2000 Chrysler PT cruiser tire sizes & fitment
Approved tire and wheel sizes for the 2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser, sourced from manufacturer fitment data and refreshed monthly.
Approved fitments
| Tire size | Rim size | PCD (bolt pattern) | Offset | Load index | Speed rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 195/65R15 OEM | 6x15 | 5x100 | 37mm | 91 | H |
| 195/60R16 | 6x16 | 5x100 | 40mm | 91 | H |
| 205/55R16 | 6.5x16 | 5x100 | 40mm | 91 | H |
| 205/50R17 | 6.5x17 | 5x100 | 43mm | 91 | H |
| 215/50R17 | 7x17 | 5x100 | 40mm | 91 | V |
2000 Chrysler PT cruiser wheel bolt pattern & specs
| Bolt pattern (PCD) | 5x100 |
|---|---|
| Wheel thread / lug size | M12x1.5 |
| Center bore | 57.1 mm |
| Source | bolt-pattern.com |
Best by use case
Four tires, four jobs
Best all-season
Bridgestone
Turanza QuietTrack
all-season touring, UTQG 800, 80,000-mi warranty
Best budget
Goodyear
Assurance MaxLife
Lowest cost per mile in this size; UTQG 820
Best quiet
Bridgestone
Turanza QuietTrack
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 Chrysler PT Cruiser, ranked by category →
Tire recalls & safety complaints for the Chrysler PT Cruiser →
Plus-size and winter-downsize options for every Chrysler PT Cruiser factory size →
Compatible alternative sizes for 195/65R15
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
225/45R17 |
-0.03% | plus 2 | Safe |
215/65R14 |
0.09% | alternative | Safe |
175/65R16 |
-0.09% | plus 1 | Safe |
185/55R17 |
0.13% | plus 2 | Safe |
175/80R14 |
0.17% | winter narrower | Safe |
For the full list of alternatives with comfort/handling impact, see 195/65R15 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 195/65R15 and verdict using the ETRTO ±3% rule.
Common upgrade paths
- Plus-1: 175/65R16; one rim size up, -0.09% OD change. Sharper steering, mild ride penalty, modest cost premium.
- Plus-2: 225/45R17; two rim sizes up, -0.03% 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 2000 chrysler PT cruiser
The 2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser ships from the factory on 195/65R15 tires mounted on 6x15 wheels, with a load index of 91 and a speed rating of H. 5 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 Chrysler PT Cruiser comes down to three trade-offs that matter more than brand loyalty: load index (must equal or exceed the OEM number, in this case 91), speed rating (must match or exceed the placard, here H), 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 2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser 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 2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser, 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 2000 chrysler PT cruiser
Top issue category: Tires (General)
Most reported: Tires (General) (57) · Tread / Belt (9) · TPMS (8) · Sidewall (8) · Valve (3)
Reported across: 2001 – 2010 (10 years)
What owners described
Blowout or sudden deflation is the most common description, in 15% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 71 reports covering every model year of the Chrysler PT Cruiser 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 | 15% | 20% | 0.8× |
| Sidewall failure | 13% | 15% | 0.9× |
| Bubble or bulge in the tire | 13% | 6% | 2.1× |
| Cracking or dry rot | 13% | 9% | 1.4× |
| Tread or belt separation | 6% | 13% | 0.4× |
| Loss of control, rollover or collision | 4% | 8% | 0.5× |
Mileage at failure
31 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 20,000 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 6,000 and 92,481 miles.
In owners' own words
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Chrysler PT Cruiser. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER EQUIPPED WITH GOODYEAR EAGLE LS TIRES, SIZE P205/55/R16. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED A BUBBLE HAD DEVELOPED ON THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE TREAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE TREAD BELT WAS SEPARATING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TWO FRONT TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,825.
I PURCHASED 4 NEW DOUGLAS EXTRA-TRAK II TIRES AT WALMART AND WITHIN ONLY A FEW MONTHS WAS HAVING MAJOR "ALIGNMENT" TYPE ISSUES. I THOUGHT MAYBE THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE BALANCED AND ROTATED AND HAVE THE PRESSURE CHECKED. WALMART TECH HAD ONE OF MY TIRES THAT WAS A FEW LBS LOW AND IT BLEW OUT AFTER HE PUT IT BACK UP TO APPROPRIATE LEVELS. BLOW OUT WAS OUT THE SIDE AND NOT VISIBLE FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE TIRE. OTHER SIDE BULGES WERE FOUND ON THE OTHER TIRES. SINCE THE TIRES HAD BEEN DRIVEN, WALMART ONLY GAVE ME A "DISCOUNT" ON REPLACING THE ONE THAT BLEW OUT - THE OTHERS WERE MY PROBLEM ACCORDING TO THEM. THESE TIRES ARE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE AND NOT SAFE.
The contact owns a 2003 Chrysler equipped with Douglas, Tire line: Dug Xtra-Trac II, Tire size: 205/55R/16 91T and DOT number: N60FN11R. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed that the vehicle started to perform slowly when the front passenger side tire inadvertently exploded. No warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Walmart where the tire was replaced. The contact stated that the front passenger side tire started to leak air. The contact then stated that she noticed that a bubble had developed on the sidewall of the tire. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 157920.
VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND CONSUMER NOTICED THAT TREAD HAD BEGAN TO SEPARATE FROM GOODYEAR REAR PASSENGER TIRE. GOODYEAR WAS NOTIFIED.*AK GOODYEAR INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TIRE HAD KNOT DUE TO IMPACT HIT, DEALERSHIP STATED PROBLEM WAS DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION AND NOT AN IMPACT, FINALLY A GOODYEAR TIRE STORE SPLIT THE COST 50/50, THE GOODYEAR TIRE SIZE WAS P205/55R15, DOT NUMBER MKT2 BMDR 080. *SLC
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 2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser?
What is the bolt pattern of a 2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser?
Can I run a different tire size on my 2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser?
Where can I buy tires for my 2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser?
What is the recommended tire pressure for the 2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser?
Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser?
How often should I rotate the tires on my 2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser?
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 Chrysler PT Cruiser is the authoritative source for OEM tire size, load index, and cold-inflation pressure for your specific trim.
- NHTSA SaferCar; recall lookup for the 2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser.
- 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 2026-10-07.