[rob175]

At the risk of beating a dead horse.....the "recommended" tire pressures for any vehicle can be found on a yellow/white sticker usually found by opening the drivers door. Those are the recommended inflation numbers for THAT SPECIFIC VEHICLE.

The "maximum inflation" numbers stamped into the tire are the absolute maximum PSI the TIRE manufacturers (not the vehicle engineers) indicate for the "tire bead" to be secured to the wheel.

(The tire "bead" is the reinforced portion of the tire that seal to the wheel rim.......too much PSI can cause the bead to let loose from the wheel...better known as one form of a "blow out".)

Inflate your tires to the recommended PSI on the vehicle's door sticker. If you feel the need for a few PSI more, go ahead but be careful not to exceed it by more than just a few pounds.

Note: Tire "wear" is a whole other issue, but in short, PSI will, of course affect tread life........ but one should never substitute tread longevity for vehicle handling and safety.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by rob175

At the risk of beating a dead horse.....the "recommended" tire pressures for any vehicle can be found on a yellow/white sticker usually found by opening the drivers door. Those are the recommended inflation numbers for THAT SPECIFIC VEHICLE.

At GVWR. If driving solo/no cargo, the label value may be overstated.

[rob175]

"Maybe"....but not necessarily. But the "max PSI" stamped into the tire is definitely TOO MUCH.

Note: Over inflation of the tires is never the solution for overloading the vehicle. Most don't overload an X3, but it is possible and dangerous if done.

I wonder how many know what the maximum load carrying ability of an X3 is?

My 2020 X3 xDrive 30i has a Max Payload of 893 pounds. (Payload is the combined weight of everything in the vehicle, including passengers.) So that's an average of 178 lbs per passenger, (even less since I didn't include the weight of gasoline) assuming it's a 5 passenger vehicle.....then toss in a few heavy bags in the back and it's amazing how fast you can overload.....of course some small amount of overloading won't be an issue but overload by hundreds can be dangerous and thinking that one can over inflate their tires to compensate is a dangerous mistake.

[g11hoonigan]

There's just too many variables around tire safety and proper usage. Any average driver or enthusiast usually skip over the details and just follow what's on the door jamb and call it a day. There's nothing wrong with that but it often result in a harsher ride. There's really no single equation to follow so educating oneself is probably the best route a driver should go with.

For the OP, I found it's more apparent on skinnier tires setup and running on open areas in general (like nevada and here in TX). Driving on tree-lined roads, for example, the effect is much less. Interestingly enough, my truck feels more stable at 130mph than the X3. Nevertheless, I don't really take that as a point against the X3.

[keithguido]

Never an issue on X3 30 x drive or X3M40!

[Leem40i]

The problem with the X3 loaner that I am also driving is it s a bit taller than the X4. I own an X4. With the taller profile and block your rear end it basically makes it a sale catching wind. If it has roof rails that adds to the matter even more. It's no less stable than any other SUV I have driven other than my x4. The X4 handles very well on the highway even with crosswind. It feels more like a large sedan than it does an SUV

[agentorange]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

At GVWR. If driving solo/no cargo, the label value may be overstated.

This is the issue I have with many door jamb tire pressure stickers in the US. In Europe (where I learned to drive) it used to be that the comfort setting was what went on the door jamb, and the full load pressures were in the manual if not included in the door jamb sticker. It was on YOU, the owner/driver to know if you needed to up your pressures for more load.

Not so in the US. The numbers quoted often relate to GVWR, probably as a proof against litigation. I guess the late 90s/early 2000s Ford/Bridgestone debacle got the car makers twitchy. For example, my ML has crazy pressures on the door jamb 38 F 43R. But the filler cap show much lower pressures for "normal" use, 35 F&R, with the big pressures reserved for five people plus luggage.

With some cars in the US you can find the "comfort" pressures buried in the manual, usually giving you a vehicle an acceptable ride over the crashing door jamb numbers. But "buried" is the operative word, as I discovered when I owned a couple of Jags.

[rob175]

Well...I go with the door jam numbers and the ride is excellent (for me, totally subjective).

During the first free dealer (oil change in 2020) the dealer put 45psi in each tire......the ride was insanely rough and harsh....I drove back to complain....I got a "we're sorry"......subsequent dealer free oil changes included my instructions to leave the air in the tires ALONE.

[Sportstick]

The tire information on the door jamb label is mandated by NHTSA via FMVSS regulations. It shows the vehicle load and the associated inflation pressures for that load. No one is suggesting exceeding the GVWR pressures, but if your car is an otherwise unloaded daily driver, those values may be excessive.

[agentorange]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

The tire information on the door jamb label is mandated by NHTSA via FMVSS regulations. It shows the vehicle load and the associated inflation pressures for that load. No one is suggesting exceeding the GVWR pressures, but if your car is an otherwise unloaded daily driver, those values may be excessive.

Indeed, and it seems aimed at the lowest common denominator type of driver who can barely read such a label. Even then we get so-called techs at the dealerships putting excess pressure in the tires for no good reason. I have also complained about this on more than one occasion, and all I get is some half-assed mumbled apology. This from a supposed luxury brand? Really?

At least when the Nissan dealer did it on my Xterra they told me why. Many customers complained the 2005 and later Xterras wandered in a straight line at the recommended pressure. I tracked it down to the OEM tires being too soft in the sidewall. Different, more off-road oriented boots fixed the issue straight away.