1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Winter tires - 15" possible?

Discussion in 'Prius v Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by ricomtl, Sep 16, 2015.

  1. ricomtl

    ricomtl Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2015
    137
    39
    1
    Location:
    moon
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Technology
    I have the Prius v 2015 with OEM 17 wheels.

    I called the dealer today to find out if what type of 15" winter tires I could go for and their response was that it's impossible. The guy from the Services & Parts dept. appeared to be very firm about and said I could go either with stock 17" or 16" but not 15".

    With my previous Ford with OEM 17" wheels I was able to downsize to 15" winter tires without any issues. Is there anything I'm not aware of that is specific to the Prius?

    I'm not too technical - but I'm sure someone has a clear explanation here!

    Thanks!
     
  2. Air_Boss

    Air_Boss Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2012
    3,908
    1,064
    0
    Location:
    New Yawk
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five

    Likely a brake caliper clearance issue; 15" insufficient to clear calipers/brake fittings/lines.
     
    #2 Air_Boss, Sep 16, 2015
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2015
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,639
    38,199
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I'm 99% sure they're bs'ing you. Had a similar situation with our regular Prius, Touring Model (comes with 17" rims), and ended up using a 15" Corolla steel rim and utilitarian lug nuts. First dealership (where we bought) said it was impossible, but another was more common sense. I had them do the complete install, just to be on the safe side.

    I'm sure there's some Prius v owners that have been using a slightly beefier Camry 15" steel rim, someone more knowledgable should be along shortly.
     
    ricomtl likes this.
  4. Lucifer

    Lucifer Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 23, 2015
    1,014
    485
    0
    Location:
    Nh
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    195/65 15"
    Nokian studded, buy rims also 5 x100 bolt pattern, offset is 40

    The dealer is a retail sales establishment.
     
  5. ricomtl

    ricomtl Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2015
    137
    39
    1
    Location:
    moon
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Technology
    So you have no issues with the brake caliper clearance with 15"? If I check at Costco & Tire Rack, the Prius v only shows 16 & 17" results.
     
  6. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    12,470
    6,862
    2
    Location:
    Greenwood MS USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    This is incorrect for a Prius v station wagon, assuming 15 inch rims fit at all they will be 5 x 114 bolt pattern, no idea the offset.
     
  7. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2010
    4,297
    2,347
    33
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I can't speak first hand for clearance limitations on the Prius v which comes stock with 16' and 17" wheels as I have a LB. You could trial fit a GEN III 15" assy, if the offset and pattern is correct, to initially explore. There are shops however that are better qualified with wheel geometry and cars than the Toyota Parts guy for telling you what will and will not work. Question I have is why do you want 15"?
     
  8. ricomtl

    ricomtl Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2015
    137
    39
    1
    Location:
    moon
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Technology
    I'm just in the midst of shopping (Costco has their early winter promo) and 15" are more affordable. Given I was able to downsize from 17 to 15 on my previous car, I just assumed (again - I have no technical/mechanic knowledge) I could go ahead with 15". I just read further on Google that 195/65R15 don't provide enough clearance.

    I'll go for the Blizzak WS80 16" then!
     
  9. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    12,470
    6,862
    2
    Location:
    Greenwood MS USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
  10. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2012
    7,848
    3,102
    0
    Location:
    Honolulu, HI
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Check with your local Costco, mine won't mount anything other than the factory specified tire size on the vehicle. Must be a CYA/liability thing.
     
    ricomtl likes this.
  11. Tina-v

    Tina-v New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2018
    2
    0
    0
    Location:
    Burnaby BC
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Premium
    Curious if the op ended up installing these? I've got winter rims from a matrix with 195.65.15 as well and would like to install them for my V which has 205 65.16 right now. The comparison shown here seems ok?
     

    Attached Files:

  12. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,639
    38,199
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Prius v may be different, compatible with Camry steel rims?
     
  13. Tina-v

    Tina-v New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2018
    2
    0
    0
    Location:
    Burnaby BC
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Premium
    I don’t know about Camry but it’s not ncompatible with the Corolla ones since I realized the bolt pattern of Prius v is 5x114 but corolla is 5x100.
     
  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,639
    38,199
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Yeah I have a fairly solid recollection that the Camry steel rim is the one you'd need. Phone call or email to dealership service (or parts) department might clear it up. And with the v having been on the road for some time now, I'm sure it would have been resolved by the dealerships, what rim is compatible.

    When I was first looking for steel rims for our 2010 Open Road Port Moody were clueless, went on about the Prius being the "flagship" vehicle, no steel rims would work, only alloy rims, for around $350 (Can) apiece would work.

    Westminster Toyota, in response to email query (I emailed everybody), said they thought Corolla steel rims would work, but they'd never done it before, would need to verify. I just let them do the whole thing, a little pricier than going through a dedicated tire place, but it all worked out.
     
    #14 Mendel Leisk, Feb 17, 2018
    Last edited: Feb 17, 2018
    Prodigyplace likes this.
  15. tvpierce

    tvpierce Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2015
    949
    879
    2
    Location:
    Maine
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    Wheels from Toyota's compact cars (Matrix, Corolla, Yaris, Gen-3 Prius) won't fit the Prius V Wagon.

    The wheels from the Camry, Rav4, Highlander, and Avalon will fit a Prius V Wagon.
     
    JimboPalmer and Mendel Leisk like this.
  16. tvpierce

    tvpierce Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2015
    949
    879
    2
    Location:
    Maine
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    [QUOTE="tvpierce, post: 2684747, member: 136396"
    The wheels from the Camry, Rav4, Highlander, and Avalon will fit a Prius V Wagon.[/QUOTE]

    Forgot to add Sienna to the list of wheels that will fit a V Wagon.
     
  17. Air_Boss

    Air_Boss Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2012
    3,908
    1,064
    0
    Location:
    New Yawk
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    Check radial clearance and offset at full range -- lock to lock -- just to be sure.
     
  18. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    12,470
    6,862
    2
    Location:
    Greenwood MS USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    I suggest you start a new topic with this info, so that other curious Chatters can find it easily. You could then 'report' it asking for it to be stickied. As an example, I maintain this list: The 2014 list of CARB States in the US | PriusChat
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.