Do I go by the psi on my tire (44) or the psi according to the manual? ?

Question

The tire itself psi is 44 psi but on my car door panel the psi is 32 front and the rear 29, seems like it on flat when I go by the car door panel. Very confusing. I just put in 35 all four

Answer 1

A lot of people are going to give you bad information based on no experience or expertise at all.  Some, like Mr. Suspension and alignment guy above think they know what is going on.  

They don't.

The followig comes from someone who lives and breaths (literally) tires every day.

You go by the manual of course.

The tire sidewall does not list a recommended inflation pressure for YOUR vehicle, only a safety warning which says do not exceed 44 psi.  Almost all passenger and light truck tires say the same thing - 44 psi. MAXIMUM inflation pressure.  Go ahead, look at your friends tires.  They all say the same thing. That has nothing whatsoever to do with what works best on your car though.  

Any tire by any manufacturer, so long as it is the correct size will work best on your car if inflated to the pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.  If they recommend 32/29 psi then that is what you should use.  Contrary to popular myth, tire size, not brand or model determines correct inflation pressure.  The people who designed and built your car worked closely with the tire companies and did millions of miles of testing to find the tire pressures that would provide the best traction, ride, handling, wear and fuel mileage.  The idea that they give a "ridiculously low number to give a soft ride" is ridiculous and untrue as it would be dangerous and create immense liablity.

If you don't believe me visit the web site of the manufacturer or your tires.  They will tell you the same thing - go with the manual.  Go to any tire manufacturers or any vehicle manufacturers web site.  They all say the same thing.

Answer 2

Go by the door panel. 35 will be fine anyways

Answer 3

Just go by the door panel

Answer 4

Asia, Car companies design their suspension systems (spring strut and shock rates) for the comfort of the average person. That's why they post these ridiculous low tire pressure suggestions on the sticker that's on the door opening. The reason the posted pressure is higher on the front is the extra weight of  the engine, transmission, axles and drive train.

It's pretty obvious you have a better than average set ot tires on your car. If you'd like your car to handle a little crisper run the pressures up to 40 PSI. Do not worry one bit about the added pressure. The tire company knows more about that particular tire than the car company. A little more tire pressure will give your car less rolling resistance which equates to better fuel economy. More pressure will help to reduce under-steer in corners. More pressure reduces tire heat which will make them last longer.

If you have $20.00 extra dollars laying around, have a tire shop purge the air out of all four tires and have them filled with nitrogen. It's an inert gas that contains no water or any other junk that's in our atmosphere. Nitrogen molecules are massive compared to outside air so it doesn't leak from the tires at all or very little. It also is very stable heat wise. When the outside of the tire feels hot after driving thge insid epressure does not increase as does outside air. It also keeps the inside of your expensive wheels clean and bright. Moisture in the air positively is horrible on aluninum wheels. Corrosion and leaks are common around tire beads when air is used.

I hope this little sermon will help to clarify air pressure and the advantages of having nitrogen in your tires.

See ya,

PS. If there's anything I've missed or you'd like moreclarification, E-mail and I'll spin a few more words your way.

Answer 5

The tire '44' is a max for the tire.  You want to follow the car number.  Bump it up a little for gas mileage, but ride will be a little harsher.  The 'flat' is how radial tires are supposed to look.  They are designed to have a little bulge where they meet the road.

Answer 6

i have the same problem but my tires are aftermarket so they dont match the manuel so i went with the psi on the tire