Volkswagen · Bus · Bar

Recommended bar for a Volkswagen Bus

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

bar

2.31 / 2.31

32-35 / 32-35 psi · 231 / 231 kPa

32-35 psi F · 32-35 psi R · 2.2-2.4 / 2.2-2.4 bar · 231/231 kPa

European and UK handbooks usually quote bar. The Volkswagen Bus catalogue is 2.2-2.4 bar front and 2.2-2.4 bar rear (midpoint 2.31 / 2.31). Size estimates on this page include 225/40R18, 245/40R18 and 205/55R16 — interpolated from the catalogue midpoint, not a second factory sticker.

Bar, PSI and kPa

Bar-led conversions around the Volkswagen Bus. 2.2-2.4 bar is not “32-35 divided by ten”.

Bar	PSI	kPa
2.07	30	207
2.21	32	221
2.28	33	228
2.31	33.5	231
2.41	35	241
2.48	36	248
2.62	38	262
2.76	40	276
3.03	44	303
3.45	50	345
4.14	60	414

Volkswagen Bus placard versus sidewall

If the Volkswagen sticker is painted over, the handbook is next. This website is a map, not a replacement VIN label.

Estimated pressure by tyre size (225/40R18 and others)

225/40R18 is the first planning size here. 205/55R16 is usually the plus-size or LT step. Keep load index at or above original equipment.

Tyre size	Front PSI	Rear PSI	Front bar	Rear bar	Front kPa	Rear kPa	Note
225/40R18	36	36	2.48	2.48	248	248	Low-profile 18-inch
245/40R18	36	36	2.48	2.48	248	248	Wide touring 18-inch
205/55R16	34	34	2.34	2.34	234	234	Typical mid-compact OEM
225/45R17	35	35	2.41	2.41	241	241	Sport 17-inch
215/50R17	35	35	2.41	2.41	241	241	Plus-size 17-inch
225/50R17	35	35	2.41	2.41	241	241	Touring 17-inch
205/60R16	34	34	2.34	2.34	234	234	Taller 16-inch
185/65R15	33	33	2.28	2.28	228	228	Small / older car

Load notes

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	37 psi / 2.55 bar

How to set the Bus

Park the Volkswagen Bus 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 Bus is enough to feel a pull.
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 this Bus.

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

Volkswagen notes

VW usually prints bar first (2.3, 2.5). Convert carefully: 2.3 bar is about 33 psi, not 23. Golf, Passat and Tiguan stickers are not interchangeable.

Spare and inflator kit

A matching full-size spare on the Volkswagen Bus 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.

Keep the Volkswagen Bus on the printed band; use 225/40R18 and 205/55R16 only as a map for non-OEM wheels.

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Questions about this Bus

Front versus rear on the Volkswagen Bus?

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 PSI if I plus-size toward 205/55R16?

Keep load index at or above OEM. Low-profile sizes usually stay at or slightly above the placard. Use 225/40R18, 245/40R18 and 205/55R16 as a planning band.

What tyre pressure should a Volkswagen Bus 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.

When does TPMS warn on a Volkswagen Bus?

Direct TPMS typically flags about 25% below placard — near 25 psi on this row. Fill to the sticker, not to the lamp.

Is the sidewall number correct on a Volkswagen Bus?

No. Sidewall PSI is a maximum. The Bus placard is the operating target, near 32-35/32-35 psi.

Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · front vs rear · cold inflation