UK · EU reference Tyre Pressure

215/55R16 · passenger car · Bar

215/55R16 bar chart (2.34 bar planning figure)

Size
215/55R16
Class
passenger car
Planning PSI
34
Planning bar
2.34

bar

2.34

34 psi · 234 kPa · not a second factory sticker

215/55R16 · 34 psi · 2.34 bar · 234 kPa — estimates. Placard wins.

European stickers print bar. 215/55R16 often sits near 2.34 bar on a passenger car (34 psi / 234 kPa). 2.34 bar is not “34 divided by ten”. TPMS typically warns near 26 psi (about 25% below a 34 psi target). That is already a soft tyre.

Bar, PSI and kPa

Use the table, then set a cold gauge. 234 kPa is 100 × 2.34 bar on this size.

BarPSIkPa
2.0730207
2.1431214
2.2132221
2.2833228
2.3434234
2.4135241
2.4836248
2.5537255
2.6238262
2.6939269
2.7640276
2.8341283
2.9042290
2.9643296
3.0344303
3.1045310
3.1746317

Estimated 215/55R16 pressure by load

Load moves the rear first on a passenger car. If the factory placard already has a laden column, use that — not this sketch for 215/55R16.

ConditionFront (est.)Rear (est.)
Driver only / unladen34 psi / 2.34 bar / 234 kPa34 psi / 2.34 bar / 234 kPa
Typical occupancy34 psi / 2.34 bar / 234 kPa35 psi / 2.41 bar / 241 kPa
Motorway + luggage (sketch)35 psi / 2.41 bar / 241 kPa36 psi / 2.48 bar / 248 kPa

Placard versus sidewall

The sidewall of a 215/55R16 may say 51 psi or 350 kPa. That is a carcass maximum. Operating pressure is the tyre-information placard on the driver’s door pillar.

What 215/55R16 means

A 215/55R16 on a passenger car is a geometry. Two cars can share the size and disagree on PSI because mass and axle split differ.

Slightly wider 16-inch OEM. Rim diameter 16 in; section 215 mm. Estimates on this page assume a typical load index for the passenger car class.

Cars often seen on 215/55R16

These catalogue models are often seen on 215/55R16 or a close OEM neighbour. Open the vehicle chart for axle-specific PSI and bar.

Ford MondeoVolkswagen PassatHonda Accord

How to set 215/55R16

  1. Park so the 215/55R16 tyres are cold (three hours, or less than about a mile).
  2. Read the door-pillar placard for that car — not the 215/55R16 sidewall maximum.
  3. If the sticker is missing, 34 psi / 2.34 bar is only a passenger car planning figure for this size.
  4. Set all four with a calibrated gauge. A 3 psi miss on one corner shows up as a wander.
  5. 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 215/55R16.

AmbientGaugeBarkPaNote
−5 °C (hard frost)31 psi2.14 bar214 kPaGauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
0 °C32 psi2.21 bar221 kPaGauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
8 °C (UK winter morning)33 psi2.28 bar228 kPaGauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
20 °C (set cold here)34 psi2.34 bar234 kPaBaseline for this size sketch
30 °C36 psi2.48 bar248 kPaDo not bleed a hot 215/55R16
38 °C (heatwave tarmac)37 psi2.55 bar255 kPaDo not bleed a hot 215/55R16

If the door sticker and this 215/55R16 page disagree, the sticker wins.

Questions about 215/55R16

What is 215/55R16 in kPa?

234 kPa is the planning midpoint (100 kPa = 1 bar). 241 kPa is one PSI higher.

What PSI should 215/55R16 tyres be?

A passenger car planning figure is about 34 psi cold (2.34 bar / 234 kPa). Confirm on the vehicle placard — two cars can share 215/55R16 and not share a sticker.

Can I run 215/55R16 at a lower pressure for comfort?

Not as a habit. A soft 215/55R16 cooks the shoulders and dulls steering. Keep load index and stay on the placard.

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.

Is 215/55R16 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.

Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · cold inflation · all sizes