Just wondered whether anyone can please advise me on what is the correct tyre pressure for a MK4 Skoda Fabia with 185/60 R15 Alloy Wheels . The pressure label inside the car says 2.5 Bar (36.26 PSI) but I had a new tyre fitted and the tyre fitter seems to think that 36 PSI would be too high. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Is it not showing that pressure for the car loaded?  Run a bit lower if that feels too hard. Lacking grip. 

1 hour ago, jik said:

the tyre fitter seems to think that 36 PSI would be too high.

He may be correct; 36PSI is sometimes the maximum pressure for $brand tyres.

Thanks for the replies. Just gone with 32 PSI for now..

This is the tyre-pressure sticker on the door-pillar of my 2023-bult Fabia Mk 4 SE L DSG.

 

 

As will be seen, whatever the wheel-diameter, the recommended pressure for the front and rear tyres is 2.5bar (36psi) when the car has 3 occupants and some luggage or - when the car has 5 occupants and a lot of luggage - 2.7bar (39psi) for the front tyres and 3.4bar (49psi) for the rear tyres.

 

The Skoda website indicates that - for current Fabia Mk 4 cars - the 'basic' SE Comfort model has, as standard, 15"-diameter Rotare silver alloy wheels with 185/65 R15 88H tyres that can be made either by Goodyear or Continental. The 88H Load Index/Speed Rating indicates a maximum individual tyre-loading of 560kg and a maximum speed of 130mph. This Michelin webpage may be useful.

 

https://www.michelin.co.uk/auto/advice/tyre-basics/tyre-load-rating-speed-rating

 

Reducing the pressure from 36psi to 32psi (2.2bar) should result in a mildly softer ride, but - unless using the recommended 2.5bar/36psi produces an uncomfortably harsh ride quality - there's no compelling reason to do this and it should be anticipated that fuel-economy will suffer (slightly).

Thanks for your advice @DerekU.

 

I searched the forum for tyre pressures tonight after looking in the rear offside door sill in my Fabia SE L and noticed an identical sticker to the one you posted which advises 2.5 bar for my 195/55/16 tyres.

 

I've had the car a couple of months and I used the Kwik-Fit tyre pressure search on day one. It recommended 30psi front and back.

 

Sadly, the Kwik-Fit site seems to be down at the moment but this one confirms 30psi if I put my registration in...

 

https://www.national.co.uk/information/check-your-tyre-pressures

 

I've been running on 30 front and back for two months. They do look a bit soft so I'm gonna change it up to 32 tomorrow.

 

The recommendation of 2.5 seems too high to me. Why they can't include a pressure on the sticker for one to two persons is beyond me. 

 

 

This image shows Skoda's recommended tyre pressures for my 2009 Skoda Roomster (1.6/77 kW motor 195/55 R15 tyres)

 

 

and it should be apparent that there's not much difference conceptually in how the data for the Roomster and a Fabia MK4 are presented.

 

The Fabia's EC Certificate of Conformity (CofC) provides weight and wheel/tyre data. My car's CofC indicates that the vehicle's actual mass is 1225kg, its technically permissible maximum laden mass is 1640kg and its technically permissible maximum axle mass is 890kg (front axle) and 800kg (rear axle). Its tyres are stated as being 195/55 R16 91V on a 6.0Jx16 rim with an ET45 offset. 91V indicates a Load Index of 91 (maximum tyre load of 615kg) and a V Speed Rating (maximum speed 149mph) 

 

It's possible to extrapolate from those data as to what the car's axle weights are likely to be when it's empty, but - if the car were to be used in competition - the weight on each tyre would undoubtedly be measured. My wife and I weigh about 52kg each and (with the spare-wheel and tools in the boot) that's around 30kg of 'luggage' -  so about 21 stone overall in old money over the car's 'empty' weight. Using Skoda's 2.5bar recommendation will (and does) produce a firm ride in our case and, if I so chose, reducing that figure to 2.2bar front and rear (which is what I use with the Roomster) should be safe though less fuel efficient. Can't say this bothers me much as I've always been a masochist where vehicle ride-quality is concerned.

