED –
„Recommended tire inflation pressure
T Recommended cold tire inflation pressure
Recommended cold tire inflation pressure for your vehicle’s tires is as follows,
Tire size P205/50R17 88V 215/45ZR17 P225/55R17 95V
Wheel size 17