215/55R16 · passenger car · Overview
215/55R16 tyre pressure
- Size
- 215/55R16
- Class
- passenger car
- Planning PSI
- 34
- Planning bar
- 2.34
215/55R16
34 psi / 2.34 bar
234 kPa · estimates for this size class
215/55R16 · 34 psi · 2.34 bar · 234 kPa — estimates. Placard wins.
215/55R16 is a passenger car size (215 mm section, 55 % aspect, 16-inch rim). A planning cold figure around 34 psi / 2.34 bar / 234 kPa is a starting map, not a second factory sticker. TPMS typically warns near 26 psi (about 25% below a 34 psi target). That is already a soft tyre.
What 215/55R16 means
215/55R16 means a 215 millimetre section width, a sidewall that is 55 percent of that width, on a 16-inch rim. The R is radial construction.
Slightly wider 16-inch OEM. Rim diameter 16 in; section 215 mm. Estimates on this page assume a typical load index for the passenger car class.
Estimated 215/55R16 pressure by load
Plus-sizing to 215/55R16 from a taller OEM tyre usually keeps the same placard if the load index is equal or higher.
| Condition | Front (est.) | Rear (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Driver only / unladen | 34 psi / 2.34 bar / 234 kPa | 34 psi / 2.34 bar / 234 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 |
PSI, bar and kPa
1 bar ≈ 14.5 psi; 1 psi ≈ 6.89 kPa. Planning midpoint for 215/55R16: 34 psi = 2.34 bar = 234 kPa.
| PSI | Bar | kPa |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 2.07 | 207 |
| 31 | 2.14 | 214 |
| 32 | 2.21 | 221 |
| 33 | 2.28 | 228 |
| 34 | 2.34 | 234 |
| 35 | 2.41 | 241 |
| 36 | 2.48 | 248 |
| 37 | 2.55 | 255 |
| 38 | 2.62 | 262 |
| 39 | 2.69 | 269 |
| 40 | 2.76 | 276 |
| 41 | 2.83 | 283 |
| 42 | 2.90 | 290 |
| 43 | 2.96 | 296 |
| 44 | 3.03 | 303 |
| 45 | 3.10 | 310 |
| 46 | 3.17 | 317 |
Placard versus sidewall
The sidewall of a 215/55R16 may say 51 psi or 350 kPa. That is a carcass maximum. Operating pressure is the tyre-information placard on the driver’s door pillar.
Cars often seen on 215/55R16
These catalogue models are often seen on 215/55R16 or a close OEM neighbour. Open the vehicle chart for axle-specific PSI and bar.
How to set 215/55R16
- Park so the 215/55R16 tyres are cold (three hours, or less than about a mile).
- Read the door-pillar placard for that car — not the 215/55R16 sidewall maximum.
- If the sticker is missing, 34 psi / 2.34 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 34 psi as a 20 °C baseline for 215/55R16.
| Ambient | Gauge | Bar | kPa | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| −5 °C (hard frost) | 31 psi | 2.14 bar | 214 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 0 °C | 32 psi | 2.21 bar | 221 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 8 °C (UK winter morning) | 33 psi | 2.28 bar | 228 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 20 °C (set cold here) | 34 psi | 2.34 bar | 234 kPa | Baseline for this size sketch |
| 30 °C | 36 psi | 2.48 bar | 248 kPa | Do not bleed a hot 215/55R16 |
| 38 °C (heatwave tarmac) | 37 psi | 2.55 bar | 255 kPa | Do not bleed a hot 215/55R16 |
Keep 215/55R16 on the printed band for that car; 34 psi is a size sketch, not a second VIN label.
Questions about 215/55R16
What is 215/55R16 in bar?
34 psi is 2.34 bar. Add a tenth of a bar if the placard’s laden column is higher, which is common on vans that wear this size.
What is 215/55R16 in kPa?
234 kPa is the planning midpoint (100 kPa = 1 bar). 241 kPa is one PSI higher.
Is the sidewall number correct for 215/55R16?
No. Sidewall PSI or kPa is a maximum for the carcass. Operating pressure is the door-pillar placard.
What PSI should 215/55R16 tyres be?
A passenger car planning figure is about 34 psi cold (2.34 bar / 234 kPa). Confirm on the vehicle placard — two cars can share 215/55R16 and not share a sticker.
Can I run 215/55R16 at a lower pressure for comfort?
Not as a habit. A soft 215/55R16 cooks the shoulders and dulls steering. Keep load index and stay on the placard.
Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · cold inflation · all sizes