5 hours ago, DerekU said:

This image shows Skoda's recommended tyre pressures for my 2009 Skoda Roomster (1.6/77 kW motor 195/55 R15 tyres)

 

 

Could you find us a car tyre in any of your quoted sizes with a maximum recommended pressure of 47PSI or above?

Just for further context and the car being available, below is a photo from my wife's 2015 Mk3 Fabia - for our younger viewers, please don't have nightmares about seeing 14" wheels referenced.

 

These cover tyre sizes 185/60 r15 to ridiculous 215/40 r17 (don't know about 14") - I don't know how much heavier the Mk4 might be than the Mk3 or if the suspension set up changed (hopefully improved).

 

Note the columns for "eco" pressure setting - which make a noticeable difference to the tyres' rolling resistance and general handling.  

 

 

1 hour ago, nta16 said:

...don't know about 14"...

 

On the Fabia MK3 the 14" tyre size is 175/70R14 fitted to a 5Jx14 ET35 5/100 57.1 rim.

 

Edited 5 July, 20241 yr by Carlston

2 hours ago, Paws4Thot said:

Could you find us a car tyre in any of your quoted sizes with a maximum recommended pressure of 47PSI or above?

 

My 2023 Fabia Mk 4 SE L has Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 195/55 R16 91V XL tyres (sample advert here)

 

https://www.tyreleader.co.uk/car-tyres/goodyear/efficientgrip-performance/195-55-r16-91v-1123230 

 

USA regulations demand that tyres marketed there carry maximum-load/maximum inflation-pressure information and, as a result, tyres available in other countries also display those data.

 

The sidewall of my car's Goodyear tyres carries the data 'block' shown below

 

 

 

The 615kg MAX. LOAD matches the tyre's 91 Load Index and the 340 kPa/50 psi MAX. PRESS equates to a 3.4 Bar maximum inflation-pressure. So Skoda's advice that an inflation-pressure of 3.4 Bar be used for a Fabia Mk 4's rear tyres when the car is has onboard 5 people (of an unknown weight) and 5 suitcases (of an unknown weight) represents a worst case scenario when each of the rear tyres will be carrying 615kg. That the car's rear axle's maximum permissible load of 800kg would now be exceeded by 430kg is quite another matter (!!) but at least, if the tyres were inflated to 3.4 Bar, they might survive that level of ill treatment.

 

Tyres having the 195/55 R16 91V XL specification should have the same maximum load-carrying and inflation-pressure values, so Skoda can provide the same pressure guidance irrespective of whether the tyres are made by Goodyear, Continental, Bridgestone etc. It looks like the tyres fitted to 17" wheels also have a 91 Load Index, so I'd expect them to carry on their sidewall a 50 psi maximum-pressure value. I'm unsure about the tyres that are apparently fitted to a Fabia Mk 4's 15" or 18" wheels as the information on Skoda's website indicates that these have a lower Load index, which might, in turn, mean that they are not designed to be inflated as high as 3.4 Bar.

 

Owners of Fabia Mk 4 cars with 15" or 18" wheels are invited to check what's on the tyres' sidewall. If the maximum-pressure datum proves to be below 340 kPa/50 psi (3.4 Bar) they may then wish to interrogate Skoda about whether there's a conflict with the 3.4 Bar recommendation on their car's 'sticker'. 

It looks like the 3.4 Bar value shown on the Fabia Mk 4's inflation-pressure 'sticker' for R15, R16, R17 and R18 wheels is probably OK for all four wheel-sizes.

 

My 2009 Skoda Roomster currently has Falken ZIEX ZE310 ECORUN 195/55 R15 85V tyres (sample advert here)

 

https://www.tyres-outlet.co.uk/product/falken/ziex-ze310-ecorun/195-55-r15/r-364735

 

The 85V indicates (85) a maximum load of 515kg and (V)  a maximum speed of 149mph. 

 

The Falken tyres' sidewall shows the maximum load as 515kg (matching the 85 Load Index) and a maximum inflation-pressure of 51 psi (3.5 Bar). So these tyres are designed to be easily capable of being run at the 3.2 Bar pressure shown on my Roomster's inflation-pressure sticker despite their Load Index being 'only' 85.

