UK · EU reference Tyre Pressure

215/55R17 · passenger car · Overview

Recommended pressure for 215/55R17 tyres

Size
215/55R17
Class
passenger car
Planning PSI
34
Planning bar
2.34

215/55R17

34 psi / 2.34 bar

234 kPa · estimates for this size class

215/55R17 · 34 psi · 2.34 bar · 234 kPa — estimates. Placard wins.

215/55R17 is a passenger car size (215 mm section, 55 % aspect, 17-inch rim). A planning cold figure around 34 psi / 2.34 bar / 234 kPa is a starting map, not a second factory sticker. 17-inch family / CUV overlap. These rows are estimates interpolated for the size, not OEM for a named VIN.

What 215/55R17 means

Read 215/55R17 as width / aspect R rim. Nothing in the size string is a pressure. Pressure lives on the car, not moulded as 205 or 55.

17-inch family / CUV overlap. Rim diameter 17 in; section 215 mm. Estimates on this page assume a typical load index for the passenger car class.

Estimated 215/55R17 pressure by load

Plus-sizing to 215/55R17 from a taller OEM tyre usually keeps the same placard if the load index is equal or higher.

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

PSI, bar and kPa

1 bar ≈ 14.5 psi; 1 psi ≈ 6.89 kPa. Planning midpoint for 215/55R17: 34 psi = 2.34 bar = 234 kPa.

PSIBarkPa
302.07207
312.14214
322.21221
332.28228
342.34234
352.41241
362.48248
372.55255
382.62262
392.69269
402.76276
412.83283
422.90290
432.96296
443.03303
453.10310
463.17317

Placard versus sidewall

This website maps size searches such as “215/55R17 psi”. It does not replace the VIN label. If the two disagree, the label wins.

Cars often seen on 215/55R17

These catalogue models are often seen on 215/55R17 or a close OEM neighbour. Open the vehicle chart for axle-specific PSI and bar.

Ford MondeoFord KugaNissan Qashqai

How to set 215/55R17

  1. Park so the 215/55R17 tyres are cold (three hours, or less than about a mile).
  2. Read the door-pillar placard for that car — not the 215/55R17 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 215/55R17.

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 215/55R17
38 °C (heatwave tarmac)37 psi2.55 bar255 kPaDo not bleed a hot 215/55R17

If the door sticker and this 215/55R17 page disagree, the sticker wins.

Questions about 215/55R17

What is 215/55R17 in kPa?

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

What PSI should 215/55R17 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 215/55R17 and not share a sticker.

What is 215/55R17 in bar?

34 psi is 2.34 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 215/55R17 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.

When does TPMS warn on 215/55R17?

Direct TPMS typically flags about 25% below target — near 26 psi if you were aiming at 34. Fill to the sticker, not to the lamp.

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