Volkswagen · T5 Transporter · Front
Volkswagen T5 Transporter front tyres: 35-45 psi / 2.4-3.1 bar
- Drivetrain
- front-wheel drive
- Body
- light commercial
- PSI F / R
- 35-45 / 45-65
- Bar F / R
- 2.4-3.1 / 3.1-4.5
psi front
40
2.76 bar · 276 kPa at the steering axle
35-45 psi F · 45-65 psi R · 2.4-3.1 / 3.1-4.5 bar · 276/379 kPa
A 3 psi miss on one front corner of this T5 Transporter shows up as a wander before the TPMS lamp bothers you. Target 40 psi (2.76 bar) cold. A 10 °C overnight drop takes roughly 1 psi (0.07 bar) off a closed Volkswagen tyre.
Volkswagen T5 Transporter placard versus sidewall
The tyre-information placard on a Volkswagen T5 Transporter sits on the driver’s door pillar (sometimes the fuel-filler flap). Catalogue figures here are a general band: 35-45 / 45-65 psi.
Estimated pressure by tyre size (275/65R18 and others)
If your Volkswagen T5 Transporter no longer wears the OEM diameter, start at the row nearest 275/65R18 or LT265/70R17 and confirm with the tyre maker’s load table.
| Tyre size | Front PSI | Rear PSI | Front bar | Rear bar | Front kPa | Rear kPa | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 275/65R18 | 43 | — | 2.96 | — | 296 | — | Plus-size 18-inch |
| LT265/70R17 | 48 | — | 3.31 | — | 331 | — | LT 17-inch |
| 245/70R16 | 42 | — | 2.9 | — | 290 | — | Common 16-inch all-terrain |
| 285/70R17 | 44 | — | 3.03 | — | 303 | — | Wide all-terrain |
| 235/75R15 | 41 | — | 2.83 | — | 283 | — | Older compact truck |
| LT245/75R16 | 48 | — | 3.31 | — | 331 | — | LT-metric, higher load |
| 255/65R17 | 43 | — | 2.96 | — | 296 | — | Highway 17-inch |
| 265/70R17 | 43 | — | 2.96 | — | 296 | — | Typical 17-inch load tyre |
Pressure against load
Load moves the rear of a light commercial first. If the factory placard already has a “laden” column, use that instead of these sketches.
| Condition | Front (est.) | Rear (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Driver only | 40 psi / 2.76 bar | 55 psi / 3.79 bar |
| Full occupancy | 41 psi / 2.83 bar | 57 psi / 3.93 bar |
| Motorway + luggage | 42 psi / 2.9 bar | 59 psi / 4.07 bar |
Steering feel on the T5 Transporter lives on this axle. Do not drop front pressure to “soften” a plus-size 245/70R16; you will roll the sidewall in a roundabout.
How to set the T5 Transporter
- Measure before the school run, not after the M25.
- Write LF / RF / RR / RL. Do not keep T5 Transporter numbers in your head.
- Add air in short bursts toward 40 psi (2.76 bar) front and 55 psi rear.
- If one corner is 4 psi down, hunt for a nail before you blame the weather.
- Log date, ambient temperature and the four readings.
PSI, bar and kPa
PSI-led conversions for the Volkswagen T5 Transporter band (35-45 / 45-65).
| PSI | Bar | kPa |
|---|---|---|
| 35 | 2.41 | 241 |
| 36 | 2.48 | 248 |
| 38 | 2.62 | 262 |
| 40 | 2.76 | 276 |
| 44 | 3.03 | 303 |
| 45 | 3.10 | 310 |
| 50 | 3.45 | 345 |
| 55 | 3.79 | 379 |
| 60 | 4.14 | 414 |
| 65 | 4.48 | 448 |
Temperature drift
Roughly 1 psi per 5–6 °C. The table uses 40 psi as a 20 °C baseline for this T5 Transporter.
| Ambient | Gauge (front mid) | Bar | kPa | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| −5 °C (hard frost) | 37 psi | 2.55 bar | 255 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 0 °C | 38 psi | 2.62 bar | 262 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 8 °C (UK winter morning) | 39 psi | 2.69 bar | 269 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 20 °C (set cold here) | 40 psi | 2.76 bar | 276 kPa | Baseline |
| 30 °C | 42 psi | 2.9 bar | 290 kPa | Do not bleed a hot tyre |
| 38 °C (heatwave tarmac) | 43 psi | 2.96 bar | 296 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 T5 Transporter usually follows the higher axle (often the rear, near 45-65 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 T5 Transporter on the printed band; use 275/65R18 and 245/70R16 only as a map for non-OEM wheels.
Other Volkswagen models
Questions about this T5 Transporter
Front versus rear on the Volkswagen T5 Transporter?
This row is 35-45 F / 45-65 R. Even when they match, a laden rear can justify a higher number if the sticker prints one.
When does TPMS warn on a Volkswagen T5 Transporter?
Direct TPMS typically flags about 25% below placard — near 30 psi on this row. Fill to the sticker, not to the lamp.
Is the sidewall number correct on a Volkswagen T5 Transporter?
No. Sidewall PSI is a maximum. The T5 Transporter placard is the operating target, near 35-45/45-65 psi.
What is that in bar and kPa for the T5 Transporter?
Mid-points are about 2.76 bar (276 kPa) front and 3.79 bar (379 kPa) rear.
What PSI if I plus-size toward 245/70R16?
Keep load index at or above OEM. Low-profile sizes usually stay at or slightly above the placard. Use 275/65R18, LT265/70R17 and 245/70R16 as a planning band.
Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · front vs rear · cold inflation