1989 Chevrolet tracker tire sizes & fitment
Approved tire and wheel sizes for the 1989 Chevrolet Tracker, sourced from manufacturer fitment data and refreshed monthly.
Approved fitments
| Tire size | Rim size | PCD (bolt pattern) | Offset | Load index | Speed rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 225/65R16 | 6.5x16 | N/A | 5mm | 85 | T |
| 215/60R17 | 6.5x17 | N/A | 5mm | 85 | T |
Best by use case
Four tires, four jobs
Best all-season
Michelin
Defender 2
all-season touring, UTQG 800, 80,000-mi warranty
Best budget
Continental
TrueContact tour
Lowest cost per mile in this size; UTQG 800
Best quiet
Michelin
Defender 2
68 dB cabin noise (EU label); quietest in this size
Best winter
Bridgestone
Blizzak WS90
Dedicated winter (premium compound); ice/snow grip
See the best tires for the Chevrolet Tracker, ranked by category →
Tire recalls & safety complaints for the Chevrolet Tracker →
Compatible alternative sizes for 225/65R16
Sizes within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter safe-fit tolerance. Each row links to the size's own page.
| Alternative size | %Δ OD | Category | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
195/75R16 |
0.00% | winter narrower | Safe |
245/70R14 |
-0.04% | alternative | Safe |
205/65R17 |
-0.09% | plus 1 | Safe |
245/65R15 |
0.09% | alternative | Safe |
215/80R14 |
0.10% | alternative | Safe |
For the full list of alternatives with comfort/handling impact, see 225/65R16 upsize options. To check an arbitrary size pair, use the tire compatibility calculator.
Check a different size against this vehicle
Type any tire size below; we'll compute its overall-diameter delta against the OEM 225/65R16 and verdict using the ETRTO ±3% rule.
Common upgrade paths
- Plus-1: 205/65R17; one rim size up, -0.09% OD change. Sharper steering, mild ride penalty, modest cost premium.
- Plus-2: 245/50R18; two rim sizes up, 0.47% OD change. Noticeable ride penalty, higher pothole risk, meaningful tire-cost premium.
Use the plus-size calculator to evaluate any rim step against the OEM size.
How to choose tires for the 1989 chevrolet tracker
The 1989 Chevrolet Tracker ships from the factory on 225/65R16 tires mounted on 6.5x16 wheels, with a load index of 85 and a speed rating of T. 2 approved fitments are documented for this model year, allowing some flexibility between performance, comfort, and winter compounds. The Compatible alternative sizes table above lists every safe substitution within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter tolerance.
Tire choice on the Chevrolet Tracker comes down to three trade-offs that matter more than brand loyalty: load index (must equal or exceed the OEM number, in this case 85), speed rating (must match or exceed the placard, here T), and UTQG treadwear (higher means longer life, lower usually means stickier rubber). Owners replacing factory tires with the same compound class, for example all-season for all-season, generally see no change in ride characteristics or fuel economy. Switching categories (performance summer to all-season touring, for example) is where the trade-offs show up at the contact patch.
For 1989 Chevrolet Tracker owners considering a plus-size upgrade, the safer option is a Plus-1 step (one rim size up with a 10-point aspect drop and ~10 mm of additional section width). Plus-2 is technically viable on this chassis if the alternative-sizes table lists a Plus-2 candidate within tolerance, but expect a meaningful ride-harshness penalty and a tire-cost premium of 30–60% per tire relative to the OEM fitment. For winter use the recommended pattern is one width step down (e.g. from a 235 to a 225) with the aspect ratio bumped up to preserve overall diameter; narrower tires apply higher contact pressure per square inch on snow, which translates directly into shorter braking distances. The plus-size calculator evaluates any specific rim step against this OEM size.
Before purchasing, verify the tire size on the driver-door placard of your specific 1989 Chevrolet Tracker, since trim levels and option packages can shift the original fitment from what is documented here. The placard reading is the authoritative source per FMVSS 110, and dealers will reference the placard rather than aftermarket catalogs when validating warranty claims.
