2011 Subaru Forester Owner's Manual - Page 432

Consumer information and Reporting safety defects 13-15 cified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction performance. WARNING The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on straightahead braking traction tests, and does not include acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics. grade C corresponds to a level of performance which all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law. WARNING Reporting safety defects (U.S.A.) If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which could cause a crash or could cause injury or death, you should immediately inform the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in addition to notifying Subaru of America, Inc. If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA cannot become involved in individual problems between you, your dealer, or Subaru of America, Inc. To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go to http://www.safercar.gov; or write to: Administrator, NHTSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, West - CONTINUED - & Temperature A, B, C The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, representing the tire's resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or excessive loading, either separately or in combination, can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.