205/45R17 · passenger car · kPa
241 kPa for 205/45R17 tyres
- Size
- 205/45R17
- Class
- passenger car
- Planning PSI
- 35
- Planning bar
- 2.41
kPa
241
2.41 bar · 35 psi · 100 kPa = 1 bar
205/45R17 · 35 psi · 2.41 bar · 241 kPa — estimates. Placard wins.
Kilopascals show up on some Asian stickers and ISO sheets. 241 kPa is the planning midpoint for 205/45R17 (2.41 bar / 35 psi). 100 kPa = 1 bar. Sport 17-inch compact. These rows are estimates interpolated for the size, not OEM for a named VIN. 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.
kPa, bar and PSI
1 bar ≈ 14.5 psi; 1 psi ≈ 6.89 kPa. Planning midpoint for 205/45R17: 35 psi = 2.41 bar = 241 kPa.
| kPa | Bar | PSI |
|---|---|---|
| 214 | 2.14 | 31 |
| 221 | 2.21 | 32 |
| 228 | 2.28 | 33 |
| 234 | 2.34 | 34 |
| 241 | 2.41 | 35 |
| 248 | 2.48 | 36 |
| 255 | 2.55 | 37 |
| 262 | 2.62 | 38 |
| 269 | 2.69 | 39 |
| 276 | 2.76 | 40 |
| 283 | 2.83 | 41 |
| 290 | 2.90 | 42 |
| 296 | 2.96 | 43 |
| 303 | 3.03 | 44 |
| 310 | 3.10 | 45 |
| 317 | 3.17 | 46 |
| 324 | 3.24 | 47 |
Estimated 205/45R17 pressure by load
These 205/45R17 load steps are ± a few PSI from 35. They are not a licence to ignore a printed second column on a van or estate.
| Condition | Front (est.) | Rear (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Driver only / unladen | 35 psi / 2.41 bar / 241 kPa | 35 psi / 2.41 bar / 241 kPa |
| Typical occupancy | 35 psi / 2.41 bar / 241 kPa | 36 psi / 2.48 bar / 248 kPa |
| Motorway + luggage (sketch) | 36 psi / 2.48 bar / 248 kPa | 37 psi / 2.55 bar / 255 kPa |
What 205/45R17 means
Read 205/45R17 as width / aspect R rim. Nothing in the size string is a pressure. Pressure lives on the car, not moulded as 205 or 55.
Sport 17-inch compact. Rim diameter 17 in; section 205 mm. Estimates on this page assume a typical load index for the passenger car class.
Placard versus sidewall
If a forum says “all 205/45R17 run 35 psi”, ignore it. A Qashqai and a Golf can share a size and not share a sticker.
Temperature drift
Roughly 1 psi per 5–6 °C. The table uses 35 psi as a 20 °C baseline for 205/45R17.
| Ambient | Gauge | Bar | kPa | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| −5 °C (hard frost) | 32 psi | 2.21 bar | 221 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 0 °C | 33 psi | 2.28 bar | 228 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 8 °C (UK winter morning) | 34 psi | 2.34 bar | 234 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 20 °C (set cold here) | 35 psi | 2.41 bar | 241 kPa | Baseline for this size sketch |
| 30 °C | 37 psi | 2.55 bar | 255 kPa | Do not bleed a hot 205/45R17 |
| 38 °C (heatwave tarmac) | 38 psi | 2.62 bar | 262 kPa | Do not bleed a hot 205/45R17 |
How to set 205/45R17
- Measure before the school run, not after the motorway.
- Write LF / RF / RR / RL. Do not keep 205/45R17 numbers in your head.
- Add air in short bursts toward the placard, using 35 psi only as a map.
- If one 205/45R17 is 4 psi down, hunt for a nail before you blame the weather.
- Log date, ambient temperature and the four readings.
Cars often seen on 205/45R17
These catalogue models are often seen on 205/45R17 or a close OEM neighbour. Open the vehicle chart for axle-specific PSI and bar.
Keep 205/45R17 on the printed band for that car; 35 psi is a size sketch, not a second VIN label.
Questions about 205/45R17
Is the sidewall number correct for 205/45R17?
No. Sidewall PSI or kPa is a maximum for the carcass. Operating pressure is the door-pillar placard.
What is 205/45R17 in bar?
35 psi is 2.41 bar. Add a tenth of a bar if the placard’s laden column is higher, which is common on vans that wear this size.
Is 205/45R17 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 205/45R17 in kPa?
241 kPa is the planning midpoint (100 kPa = 1 bar). 248 kPa is one PSI higher.
Should I bleed pressure after a motorway run?
No. Heat raises the gauge. Set cold only. Bleeding a hot tyre leaves it low the next morning.
Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · cold inflation · all sizes