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1998 Subaru Forester Tires Problems

9 owner-reported tires complaints from NHTSA data

9
Complaints
1
Crashes
Jan 2001Dec 2000
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (9)

criticalTIRES
CrashFiled: Aug 2006

Your car's tire blew out while driving, which caused your vehicle to leave the roadway and hit a construction cone, delineator post, and ditch. The impact damaged your left rear quarter panel, taillight, and bumper. While there were no injuries in this case, a tire blowout is a serious safety issue that can cause loss of vehicle control. The fix will likely involve replacing the damaged tire and inspecting the other tires for wear or defects.

NHTSA #: 10166914
mediumTIRES
Filed: Jan 2001

WHILE DRIVING, TIRES WOBBLE CAUSING THE FRONT END TO WOBBLE, WHEN ACCELERATOR PRESSURE IS RELEASED THE WOBBLE GOES AWAY UNTIL TIRES GET WARMED UP, THEN THE WOBBLE DOES NOT GO AWAY, TIRES WERE REPLACED BEFORE DUE TO THE SAME REASON, DEALER STATES THIS IS ATIRE PROBLEM AND NOT AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM, TIRES ARE FIRESTONE TIRES, SIZE P285/75R15, DOT # HXLR1800. *SLC

NHTSA #: 877668
mediumTIRES
Filed: Dec 2000

THE SUBARU FORRESTER WAS PURCHASED ON 8/25/2000. THE ABOVE TIRE (AND 3 OTHER TIRES) WERE BRAND NEW ON THE VEHICLE WHICH SHOWED 24,900 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THESE TIRES HAVE HAD EXCELLENT CARE AND WE HAVE BEEN ESPECIALLY CAREFUL TO MAINTAIN THE CORRECT AIR PRESSURE. THE TIRE FAILED SUDDENLY, THAT IS WENT ENTIRLEY FLAT IN ABOUT 5 SECONDS AT 55 MPH. AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THE TIRE WAS NOT PUNCTURED JUST PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. BOTH POQUET AUTO AND THE LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER PROMPTLY WORKED WITH US TO REPLACE THE TIRE AND REBALANCE THE NEW UNIT AT NO COST TO US. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THEIR QUICK SERVICE AND COOPERATION. WHILE WE HAVE HAD EXCELLENT SERVICE FROM PAST SETS OF FIRESTONE TIRES ON PREVIOUSLY OWNED AUTOMOBILES, WE ARE SOMEWHAT CONCERNED ABOUT THE ROAD WORTHINESS OF THESE TIRES CONSIDERING THE RECENT PUBLICITY REGARDING FIRESTONE TIRES OF THIS MODEL IN THE R15 SERIES. WE DO NOT EXPECT ANY ACTION ON THE PART OF THE NHTSA, FIRESTONE, OR POQUET BUT THOUGHT IT BEST TO REPORT THIS UNEXPECTED TIRE FAILURE. (DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRESIZE: P225/60R16)

NHTSA #: 737885
mediumTIRES
Filed: Dec 2000

THE SUBARU FORRESTER WAS PURCHASED ON 8/25/2000. THE ABOVE TIRE (AND 3 OTHER TIRES) WERE BRAND NEW ON THE VEHICLE WHICH SHOWED 24,900 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THESE TIRES HAVE HAD EXCELLENT CARE AND WE HAVE BEEN ESPECIALLY CAREFUL TO MAINTAIN THE CORRECT AIR PRESSURE. THE TIRE FAILED SUDDENLY, THAT IS WENT ENTIRLEY FLAT IN ABOUT 5 SECONDS AT 55 MPH. AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THE TIRE WAS NOT PUNCTURED JUST PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. BOTH POQUET AUTO AND THE LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER PROMPTLY WORKED WITH US TO REPLACE THE TIRE AND REBALANCE THE NEW UNIT AT NO COST TO US. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THEIR QUICK SERVICE AND COOPERATION. WHILE WE HAVE HAD EXCELLENT SERVICE FROM PAST SETS OF FIRESTONE TIRES ON PREVIOUSLY OWNED AUTOMOBILES, WE ARE SOMEWHAT CONCERNED ABOUT THE ROAD WORTHINESS OF THESE TIRES CONSIDERING THE RECENT PUBLICITY REGARDING FIRESTONE TIRES OF THIS MODEL IN THE R15 SERIES. WE DO NOT EXPECT ANY ACTION ON THE PART OF THE NHTSA, FIRESTONE, OR POQUET BUT THOUGHT IT BEST TO REPORT THIS UNEXPECTED TIRE FAILURE.( DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRE SIZE: P225/60R16 )