 

My Roomster has now had three sets of tyres, initially Continental, then Hankook, now Falken and I believe the Continental and Hankook tyres would have had a 85H specification (H=130mph maximum speed). I didn't deliberately choose V-rated Falken tyres (my Roomster is hardly a rocket ship!) it's just that the Falken tyre I wanted happened to be V-rated. I may be able to confirm whether the Continental or Hankook tyres' sidewall also showed a maximum inflation-pressure around 50psi, but I'd expect that to be the case.

 

It's worth observing, perhaps, that - while Skoda advising 2.5/2.5 Bar pressures for the front and rear tyres of a 'partially-loaded' Fabia Mk 4 and 2.7/3.4 Bar for 'fully-loaded' might seem perverse for all four wheel diameters - it would very questionable to think Skoda might advise 'unsafe' inflation-pressures too high for the car's tyres to cope with.

I mentioned in an earlier post how the Kwik-Fit online tyre pressure website was offline. Well, they seem to have given the web server a digital nudge, and it's back online now:

 

https://www.kwik-fit.com/tyres/information/tyre-pressure-search

 

It recommended 30 psi front and back when I put my registration in, and I was running like that for a handful of weeks.

 

I've put them up to 32 now and I might be imagining it, but it feels about right now.

 

I haven't noticed much difference in fuel economy running around town since I bumped the pressures up, but I'm going for an hour's drive down the M1 and back today. So I should see very soon. I get great mpg on my 110 tsi DSG anyway, so I'm sure the numbers will be about 65 mpg if I'm going steady. 🙂

Always double and then treble check any information you get from any source, including manufacturers; websites and databases, and cross-reference with two reliable sources of info if possible, errors and omissions are in all databases and certainly some info off the internet.

 

I'm not saying anything is wrong, Kwik Fit cover this in your hyperlink with  -  "Tyre pressure information should be used as a guide. For the most accurate tyre pressure information for your vehicle, please consult your handbook or check inside the door of the fuel cap."

 

ETA: also you can have variables with tyre pressures by what you use to record them and when but if things are reasonably accurate and you keep consistency in recording then you won't be too far off to worry about regardless.

 

Edited 6 July, 20241 yr by nta16

Maybe I've put myself in a fortunate position, but, as I swop wheels/tyres every 6 months (Summer<>Winter), I measure the tyre tread depth at 3 points across the width of each tyre when removing the wheels, doing that lets me check if the tyres are being used at too high a pressure or too low a pressure - typically, with fuel economy in mine, I tend to be running with pressures set on both our cars, that errs towards "too high".

We tried the "eco" pressure setting on my wife's 2015 Mk3, plus 5 psi (0.3 bar), and didn't like the ride or handling, not that the ditchfinder Nexen tyres were that great anyway and the Fabia has a bit of a wobbly chassis anyway.  I suppose, as the advert goes, every little helps but it's a bit ironic suggesting "eco" in a heavy modern vehicle with oversized wheels and tyres when much of the time only the driver or perhaps one passenger is in the car but we all like to kid ourselves now and again. 😃

 

Given how far the car would roll forward under its own steam with foot off the accelerator I would guess there might be some mpg gain at "eco" pressure but I can't remember checking or if I did I've forgot, mpg for me is more about checking the engine isn't running too badly.

 

3 hours ago, JFrankMiller said:

I mentioned in an earlier post how the Kwik-Fit online tyre pressure website was offline. Well, they seem to have given the web server a digital nudge, and it's back online now:

 

https://www.kwik-fit.com/tyres/information/tyre-pressure-search

 

 

The Kwik-Fit website fails to recognise my 2024-registered Fabi Mk 4, but I experimented by providing the registration numbers of my 2009 Skoda Roomster and of my (now departed) 2021 Hyundai i20.

 

In both cases the car's were accurately identified, but the Kwik-Fit inflation-pressure recommendations for the tyres fitted to those vehicles failed to match the Skoda or Hyundai advice on the cars' tyre 'stickers'.

 

For 'normal' loading Skoda advises for my 2009 Roomster 32psi (front) and 30psi (rear) while Kwik-Fit recommends 32psi (front and rear). 

