Ford Taurus-- P225/60/r16 "Correct Tire Pressure PSI" ??

Always the car - never the tires...The tires will only tell you the max pressure. You'll find the info either in the book or easier yet, usually on the drivers door jam on that sticker you pass every time you get in and out of the car and never look at. :)

IYM

I guess I'll look this time :-D

Thanks for details and help..

I believe the pressures are on one of the door jambs.

My 2000 Sable is 30psi for all 4.

The owner's manual or the tag in the glove box or next to the door.

Jeff

Try looking inside the gas filler door. Ford like to put them there. Don Byrer KJ5KB Power & Glider Pilot Guy kj5kb-at-hotmail.com

"I have slipped the surly bonds of earth; now if I can just land without bending the gear..." "Watch out for those doves..."

30psi? That seems to be somewhat low. The door jam sticker on my '99 Taurus says 32psi cold. I run 35psi cold on mine. Punp up yours and get a bit better milage and handling.

Eric

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Different models, different tire sizes, different option, etc. That is why they put a sticker on the car....

If Ford thought they'd get a measurable imporvement in mileage, it is likely they would have already upped the specified tire pressure. The EPA uses the recommended tire pressures when running the gas mileage tests and Ford wants every tenth of an mpg they can get to improve the CAFE numbers.

As for handling......well it will feel different with more air in the tires but higher pressures do not necessarily translate to better grip. If you like a stiffer ride, then adding a few psi probably won't hurt anything (assuming you stay below the maximum allowed pressure as indicated on the tire), but it won't necessarily improve you actual handling (as contrasted to precieved handling).

Car companies spend a lot of time trying to come up with the best compromise tire pressure for their vehicles. They have to consider Customer perception, safety, fuel economy, tire life, etc. The pressures recommended are a compromise. My guess is that safety is the #1 factor, followed by fuel economy, Customer perception, apparent handling, actual handling, and tire life in order. And since currently Ford only recommends a single pressure for all load conditions, I am assuming the recommended pressure area already higher than optimum for the other fators (higher pressures are best for safety and fuel economy, but maybe not for the other factors).

Extra air in the tires can make a car feel like it is handling better. I just added a couple of extra psi to my Fusion on Sunday becasue I figure cold weather will soon set in and drop me back to more or less the correct pressures. The car "felt" tighter. I doubt it actully had more grip, but it did feel different.

Ed

2002 Taurus door jam, and other sources, show tire pressure is exactly 30 PSI

What would happen if I went to 35-39 PSI?

Would it improve gas milege?

At what PSI would the MPG start to drop off the charts?

thanks

P.S.

As a teenager I had a 1977 Cutlass Supreme and the tires were spec to

35 PSI and just for fun I gave them 45 PSI and friends and I laughed since it made the can take any imperfection on the road seem like going over deep train tracks at 80 MPH, plus it wore the tires out freaking fast, about 6 months and they were shot on the edges. Don't know if the gas milege was better or worse since I didnt give a damn because gas was so damn cheap as percentage of disposible income..

Better mileage. Less traction. More stress on tires.

Q makes no sense.

Guys at local garage won't inflate beyond 36 psi. Probably for good reasons.

Peetie

Over inflation would tend to cause the tire to run on the center rather than across the full tread width. Causing wear on the center rather than outer edges. Under inflation causes the effect you describe.

Except on SOME early bias belted tires, where overinflation could coause edge wear.

I generally run my tires about 5-6psi over spec and get slightly better handling and mileage at the expense of ride.

on 1/1/10 5:24 PM labatyd said the following:

Read the specs on the tire and compare to car manufacturer recommendation on door jam. If you stay with specs on tire you should be OK for footprint. But going more psi than car manufacturer will compromise handling as psi is matched to suspension components.