215/45R17 · passenger car · Bar
215/45R17 bar chart (2.41 bar planning figure)
- Size
- 215/45R17
- Class
- passenger car
- Planning PSI
- 35
- Planning bar
- 2.41
bar
2.41
35 psi · 241 kPa · not a second factory sticker
215/45R17 · 35 psi · 2.41 bar · 241 kPa — estimates. Placard wins.
A 215/45R17 C-type or LT carcass can live far above a hatchback bar figure. This page’s 2.41 bar sketch is for the passenger car class, not every car that can physically mount the tyre. Under-inflation cooks the shoulders of a 215/45R17; over-inflation wears the centre rib and bangs every cat’s eye. Low-profile {sz} does not want a “softer” pressure to recover ride. Stay at or slightly above the car’s original placard if load index is kept.
Bar, PSI and kPa
Convert around the 215/45R17 band. 2.41 bar is about 35 psi — not 23, not 33 unless the maths says so.
| Bar | PSI | kPa |
|---|---|---|
| 2.14 | 31 | 214 |
| 2.21 | 32 | 221 |
| 2.28 | 33 | 228 |
| 2.34 | 34 | 234 |
| 2.41 | 35 | 241 |
| 2.48 | 36 | 248 |
| 2.55 | 37 | 255 |
| 2.62 | 38 | 262 |
| 2.69 | 39 | 269 |
| 2.76 | 40 | 276 |
| 2.83 | 41 | 283 |
| 2.90 | 42 | 290 |
| 2.96 | 43 | 296 |
| 3.03 | 44 | 303 |
| 3.10 | 45 | 310 |
| 3.17 | 46 | 317 |
| 3.24 | 47 | 324 |
Estimated 215/45R17 pressure by load
Load moves the rear first on a passenger car. If the factory placard already has a laden column, use that — not this sketch for 215/45R17.
| Condition | Front (est.) | Rear (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Driver only / unladen | 35 psi / 2.41 bar / 241 kPa | 35 psi / 2.41 bar / 241 kPa |
| Typical occupancy | 35 psi / 2.41 bar / 241 kPa | 36 psi / 2.48 bar / 248 kPa |
| Motorway + luggage (sketch) | 36 psi / 2.48 bar / 248 kPa | 37 psi / 2.55 bar / 255 kPa |
Placard versus sidewall
This website maps size searches such as “215/45R17 psi”. It does not replace the VIN label. If the two disagree, the label wins.
What 215/45R17 means
A 215/45R17 on a passenger car is a geometry. Two cars can share the size and disagree on PSI because mass and axle split differ.
Very common sport 17-inch. Rim diameter 17 in; section 215 mm. Estimates on this page assume a typical load index for the passenger car class.
Cars often seen on 215/45R17
These catalogue models are often seen on 215/45R17 or a close OEM neighbour. Open the vehicle chart for axle-specific PSI and bar.
How to set 215/45R17
- Park so the 215/45R17 tyres are cold (three hours, or less than about a mile).
- Read the door-pillar placard for that car — not the 215/45R17 sidewall maximum.
- If the sticker is missing, 35 psi / 2.41 bar is only a passenger car planning figure for this size.
- Set all four with a calibrated gauge. A 3 psi miss on one corner shows up as a wander.
- Refit valve caps and reset TPMS if the handbook asks for a relearn.
Temperature drift
Roughly 1 psi per 5–6 °C. The table uses 35 psi as a 20 °C baseline for 215/45R17.
| Ambient | Gauge | Bar | kPa | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| −5 °C (hard frost) | 32 psi | 2.21 bar | 221 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 0 °C | 33 psi | 2.28 bar | 228 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 8 °C (UK winter morning) | 34 psi | 2.34 bar | 234 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 20 °C (set cold here) | 35 psi | 2.41 bar | 241 kPa | Baseline for this size sketch |
| 30 °C | 37 psi | 2.55 bar | 255 kPa | Do not bleed a hot 215/45R17 |
| 38 °C (heatwave tarmac) | 38 psi | 2.62 bar | 262 kPa | Do not bleed a hot 215/45R17 |
If the door sticker and this 215/45R17 page disagree, the sticker wins.
Questions about 215/45R17
What is 215/45R17 in kPa?
241 kPa is the planning midpoint (100 kPa = 1 bar). 248 kPa is one PSI higher.
Is 215/45R17 the same as a plus-size swap?
Only if that is the size you fitted. Overall diameter should stay close to OEM. Pressure still follows the car, with load index at or above original.
What PSI should 215/45R17 tyres be?
A passenger car planning figure is about 35 psi cold (2.41 bar / 241 kPa). Confirm on the vehicle placard — two cars can share 215/45R17 and not share a sticker.
Is the sidewall number correct for 215/45R17?
No. Sidewall PSI or kPa is a maximum for the carcass. Operating pressure is the door-pillar placard.
When does TPMS warn on 215/45R17?
Direct TPMS typically flags about 25% below target — near 26 psi if you were aiming at 35. Fill to the sticker, not to the lamp.
Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · cold inflation · all sizes