NHTSA #: 737885
mediumTIRES
Filed: Dec 2000

I DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT, AT MY 26,000 MILE CHECK UP 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS TOLD ME MY TIRES WERE WORN OUT. I WAS HIGHLY CONCERNED THAT ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT SHOULD WEAR OUT AT 26,000 MILES. THEY REFUSED TO COVER THEM IN THE 30,000 MILE REPLACEMENT CLAUSE. SOON AFTER FIRESTONE STARTED HAVING RECALLS, I BELIEVE MY TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE NOT WORN OUT. *AK (TIRESIZE: RX15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: RX15 )

NHTSA #: 737753
mediumTIRES
Filed: Oct 2000

ROAD SALT GETS IN BETWEEN TIRES AND RIMS ,CAUSING A SLOW LEAK TO OCCUR IN THE TIRES. DEALER BEADED THE TIRES, AND SLOW LEAK REOCCURRED.*AK

NHTSA #: 873457
mediumTIRES
Filed: Oct 2000

THE 15" WILDERNESS THAT CAME STOCK WITH THIS FORESTER HAD TO BE REPLACED AT APPROXIMATELY 29,800 MILES. I TOOK IT IN FOR A TIRE ROTATION AND LES SCHWAB INFORMED THAT THEY COULD NOT ROTATE THE TIRES AS THEY HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO EXTREME WEAR. THOSE 15" TIRES SHOULD HAVE LASTED AT LEAST ANOTHER 30,000 MILES. I THINK THAT ALL WILDERNESS TIRES REGARDLESS OF SIZE SHOULD BE RECALLED AS THEY ARE DEFINITELY A DEFECTIVE TIRE.*AK( DOT NUMBER: )

NHTSA #: 734531
mediumTIRES
Filed: Aug 2000

ON MARCH 9, 2000 I TOOK MY CAR IN TO LES SCHWAB TO HAVE MY TIRES ROTATED. THE SERVICEMAN CAME OUT TO MY CAR TO WRITE UP THE PAPERWORK AND AS HE WAS CHECKING MY TIRES OUT HE SAID THAT HE WOULDN'T ROTATE MY TIRES DUE TO EXTREME WEAR ON ALL TIRES. HE APOLOGIZED BUT HE SAID THERE WAS NO POSSIBLE WAY THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SO RELUCTANTLY I HAD TO REPLACE MY TIRES AS I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BETTER TO BE SAFE RATHER THAN SORRY AS I WAS GOING ON A ROAD TRIP IN A MONTH. THESE TIRES HAD EXTREMELY LOW MILEAGE TO BE REPLACING THEM AT 29,860 MILES AS THEY SHOULD HAVE LASTED ANOTHER 30,000 MILES IF NOT MORE.( DOT NUMBER: ? TIRE SIZE: P205/75R15 )

NHTSA #: 729252
mediumTIRES
Filed: Aug 1998

THOUSANDS OF TINY CRACKS ARE VISIBLE AROUND ALL TIRES SIDEWALLS. YOKOHAMA AVID TOURING 205R6516.

NHTSA #: 539927

Other 1998 Subaru Forester Issues