2002 Toyota avalon tire sizes & fitment
Approved tire and wheel sizes for the 2002 Toyota Avalon, sourced from manufacturer fitment data and refreshed monthly.
Approved fitments
| Tire size | Rim size | PCD (bolt pattern) | Offset | Load index | Speed rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 205/65R15 OEM | R15 | 5x114.3 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 205/60R16 OEM | R16 | 5x114.3 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 205/65R15 OEM | 6x15 | 5x114.3 | 45mm | 95 | H |
| 205/60R16 OEM | 6x16 | 5x114.3 | 45mm | 91 | H |
| 215/60R16 | 6x16 | 5x114.3 | 45mm | 94 | V |
| 215/50R17 | 7.5x17 | 5x114.3 | 45mm | 95 | V |
2002 Toyota avalon wheel bolt pattern & specs
| Bolt pattern (PCD) | 5x114.3 |
|---|---|
| Wheel thread / lug size | M12x1.5 |
| Center bore | 60.1 mm |
| Source | adaptitusa-reference |
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
Bridgestone
Turanza QuietTrack
Lowest cost per mile in this size; UTQG 800
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 Toyota Avalon, ranked by category →
Tire recalls & safety complaints for the Toyota Avalon →
Plus-size and winter-downsize options for every Toyota Avalon factory size →
Compatible alternative sizes for 205/65R15
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
195/75R14 |
0.09% | winter narrower | Safe |
225/65R14 |
0.09% | alternative | Safe |
185/65R16 |
-0.09% | plus 1 | Safe |
215/50R17 |
-0.11% | plus 2 | Safe |
195/55R17 |
-0.19% | plus 2 | Safe |
For the full list of alternatives with comfort/handling impact, see 205/65R15 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 205/65R15 and verdict using the ETRTO ±3% rule.
Common upgrade paths
- Plus-1: 185/65R16; one rim size up, -0.09% OD change. Sharper steering, mild ride penalty, modest cost premium.
- Plus-2: 215/50R17; two rim sizes up, -0.11% 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 2002 toyota avalon
The 2002 Toyota Avalon ships from the factory on 205/65R15 tires mounted on R15 wheels. 4 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 Toyota Avalon 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 2002 Toyota Avalon 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 2002 Toyota Avalon, 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 2002 toyota avalon
Top issue category: Tires (General)
Most reported: Tires (General) (5) · Sidewall (1) · Tread / Belt (1)
Reported across: 2002 – 2002 (1 year)
What owners described
Sidewall failure appears in 29% of these reports; about 1.9× as often as across all tire complaints. Percentages are shares of the 59 reports covering every model year of the Toyota Avalon 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 | 29% | 15% | 1.9× |
| Blowout or sudden deflation | 27% | 20% | 1.3× |
| Bubble or bulge in the tire | 10% | 6% | 1.7× |
| Loss of control, rollover or collision | 8% | 8% | 1.0× |
| Tread or belt separation | 7% | 13% | 0.5× |
| Cracking or dry rot | 2% | 9% | 0.2× |
Mileage at failure
43 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 19,000 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 3,800 and 57,500 miles.
In owners' own words
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Toyota Avalon. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.
TWO YEARS AGO A LARGE CRACK APPEARED ON THE PANEL BELOW THE DASH ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE. TWO MONTHS AGO ABOUT 3 MORE CRACKS APPEARED. THIS WEEK (8/4/13 THRU 8/12/13) 3 MORE CRACKS APPEARED PLUS A NEW CRACK HAS NOW APPEARED ON THE DASH ABOVE THE MULTI CRACKED PANEL. I NOW HAVE 35,000 MILES ON MY 2007 TOYOTA AVALON.
NEW TIRES 90 DAYS OLD APPROX. 1,000 - 1,500 MILES USED. TRAVELING WESTBOUND RTE. 50 MARYLAND AT 62-65 MPH HOV LANE. BETWEEN BOWIE EXIT RTE 301 AND EXITS FOR RTES 495/95, THREAD ON PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM SIDEWALLS. SIDEWALLS REMAINED ON TIRE RIM BUT THREAD WAS COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM SIDEWALLS. ABLE TO PULL INTO GRASSY SHOULDER AREA, COUNTY POLICE IMMEDIATELY CAME ON THE SCENE FOLLOWED BY SHA VEHICLE ASSISTANCE CREWS. INCIDENT CAUSED RAIN REFLECTOR TO DETACH FROM VEHICLE. PICTURES OF TIRE AND RIM ARE AVAILABLE. CONTACTING TIRE DEALER THIS DAY FOR RESOLUTION.
DURING THE DRIVE TO FLORIDA, A HARD BRAKE (NO SKID) AND STEER TO THE LEFT WAS NECESSARY. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THAT, THE STEERING BECAME SHAKY AND A ROAD RUMBLING NOISE WAS NOTICED. AFTER SETTLING IN, WE TOOK THE CAR TO A FIRESTONE DEALER AND THEY RE-BALANCED THE TIRES. THAT DID NOT STOP THE SHAKY STEERING WHEEL OR THE ROAD NOISE. ONE WEEK LATER, WHILE CHANGING LANES, THE TIRES RAN OVER LANE DIVIDER BUMPS AND A BLOWOUT OCCURRED. REPLACED THE FLAT TIRE WITH THE SPARE (FULL SIZE) AND IMMEDIATELY, THE ROAD NOISE CEASED AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS PERFECTLY NORMAL. I INSPECTED THE TIRE AND FOUND A 2 INCH RIP/GAP IN THE CENTER OF THE TREAD. WENT BACK TO THE FIRESTONE DEALER AND WAS TOLD I HAD RUN OVER A SOME KIND OF SHARP ROAD HAZARD. I BELIEVE THE BELT BENEATH THE TREAD HAD FAILED.
WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR INTO THE TIRE DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD PURCHASED MY TIRES COMPLAINING OF A SHAKING STEERING WHEEL (THINKING ONE OF MY TIRES HAD LOST A BALANCE WEIGHT), THAT'S WHEN I DISCOVERED 3 OF THE 4 TIRES I HAD PURCHASED A YEAR AGO SEPTEMBER (AND WHICH HAD ONLY 14,000 MILES OF WEAR) HAD ALL EXPERIENCED THE STEEL BELT SEPARATING INSIDE THE TIRE. UPDATED 09/02/15*LJ UPDATED 10/31/2017
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 2002 Toyota Avalon?
What is the bolt pattern of a 2002 Toyota Avalon?
Can I run a different tire size on my 2002 Toyota Avalon?
Where can I buy tires for my 2002 Toyota Avalon?
What is the recommended tire pressure for the 2002 Toyota Avalon?
Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 2002 Toyota Avalon?
How often should I rotate the tires on my 2002 Toyota Avalon?
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 Toyota Avalon is the authoritative source for OEM tire size, load index, and cold-inflation pressure for your specific trim.
- NHTSA SaferCar; recall lookup for the 2002 Toyota Avalon.
- 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.