1983–1985 Nissan sentra tire sizes & fitment
Approved tire and wheel sizes for the 1983–1985 Nissan Sentra, sourced from manufacturer fitment data and refreshed monthly. Our catalog lists the same factory fitment for every model year from 1983 to 1985.
Approved fitments
| Tire size | Rim size | PCD (bolt pattern) | Offset | Load index | Speed rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 175/70R13 OEM | R13 | 4x114.3 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 155/80R13 OEM | R13 | 4x114.3 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
1985 Nissan sentra wheel bolt pattern & specs
| Bolt pattern (PCD) | 4x114.3 |
|---|---|
| Wheel thread / lug size | M12x1.25 |
| Center bore | 66.1 mm |
| Source | adaptitusa-reference |
Best by use case
Four tires, four jobs
See the best tires for the Nissan Sentra, ranked by category →
Tire recalls & safety complaints for the Nissan Sentra →
Plus-size and winter-downsize options for every Nissan Sentra factory size →
Compatible alternative sizes for 175/70R13
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
195/50R15 |
0.14% | plus 2 | Safe |
205/60R13 |
0.17% | wider | Safe |
175/55R15 |
-0.30% | plus 2 | Safe |
185/60R14 |
0.42% | plus 1 | Safe |
165/75R13 |
0.43% | winter narrower | Safe |
For the full list of alternatives with comfort/handling impact, see 175/70R13 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 175/70R13 and verdict using the ETRTO ±3% rule.
Common upgrade paths
- Plus-1: 185/60R14; one rim size up, 0.42% OD change. Sharper steering, mild ride penalty, modest cost premium.
- Plus-2: 195/50R15; two rim sizes up, 0.14% 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 1985 nissan sentra
The 1985 Nissan Sentra ships from the factory on 175/70R13 tires mounted on R13 wheels. 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 Nissan Sentra comes down to three trade-offs that matter more than brand loyalty: load index (must equal or exceed the OEM number), speed rating (must match or exceed the placard), 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 1985 Nissan Sentra 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 1985 Nissan Sentra, 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 1985 nissan sentra
Top issue category: Tires (General)
Most reported: Tires (General) (91) · Tread / Belt (27) · TPMS (15) · Sidewall (10) · Tube (2)
Reported across: 1989 – 2025 (30 years)
What owners described
Sidewall failure is the most common description, in 18% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 101 reports covering every model year of the Nissan Sentra 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sidewall failure | 18% | 15% | 1.2× |
| Blowout or sudden deflation | 16% | 20% | 0.8× |
| Bubble or bulge in the tire | 11% | 6% | 1.8× |
| Tread or belt separation | 8% | 13% | 0.6× |
| Cracking or dry rot | 7% | 9% | 0.7× |
| Loss of control, rollover or collision | 7% | 8% | 0.8× |
Mileage at failure
45 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 22,500 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 3,000 and 76,328 miles.
In owners' own words
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Nissan Sentra. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.
I HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS THAT IS COSTING ME LOTS OF MONEY NOW TO FIX. FIVE YEARS AGO, MY DISTRIBUTOR CAP CRACKED, REASON UNKNOWN. DRIVEN BY OLD LADY. BECAUSE IT CRACKED, IT CAUSED WATER TO BE ABLE TO SEEP IN, CAUSING THE CAR TO STALL OUT. DON'T KNOW WHY IT WOULD HAVE CRACKED. ANOTHER PROBLEM IT HAS IS WHEN I WENT TO USE THE CRUISE CONTROL, SPRINGS FLEW OUT OF IT. I HAD NEVER USED IT BEFORE. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THE AXLES, CV JOINTS AND STEERING KIT. EVERYTHING WENT OUT ON MY CAR. ONE LEAD TO THE NEXT. I CAN'T REALIGN MY CAR BECAUSE MY STEERING KIT AND TIE RODS ARE SHOT ALONG WITH MY AXLES AND CV JOINTS. BECAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY TIRES TWICE FROM THEM WEARING DOWN. I WOULD FIX IT BUT WHEN I GOT IT ALL PRICED, IT WAS ALMOST $2000. I CAN'T AFFORD THAT.
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. ON ONE OCCASION, THE DEALER RESET THE CODES BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. IN ADDITION, THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,076.
A SECOND GOODYEAR ASSURANCE TIRE SIZE 205/55/R16 DOT M60F UL1R 1614 HAS GONE OUT IN THE PAST 5 DAYS ON MY CAR WITH THE SAME ISSUE: BELT BREAKAGE LEADING TO TIRE SEPARATION AND FAILURE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TIRE UNDER MY ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY. THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT 6/24/16 AND NOW THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT 6/29/16. NO INJURIES OR CRASH INVOLVED.
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN SENTRA EQUIPPED WITH HANKOOK ROADHANDLER SPORT TIRES, SIZE: 215/55R/16 (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE SIDEWALL WAS SEVERELY CRACKED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED ON BOTH FRONT TIRES. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO SEARS AND THEN TO THE MANUFACTURER; HOWEVER, NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000. THE DOT NUMBER, VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE, AND VIN WERE NOT PROVIDED.
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 1985 Nissan Sentra?
What is the bolt pattern of a 1985 Nissan Sentra?
Can I run a different tire size on my 1985 Nissan Sentra?
Where can I buy tires for my 1985 Nissan Sentra?
What is the recommended tire pressure for the 1985 Nissan Sentra?
Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 1985 Nissan Sentra?
How often should I rotate the tires on my 1985 Nissan Sentra?
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 Nissan Sentra is the authoritative source for OEM tire size, load index, and cold-inflation pressure for your specific trim.
- NHTSA SaferCar; recall lookup for the 1985 Nissan Sentra.
- 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.