 

For 'normal' loading Hyundai advises for a 2021 i20 34psi (front) and 31psi (rear) whereas Kwik-Fit again recommends 32psi (front and rear). 

 

I don't know where Kwik-Fit gets its information from, but the Hyundai i20 Owner Manual includes a LOT of tyre/wheel data (as shown below)

 

It's improbable that someone at Kwik-Fit is tasked to delve deeply into car Owner Manuals or check what is on inflation-pressure 'stickers' affixed to cars - it's much more likely that the inflation-pressure values quoted on the Kwik-Fit website are generic for a particular tyre-size and that the same value is then given for both axles.

 

(i hesitate to say this, but why would a car owner bother with Kwik-Fit's recommendations, or take note of a Kwit-Fit fitter's opinion, when the manufacturer of their car provides a visible 'sticker' carrying inflation-pressure advice?)

8 hours ago, DerekU said:

 

(i hesitate to say this, but why would a car owner bother with Kwik-Fit's recommendations, or take note of a Kwit-Fit fitter's opinion, when the manufacturer of their car provides a visible 'sticker' carrying inflation-pressure advice?)

 

I can't remember if I looked for a sticker first, but I didn't expect it to be in the rear door frame. My old car had it in the drivers door frame. 

 

It's possible that I checked the drivers door frame and went on my phone when I couldn't see a sticker.

 

I could have went on my phone first, though. I can't remember.

There's absolutely no standardisation of where a car's tyre-pressure 'sticker' will be located.

 

The reverse side the petrol-filler cover is a convenient and fairly common location (eg. Roomsters and earlier Fabias). But that position is unavailable for a Fabia Mk 4 as that 's where Skoda puts a dinky little ice-scraper.

 

Taken from my Fabia's printed Owner's Manual

 

 

The 'sticker' for my 2021 Hyundai i20 was on the the door-pillar frame to the rear of the driver's door (ie. the right-hand door for RHD cars and the left-hand door for LHD cars). 

I need to check my tyres more often than I need to scrape ice, so maybe Skoda should have done a bit better there.

You still get a paper printed Owner's Manual on a 2023 car that's great, I was under the impression they were a thing of the past.  My wife's 2015 Fabia doesn't give the detailed information your Hyundai did and instructs you to look at the label inside the fuel filler door for actual figures

 

To be fair to Kwik Fit as I put before on their website they do put  - 

 

On my wife's 2015 Mk3 the ice-scrapper is see-through so the label with tyre pressures can still be read, I don't think either of us has ever used that ice-scrappers we just use ones I bought years ago, well before this car.

 

& the ice scraper in the Fuel Filler Flap was not Simply Clever considering the Central European manufacturer never managed so far that the Fuel Filler flap might not freeze closed.

That comes from Testing Vehicles in very cold air conditions, dry air rather than like an Island Nation like the UK where there gets lots of slush and condensation and maybe freezing.

On 06/07/2024 at 07:50, DerekU said:

...I may be able to confirm whether the Continental or Hankook tyres' sidewall also showed a maximum inflation-pressure around 50psi, but I'd expect that to be the case....

 

I have now been able to check what tyres were originally fitted to my 2009 Skoda Roomster. 

 

The original tyres were Continental "ContiPremium Contact 2" pattern with a 195/55 R15 85H specification. The maximum inflation pressure shown on the tyre's sidewall was 61psi (4.2 bar) - so well within Skoda's 3.2bar (46psi) recommendation for when my Roomster would be fully loaded (5 people and 3 large suitcases).

^^^ The size and tyre that was often the Spare Wheel / Tyre for Fabias.

While Skoda called it a Space Saver it was just a standard tyre and steel wheel. Speed & Load rating and pressures. Really a saver of space rather than a Space Saver.

On 07/07/2024 at 10:08, nta16 said:

To be fair to Kwik Fit as I put before on their website they do put  - 

 

Just seen I forgot to paste the Kwik Fit quote in my previous post, it should have shown -

 

To be fair to Kwik Fit as I put before on their website they do put  -  "Tyre pressure information should be used as a guide.  For the most accurate tyre pressure information for your vehicle, please consult your handbook or check inside the door of the fuel cap."