The door label: where is the factory tyre size shown?

The most reliable answer to "which tyres fit my car?" is written on the car itself. Manufacturers print the car's approved tyre sizes and pressures on a small label and stick it in a specific place on the vehicle. This label is the place to check before any table on the internet.

Where is the label?

The most common places:

1. Driver's door pillar: When you open the door, on the face of the body that faces the door, usually below or above the striker plate.
2. Edge of the driver's door: On the inner edge of the door that closes against the body.
3. Inside the fuel filler flap: Especially on some European makes.
4. Inside the glovebox lid: Less common.

If you can't find the label, it may have been removed or lost during a respray. In that case, check the owner's manual and the certificate of conformity (COC).

What does the label show?

Labels look different depending on make and year, but they usually include:

• Approved tyre sizes: For example 195/65 R15, 205/55 R16, 225/45 R17. If more than one size is listed, each one corresponds to one of the car's approved wheel options.
• Load index and speed rating: For example 91V. These values are the minimum.
• Front and rear pressures: Separately for normal load and full load.
• Winter tyre and snow chain information: Some labels also state the size on which snow chains can be fitted.

Some cars list different sizes for the front and rear (staggered sizes). This is mainly found on sporty rear-wheel-drive models. On these cars the front and rear tyres must not be swapped.

Why not trust the tyres currently fitted?

The size printed on the sidewall of the tyres now on the car is not always the factory size:

• A previous owner may have fitted different wheels and tyres.
• The tyre shop may have fitted an equivalent size because the original was out of stock.
• A separate set with smaller wheels may be used in winter.

If the fitted size is one of the sizes approved by the manufacturer, there is no problem. If not, it should be checked for overall diameter, load index and wheel arch clearance.

What if there is no label?

1. Owner's manual: Look in the "Technical specifications" or "Tyres and wheels" section. Digital versions of the manual are usually available on the manufacturer's website.
2. Registration document and certificate of conformity (COC): The certificate of conformity lists the car's approved tyre sizes. You can request a COC from an authorised dealer.
3. Authorised service centre: They can look up the car's factory equipment and approved sizes using the chassis number (VIN).
4. Cars-Size: Select your make and model to see factory sizes compiled from official brochures and price lists, with links to the sources.

Where does Cars-Size data come from?

Every size on Cars-Size is published with its source shown. Our sources:

• Official brochures, technical specification documents and price lists from manufacturers and their distributors in Turkey
• When these are not available in Turkey, official documents from the same brand in another country (in this case the source country is shown next to the size)

We do not publish a size whose source cannot be verified. Makes whose official sizes have not yet been collected appear in the list as "coming soon".

If your car is not in the list, you can send us the make, model, year and the size shown on the door label via the contact page. This information helps us find the official document when adding that model.