245/45R17 · passenger car · Bar
245/45R17 tyre pressure in bar
- Size
- 245/45R17
- Class
- passenger car
- Planning PSI
- 36
- Planning bar
- 2.48
bar
2.48
36 psi · 248 kPa · not a second factory sticker
245/45R17 · 36 psi · 2.48 bar · 248 kPa — estimates. Placard wins.
A 245/45R17 C-type or LT carcass can live far above a hatchback bar figure. This page’s 2.48 bar sketch is for the passenger car class, not every car that can physically mount the tyre. Under-inflation cooks the shoulders of a 245/45R17; 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
Use the table, then set a cold gauge. 248 kPa is 100 × 2.48 bar on this size.
| Bar | PSI | kPa |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 3.31 | 48 | 331 |
Estimated 245/45R17 pressure by load
These 245/45R17 load steps are ± a few PSI from 36. They are not a licence to ignore a printed second column on a van or estate.
| Condition | Front (est.) | Rear (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Driver only / unladen | 36 psi / 2.48 bar / 248 kPa | 36 psi / 2.48 bar / 248 kPa |
| Typical occupancy | 36 psi / 2.48 bar / 248 kPa | 37 psi / 2.55 bar / 255 kPa |
| Motorway + luggage (sketch) | 37 psi / 2.55 bar / 255 kPa | 38 psi / 2.62 bar / 262 kPa |
Placard versus sidewall
If a forum says “all 245/45R17 run 36 psi”, ignore it. A Qashqai and a Golf can share a size and not share a sticker.
What 245/45R17 means
Read 245/45R17 as width / aspect R rim. Nothing in the size string is a pressure. Pressure lives on the car, not moulded as 205 or 55.
Wide touring 17-inch. Rim diameter 17 in; section 245 mm. Estimates on this page assume a typical load index for the passenger car class.
Cars often seen on 245/45R17
These catalogue models are often seen on 245/45R17 or a close OEM neighbour. Open the vehicle chart for axle-specific PSI and bar.
How to set 245/45R17
- Measure before the school run, not after the motorway.
- Write LF / RF / RR / RL. Do not keep 245/45R17 numbers in your head.
- Add air in short bursts toward the placard, using 36 psi only as a map.
- If one 245/45R17 is 4 psi down, hunt for a nail before you blame the weather.
- Log date, ambient temperature and the four readings.
Temperature drift
Roughly 1 psi per 5–6 °C. The table uses 36 psi as a 20 °C baseline for 245/45R17.
| Ambient | Gauge | Bar | kPa | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| −5 °C (hard frost) | 33 psi | 2.28 bar | 228 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 0 °C | 34 psi | 2.34 bar | 234 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 8 °C (UK winter morning) | 35 psi | 2.41 bar | 241 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 20 °C (set cold here) | 36 psi | 2.48 bar | 248 kPa | Baseline for this size sketch |
| 30 °C | 38 psi | 2.62 bar | 262 kPa | Do not bleed a hot 245/45R17 |
| 38 °C (heatwave tarmac) | 39 psi | 2.69 bar | 269 kPa | Do not bleed a hot 245/45R17 |
If the door sticker and this 245/45R17 page disagree, the sticker wins.
Questions about 245/45R17
Can I run 245/45R17 at a lower pressure for comfort?
Not as a habit. A soft 245/45R17 cooks the shoulders and dulls steering. Keep load index and stay on the placard.
Is 245/45R17 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 is 245/45R17 in kPa?
248 kPa is the planning midpoint (100 kPa = 1 bar). 255 kPa is one PSI higher.
What PSI should 245/45R17 tyres be?
A passenger car planning figure is about 36 psi cold (2.48 bar / 248 kPa). Confirm on the vehicle placard — two cars can share 245/45R17 and not share a sticker.
Is the sidewall number correct for 245/45R17?
No. Sidewall PSI or kPa is a maximum for the carcass. Operating pressure is the door-pillar placard.
Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · cold inflation · all sizes