Hi I have recently purchased an early 2024 mk4 Octavia 1.5 TSi SEL e-tec and find that the recommended tyre pressures seem too high? 2.6 Bar front and 2.8 Bar rear lightly loaded (According to the fuel flap). (205/55VR17 MICHELIN Cross Climate 2) Bearing in mind my mk3 Diesel Octavia was somewhat heavier but ran 2.2 Bar all round!

Driving with these pressures result in a very harsh ride indeed, the car feels 'Bouncy' over rough tarmac. I was wondering if anyone out there had decided to lower their tyre pressures accordingly please?

Kind regards

Alan

Why not just drop yours 5 psi and see what you think?

& remember and reset the TPMS.

Hi and thanks for your swift response to my question. I suppose I am worried about the legality of driving on pressures lower than those on the fuel flap?

The comparison with your diesel Mk3 is only valid if the tyres are exactly the same. Your extra weight of the E-Tec bits makes only a marginal difference compared to a 2020 non-ETec 1.5 SEL. here's the flap info;

I can't say I've noticed bounciness at these pressures but I'm not Lewis Hamilton. Try dropping them - I wouldn't go 5psi down, maybe 2 or three to start. The other factor here would be the accuracy of your tyre pressure measuring gauge.. how close to true is it? I'm lucky enough to have a Bailey & Mackey gauge which was a special offer in Motorcycle News decades ago - being a proper gauge manufacturer they will check calibration for you if you ask nicely. Couple on your favourite auction site at the moment.

7 minutes ago, AlanOsborne said:

Hi and thanks for your swift response to my question. I suppose I am worried about the legality of driving on pressures lower than those on the fuel flap?

Given the normal variability of tyre pressure when in use, plod would not be able to say with any confidence the tyre pressures were a factor unless they were grossly over or under inflated. And for that the vehicle investigator would also be looking at wear patterns of under / over inflation.

Hi and thanks for your input, my Diesel Octy had the same wheel and tyre size as my current one, namely 205 R55 17.

I will try dropping the pressure - the roads in North Wales are full of uneven tarmac repairs and potholes!

7 minutes ago, AlanOsborne said:

Hi and thanks for your input, my Diesel Octy had the same wheel and tyre size as my current one, namely 205 R55 17.

But the E-Tec adds weight for the batteries etc. - be worth comparing the unladen weights of the two cars, and I'm pretty sure your Mk4 will be heavier than the Mk3 was so will need higher tyre pressures.

Hi PetrolDave, as far as I can find out (I have PDFs of the manuals) then the MK3 Diesel was the heaviest at 1322 kg, the MkIV E-Tec weighs in at 1313 kg and the MkIV I previously owned is 1268 kg Operating Weight. So, yes, the E-Tec seems to weigh approx. 45 kg more than the standard 1.5 TSI, but the Mk3 is 9 kg heavier still! I ran both the Mk3 and my previous MkIV at 2.2 Bar all round with no apparent detriment to the Tyres (The fronts had covered 48,000 miles and were still legal when I part exchanged the car for my current model

The suggestion of dropping them by 5 psi was to get an almost instant comparison, but do it by 1 psi. or 2 psi as you like but it is best to try something than just to ask others or to trust to other.

The CrossClimate 2 were not an OEM fitment anyway even if the standard size and as far as some suggestion on pressures or recommendations that are not even taking into consideration the seasons of the year or UK roads and surfaces then just do not go too low, and if you let tyres down you ca always blow them back up.

As it is the recommended pressures show the possible difference of maybe 300 kg or more in load carried.

There is nothing showing a suggested thin as a stick driver with just a mobile phone as luggage.

PS.

My Electric Mini on 17" or 16" wheels with all season tyres has a kerb weight of 1,440 KG and carries a fat person or 2 in it. No more than 2 though, & a dog.

I have the tyres at different pressures in different weather / conditions and that can be as much as 10 psi of difference. Wet / cold / snow compared to hot and dry roads.

The Octavia MHEV is pretty light in comparison given the size difference.

Edited 29 March, 20251 yr by Ootohere

The high pressures are likely part of achieving the quoted fuel economy. Higher pressures help by reducing rolling resistance. Usually you can reduce tyre pressures to improve ride. Given your car doesn’t have low profile tyres and isn’t a sporty model I would have expected it to ride quite well.

It wouldn’t t even cross my mind to worry about what the police would say. Most people don’t even check their tyre pressures at all so almost certainly drive them under inflated.

Like Police Officers. There are even those that drive about with lights faulty.

& obviously just because they do not all need MOT,d vehicles you might expect maintenance was top notch.

It is not.

Edited 29 March, 20251 yr by Ootohere

Thanks to everyone who has responded thus far. I have reduced the tyres to 2.2 Bar all round - A brief drive around the City and then A483 has yielded a much mor compliant ride, it seems more stable over the lumps and bumps around here and still returning 57 ish to the gallon around town.

Kind regards

Alan

That's almost 9 psi down at the rear and over 7 psi down at the front. Compliant it may be but you now need to monitor tyre wear on the shoulders - particularly on the inside which is harder to check.

Hi yes, I have taken tread depth readings across the tyre width now and will monitor for abnormal wear. The car is also called into Skoda for regular 'health checks'