Corvette · C5 · Overview
Tyre pressure chart for the Corvette C5
- Drivetrain
- front-wheel drive
- Body
- passenger car
- PSI F / R
- 32-35 / 32-35
- Bar F / R
- 2.2-2.4 / 2.2-2.4
psi
34 / 34
Catalogue mid-points, front / rear · 2.2-2.4 / 2.2-2.4 bar
32-35 psi F · 32-35 psi R · 2.2-2.4 / 2.2-2.4 bar · 231/231 kPa
This front-wheel drive passenger car is filed here with a working range of 32-35/32-35 psi. The pillar sticker on your VIN still overrides the website. Size estimates on this page include 235/35R19, 245/40R18 and 225/45R17 — interpolated from the catalogue midpoint, not a second factory sticker.
PSI, bar and kPa
1 bar ≈ 14.5 psi; 1 psi ≈ 6.89 kPa. Mid-points on the C5: 34 psi = 2.31 bar = 231 kPa.
| PSI | Bar | kPa |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 2.07 | 207 |
| 32 | 2.21 | 221 |
| 33 | 2.28 | 228 |
| 33.5 | 2.31 | 231 |
| 35 | 2.41 | 241 |
| 36 | 2.48 | 248 |
| 38 | 2.62 | 262 |
| 40 | 2.76 | 276 |
| 44 | 3.03 | 303 |
| 50 | 3.45 | 345 |
| 60 | 4.14 | 414 |
Pressure against load
Load moves the rear of a passenger car first. If the factory placard already has a “laden” column, use that instead of these sketches.
| Condition | Front (est.) | Rear (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Driver only | 34 psi / 2.34 bar | 34 psi / 2.34 bar |
| Full occupancy | 35 psi / 2.41 bar | 36 psi / 2.48 bar |
| Motorway + luggage | 36 psi / 2.48 bar | 36 psi / 2.48 bar |
Temperature and a cold gauge
Roughly 1 psi per 5–6 °C. The table uses 34 psi as a 20 °C baseline for this C5.
| Ambient | Gauge (front mid) | 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 |
| 30 °C | 36 psi | 2.48 bar | 248 kPa | Do not bleed a hot tyre |
| 38 °C (heatwave tarmac) | 37 psi | 2.55 bar | 255 kPa | Do not bleed a hot tyre |
Spare and inflator kit
A matching full-size spare on the Corvette C5 usually follows the higher axle (often the rear, near 32-35 psi). A space-saver is commonly 60 psi / 4.1 bar — read that tyre’s own sidewall. An inflator kit is not a spare; check the sealant date.
Corvette notes
No special Corvette exception: the C5 uses the door-pillar placard. Size estimates on this page only help if you have left the original load index behind.
Corvette C5 placard versus sidewall
If the Corvette sticker is painted over, the handbook is next. This website is a map, not a replacement VIN label.
How to set the C5
- Park the Corvette C5 for at least three hours (cold tyres).
- Use a calibrated gauge, not the only meter on a forecourt hose.
- Set the placard for that axle — about 32-35 psi / 2.2-2.4 bar front and 32-35 psi / 2.2-2.4 bar rear on this catalogue row.
- Recheck all four. A 2 psi miss on a front-wheel drive C5 is enough to feel a pull.
- Refit valve caps and reset TPMS if the handbook asks for a relearn.
Estimated pressure by tyre size (235/35R19 and others)
If your Corvette C5 no longer wears the OEM diameter, start at the row nearest 235/35R19 or 245/40R18 and confirm with the tyre maker’s load table.
| Tyre size | Front PSI | Rear PSI | Front bar | Rear bar | Front kPa | Rear kPa | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 235/35R19 | 36 | 36 | 2.48 | 2.48 | 248 | 248 | Front 19-inch |
| 245/40R18 | 35 | 36 | 2.41 | 2.48 | 241 | 248 | Square-ish sport |
| 225/45R17 | 34 | 35 | 2.34 | 2.41 | 234 | 241 | Front sport size |
| 255/40R17 | 35 | 36 | 2.41 | 2.48 | 241 | 248 | Rear stagger 17-inch |
| 275/30R19 | 36 | 37 | 2.48 | 2.55 | 248 | 255 | Rear 19-inch |
| 225/40R18 | 35 | 35 | 2.41 | 2.41 | 241 | 241 | Front 18-inch |
| 275/35R18 | 36 | 37 | 2.48 | 2.55 | 248 | 255 | Wide rear |
| 255/35R18 | 35 | 36 | 2.41 | 2.48 | 241 | 248 | Rear stagger 18-inch |
A cheap gauge and a monthly habit will do more for this C5 than nitrogen upsells.
Other Corvette models
Questions about this C5
What is that in bar and kPa for the C5?
Mid-points are about 2.31 bar (231 kPa) front and 2.31 bar (231 kPa) rear.
When does TPMS warn on a Corvette C5?
Direct TPMS typically flags about 25% below placard — near 25 psi on this row. Fill to the sticker, not to the lamp.
Front versus rear on the Corvette C5?
This row is 32-35 F / 32-35 R. Even when they match, a laden rear can justify a higher number if the sticker prints one.
What tyre pressure should a Corvette C5 use?
Catalogue reference is 32-35 psi front and 32-35 psi rear (2.2-2.4 / 2.2-2.4 bar), cold. Confirm on the door-pillar placard.
Is the sidewall number correct on a Corvette C5?
No. Sidewall PSI is a maximum. The C5 placard is the operating target, near 32-35/32-35 psi.
Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · front vs rear · cold inflation