NHTSA-reported issues for 1989 chevrolet tracker
Top issue category: Tires (General)
Most reported: Tires (General) (12) · Tread / Belt (4)
Reported across: 1992 – 2003 (9 years)
What owners described
Blowout or sudden deflation is the most common description, in 14% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 14 reports covering every model year of the Chevrolet Tracker that include a written account; a single report can describe more than one problem, so they do not total 100%.
| Reported problem | This subject | All tire complaints | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blowout or sudden deflation | 14% | 20% | 0.7× |
| Bubble or bulge in the tire | 14% | 6% | 2.4× |
| Loss of control, rollover or collision | 14% | 8% | 1.7× |
| Sidewall failure | 7% | 15% | 0.5× |
| Cracking or dry rot | 7% | 9% | 0.8× |
In owners' own words
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Chevrolet Tracker. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET TRACKER EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE TIRES, TIRE LINE: AFFINITY TOURING, TIRE SIZE: 205/65/R15, DOT NUMBER: 2R9LDBF. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, SHE HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PARKED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND INSPECTED THE TIRE BUT SAW NO DAMAGE. THE CONTACT CONTINUED DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TIRE SHOP AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR TIRES WERE DAMAGED ON THE INSIDE SIDEWALL AND WAS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 145,000.
TREAD BLEW OFF DAMAGING REAR BUMPER, BACK DOOR, TIRE WELL, ALSO BLEW OUT RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT AND DAMAGED RIGHT REAR OUTSIDE PANEL OF VEHICLE. TIRE TREAD BLEW OFF AT 65MPH ON DRY HIGHWAY SURFACE. TIRES ALWAYS KEPT AT SPECIFIC 23PSI INFLATION AS RECOMMENDED BY MANUFACTURER. VEHICLE LOST CONTROL, NO INJURIES HOWEVER. CONTACTED BF GOODRICH COORPORATE OFFICES, THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO PAY FOR ESTIMATED DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. NO TREAD WARE EVIDENT PRIOR TO ACCIDENT. *AK (DOT NUMBER: AUULF6291 TIRESIZE: P205/75R15)
I DRIVE A 2001 CHEVROLET TRACKER. WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES GENTLY AND TRAVELING AT 20-30 MILES PER HOUR, I HAVE MORE THAN ONCE EXPERIENCED FRIGHTENING SKIDDING DRIVING ON DRY, DEW-MOISTENED, AND WET PAVEMENTS. THIS OCCURS WHEN COMING TO A STOP BEFORE A TURN; A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN HAS THE SAME EFFECT. I AM LISTING THE MOST RECENT DATE OF OCCURRENCE. MY HUSBAND HAS HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE WITH A PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE; HE DRIVES A 2002 CHEVY TRACKER, WHICH HE PURCHASED SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED MINE.
WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE FELL OFF. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THE CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED.
Complaints are voluntarily submitted to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation and are not verified by NHTSA; they represent owner-reported problems, not proven defects. Counts can be useful as a relative quality signal across comparable tires or vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
What size tires fit a 1989 Chevrolet Tracker?
Can I run a different tire size on my 1989 Chevrolet Tracker?
Where can I buy tires for my 1989 Chevrolet Tracker?
What is the recommended tire pressure for the 1989 Chevrolet Tracker?
Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 1989 Chevrolet Tracker?
How often should I rotate the tires on my 1989 Chevrolet Tracker?
For broader tire questions; replacement timing, UTQG, EV-specific tires, winter swaps; see the tire FAQ.
Sources for this page
- Vehicle owner's manual tire & wheel placard; door-jamb placard on the Chevrolet Tracker is the authoritative source for OEM tire size, load index, and cold-inflation pressure for your specific trim.
- NHTSA SaferCar; recall lookup for the 1989 Chevrolet Tracker.
- ETRTO 2024 Standards Manual §2.3; overall-diameter math used for the alternative-size verdicts above.
- Tire & Rim Association 2025 Yearbook; load-index to maximum-load reference.
Last verified 2026-09-02.