Wartburg · 1.6 · PSI

Wartburg 1.6 inflation in PSI (32-35 front, 32-35 rear)

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

If a 1.6 owner asks “what PSI?”, start at 34 at the steering axle and 34 at the rear, then confirm the placard. A 10 °C overnight drop takes roughly 1 psi (0.07 bar) off a closed Wartburg tyre.

Wartburg 1.6 placard versus sidewall

Sidewall PSI is a carcass maximum. Recommended operating pressure for this 1.6 is the pillar sticker, near 34/34 psi.

PSI, bar and kPa

PSI-led conversions for the Wartburg 1.6 band (32-35 / 32-35).

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

Estimated pressure by tyre size (195/65R15 and others)

If your Wartburg 1.6 no longer wears the OEM diameter, start at the row nearest 195/65R15 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
195/65R15	34	34	2.34	2.34	234	234	Very common compact
245/40R18	36	36	2.48	2.48	248	248	Wide touring 18-inch
215/50R17	35	35	2.41	2.41	241	241	Plus-size 17-inch
225/40R18	36	36	2.48	2.48	248	248	Low-profile 18-inch
205/60R16	34	34	2.34	2.34	234	234	Taller 16-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
215/55R16	34	35	2.34	2.41	234	241	Slightly wider 16-inch

How to set the 1.6

Measure before the school run, not after the M25.
Write LF / RF / RR / RL. Do not keep 1.6 numbers in your head.
Add air in short bursts toward 34 psi (2.31 bar) front and 34 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.

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	34 psi / 2.34 bar	35 psi / 2.41 bar
Motorway + luggage	35 psi / 2.41 bar	36 psi / 2.48 bar

Temperature drift

Roughly 1 psi per 5–6 °C. The table uses 34 psi as a 20 °C baseline for this 1.6.

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

Wartburg notes

No special Wartburg exception: the 1.6 uses the door-pillar placard. Size estimates on this page only help if you have left the original load index behind.

Spare and inflator kit

A matching full-size spare on the Wartburg 1.6 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.

If the Wartburg sticker and this page disagree, the sticker wins.

Other Wartburg models

312 353 1000 Framo 1.3 WARTBURG 311 Barkas

Questions about this 1.6

Front versus rear on the Wartburg 1.6?

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.

When does TPMS warn on a Wartburg 1.6?

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

What tyre pressure should a Wartburg 1.6 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 Wartburg 1.6?

No. Sidewall PSI is a maximum. The 1.6 placard is the operating target, near 32-35/32-35 psi.

What PSI if I plus-size toward 215/50R17?

Keep load index at or above OEM. Low-profile sizes usually stay at or slightly above the placard. Use 195/65R15, 245/40R18 and 215/50R17 as a planning band.

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