I got a flat in the side of one tire and was told that rather than replace just 1 tire or even a set of 2 tires I would need to purchase a complete set of 4 new tires because it's critical that all four tires have exactly the same tire wear. Otherwise, this would create a problem with the transfer case and transmission, possibly resulting in the need to replace both. This seems nuts to me. Is this for real? Isn't my 99 Forester designed to handle uneven road conditions? Will slightly different tire wear between the front and rear tires really result in my having to replace my transmission???
I was told this by the Big-O salesperson who allegedly checked it with Toyota. When I called Toyota they told me I could get by with just 2 new tires. My mechanic told me the same thing. However, a transmission specialist confirmed what the tire guy told me. I don't know whom to believe. Does anyone out there have any experience with this?
