Ford Focus III tyre pressures
Front 30 psi (2.1 bar), rear 35 psi (2.4 bar) on the standard 16-inch wheels. Manufacturer data, checked cold.
Manufacturer figures for the Ford Focus III, normal load, tyres cold. If the label on your door pillar or fuel flap says something different, go with that.
Tyres at the MOT
In 2025, the Ford Focus (2011–2018) failed its MOT on tyres in 8.3% of 513,455 tests. Cars of the same age failed on tyres 6.7% of the time, so it failed more often than average for its age. Another 29.1% passed with a tyre advisory, usually tread close to the limit.
What the MOT tester checks on your tyres · The full 2025 figures
DVSA anonymised MOT data, 2025: MOT tests on cars (class 4), not counting retests. The figures cover the whole Ford Focus (2011–2018) range, not only this version. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Resetting the tyre pressure warning light on your Ford
Most UK Fords (Fiesta, Focus, Puma, Kuga and others) use an indirect deflation detection system. Some, such as the S-Max, Galaxy and Transit Connect, have sensors in the wheels. Ford asks for a reset after inflating either way.
- Set all four tyres to the correct cold pressure, with the car parked. It won't reset while moving.
- Switch the ignition on.
- Using the steering-wheel controls, open Settings on the dashboard display and find the tyre item. It's called Deflation detection, Tyre Monitor or Tyre Pressure, depending on the model.
- Press and hold OK until the reset is confirmed.
When to reset: Reset after adjusting pressures or changing tyres. On sensor models, after new sensors or a tyre rotation, park for 20 minutes first; they relearn in about 15 minutes of driving.
Menu names vary by model and year, so check your handbook if yours looks different. More in what the warning light means.
Got a different Focus III? Check by registration
Put your reg in and we'll show the figures for your exact car, including the wheel size it left the factory on.
What tyre pressure should a Focus III have?
30 psi at the front and 35 psi at the rear (2.1 and 2.4 bar) on the standard 16-inch wheels, with the tyres cold.
Should I use a higher pressure when the car is loaded?
The manufacturer gives one figure for this car, so no. If you're carrying a full load for a long motorway run, the label on the door pillar may show a higher figure — follow that if it does.
What tyre size does the Focus III use?
215/55R16. The size is on the tyre's sidewall, e.g. 235/40R18.
Does the Ford Focus (2011–2018) fail the MOT on tyres more often?
Yes, more often than average for its age. In 2025, 8.3% of Ford Focus (2011–2018) MOT tests failed on tyres, against 6.7% for cars of the same age (DVSA MOT data, 513,455 tests). Another 29.1% passed with a tyre advisory.
Check them cold. Pressures are set for tyres that haven't been driven more than a mile or two. After a run they read 3–4 psi high.
Once a month, and before a long trip. Tyres lose about 1 psi a month on their own.
The sticker wins. If your car's door-pillar or fuel-flap label says something different, go with that — it knows your exact spec.