New tires with different psi… is this normal?

The door sticker on my car says the recommended tire pressure is 38 psi, but the new tires I just got installed have a max psi of 33.

What kind of impact will this have on my car’s performance? Should I be concerned?

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What kind of car are we talking about here? It might make a big difference.

Hadi said:
What kind of car are we talking about here? It might make a big difference.

Yeah, is this an old-school Model T, a sporty Miata, or something else entirely?

What kind of tire even has a max psi that low? That sounds unusual.

True said:
What kind of tire even has a max psi that low? That sounds unusual.

Exactly what I was thinking. Doesn’t make sense for any tire I’ve seen.

True said:
What kind of tire even has a max psi that low? That sounds unusual.

That’s probably not the max psi—sounds more like the recommended pressure. Those are different things.

Are you sure the right type of tires were put on your car? It’s possible they used the wrong load rating or something similar.

From what I’ve heard, the sticker on the door only applies to the factory-installed tires.

Using a lower psi than recommended can slightly reduce handling and braking, and you might notice worse fuel economy. It would be better to switch to tires that match the psi listed for your car.

Do a chalk test on the tires. That’s a good way to find the best psi for your specific setup.

The pressure on the door sticker is for the tires your car came with, not necessarily replacements.