2006 Subaru Outback Tires & Wheels Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN PRIMACY MXV4 TL TIRES, SIZE: 225/15/R17 (NA). THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS BEGINNING TO DETERIORATE. THE TIRE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER; HOWEVER, DETAILS OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE PROVIDED. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE TIRES WERE REPLACEMENT TIRES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED. INITIALLY, THE NOISE HAPPENED AROUND 30-40 MPH. THEN THE NOISE (GRINDING/ROTATIONAL) GOT PROGRESSIVELY LOUDER AND STARTED HAPPENING EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS (UNDER 20 MPH). EVENTUALLY, THE NOISE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY VIBRATIONS/SHUDDERING WHEN THE BROKEN BEARING SUPPORTED THE LOAD OF THE CAR ON EVERY ROTATION OF THE WHEEL. *TR

REAR WHEEL BEARINGS ON BOTH SIDES HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM (FAULTY WHEEL BEARINGS) IN 2005 AND 2006 OUTBACKS AND SUBARU HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERING CERTAIN VINS UNDER 100K, BUT MY VIN WAS NOT IN THAT LIST. *TR

VEHICLE BECOMES VERY UNSTABLE ON ICY ROADS AT RELATIVELY LOW SPEEDS. EXCESSIVE REAR TIRE WEAR SUGGESTS DEFECT IN CONSTRUCTION OF THIS VEHICLE. PROBLEM PERSISTED EVEN AFTER A 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND NEW TIRES LAST WINTER. REAR TIRES COMPLETELY WORN OUT IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR.

RECENTLY HAD TO REPLACE A REAR WHEEL BEARING IN MY 2006 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK, WHICH ONLY HAS APPROX. 46,000 MILES. MY MECHANIC INDICATED THAT HE HAS SEEN SEVERAL OF THESE FAILURES IN THE NEWER SUBARUS, BUT THAT SUBARU HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL NOTICE. *TR

ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE PERFORMANCE IN ICY ROAD CONDITIONS. OTHER CARS PASS WITH EASE WHILE MINE FELT LIKE IT WAS SLIPPING AND FLOATING OVER THE ROAD. THIS ONLY SEEMS TO OCCUR IN ICY ROAD CONDITIONS. WE ACTUALLY SPUN OUT ON ICE WHILE ONLY DRIVING 30MPH, CLIPPING A ROAD SIGN. WE'RE LUCKY THE DAMAGE/INJURIES WEREN'T WORSE. CAR FEELS COMPLETELY UNCONTROLLABLE. IT IS TERRIFYING TO DRIVE IN THESE CONDITIONS. *TR

2006 SUBARU OUTBACK GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT:26450 DATE OF PURCHASE:05/18/2007 ODOMETER AT PURCHASE:32743 DEALER:WALSER SUBARU INC. ADDRESS:14900 BUCK HILL ROAD BURNSVILLE, 55306 DEALER LICENSE:DT36027 ON 07/02/2007 FOUND OUTER EDGE OF REAR TIRES WERE SEVERELY WORN, STEEL BELTS VISIBLE. CALLED DEALER TOLD THEM NEEDED VEHICLE INSPECTED IMMEDIATELY, AS WE FELT IT WAS UNSAFE. DEALERSHIP THE STATED WE NEEDED TWO NEW TIRES AND A FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT. PICKED UP THE VEHICLE WERE INFORMED THAT THE ALIGNMENT WAS FINE AND THAT WE HAD ?OVER LOADED? THE VEHICLE. THAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE WEAR ON THE TIRES. IT WAS EXPLAINED THAT THE AXLE HAD BEEN DEPRESSED SUFFICIENTLY TO CAUSE WEAR MARKS FROM THE RUBBER STOPS ON TORSION ARMS?? ASKING WHAT CONSTITUTED ?OVER LOADING? WE WERE REFERRED TO THE STICKER ON THE DRIVER?S SIDE DOOR. SEATING CAPACITYTOTAL5FRONT2REAR3 THE COMBINED WEIGHT OF OCCUPANTS AND CARGO SHOULD NOT EXCEED 408KG OR 900LBS TIRESIZECOLD TIRE PRESSURE FRONTP225/55R17220KG/32LBS REARP225/55R17210KG/30LBS SPARET155/7017420KG60LBS THE FOLLOWING WAS THE LOAD OF THE VEHICLE DURING THE TRIP TO NEW YORK: 2ADULTSAPPROXIMATE WEIGHT:210LBS EACH420LBS 110-YEAR-OLD CHILDAPPROXIMATE WEIGHT:100LBS100LBS 1EACH BAG PER ADULTAPPROXIMATE WEIGHT:40LBS EACH80LBS 1EACH BAG PER CHILDAPPROXIMATE WEIGHT:30LBS EACH30LBS 120 QT COOLERAPPROXIMATE WEIGHT:10LBS10LBS 1PLASTIC CONTAINERAPPROXIMATE WEIGHT:15LBS15LBS MISC TOOLS, TOYS, ETCAPPROXIMATE WEIGHT:50LBS50LBS APPROXIMATE TOTAL WEIGHT:705LBS NEVER RECEIVED A COPY OF THE SERVICE REPORT. NO REPORT THREE DAYS CALLED DEALERSHIP TOLD THAT THE REPORT HAD BEEN MAILED BUT THYE WOULD CHECK AND SEND A COPY. JULY 14, 2007:- STILL NO COPY OF SERVICE REPORT BY MAIL. 7/16/2007 11:05 AM?BURNSVILLE SUBARU, STILL HAD NOT RECEIVED SERVICE REPORT. TO DATE WE STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED A COPY OF THAT SERVICE REPORT. WE ARE COPYING THIS LETTER TO SUBARU AMERICA AND NHTSA FOR THEIR COMMENTS.

WE PURCHASED A NEW 2006 SUBARU WITH BRIGSTONE TIRES. WE DRIVE IN WET AND SNOWY CONDITIONS REGULARLY. ON OUR FIRST DRIVE TO CO FROM WI, WE NOTICED POOR WET WEATHER HANDLING. ON OUR NEXT TRIP TO CO FROM WI, WE EXPERIENCED HORRIBLE TRACTION ON SNOW AND ICE COVERED ROADS. WE HAVE HAD THE TIRES ROTATED PER WARRANTY, WE HAVE HAD THE ALIGNMENT AND SUSPENSION CHECKED. THE TIRES APPEAR TO BE THE PROBLEM. WE HAVE EMAIL THE MFR/BRIGSTONE TWICE AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN ANSWER. I BELIEVE THE OEM TIRES ARE NOT SAFE ON WET AND SNOW COVERED ROADS. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH. THE TIRE BLEW OUT WHICH CAUSED A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE SWERVED IN AND OUT OF THE TWO LANES, MADE A U-TURN, AND STOPPED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP.

TIRES ARE FALLING APART. AT LESS THAN 10,000 MILES SUBARU ADVISED US TO REPLACE THEM. THEY ARE BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE92A 225 55R 17. *JB