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Speedometer Error Calculator

See how changing tire size shifts your true speed versus the speedometer reading and how much your odometer drifts, by comparing stock and new overall tire diameters.

Enter each tire as a size (e.g. 265/70R17) or an overall diameter in inches.

About this tool

The Speedometer Error Calculator shows how a change in tire size throws off both your speedometer and odometer. A car's speedometer counts wheel revolutions and assumes the factory tire's overall diameter. Fit a taller or shorter tire and each revolution now covers a different distance, so the needle reads a speed that no longer matches how fast you are actually moving.

Enter each tire either as a P-metric size or as a plain overall diameter in inches. From a P-metric size (width/aspect Rrim, e.g. 265/70R17) the overall diameter is D = (width_mm × aspect/100 × 2 ÷ 25.4) + rim_in — the sidewall height is the width times the aspect ratio percentage, counted twice because there is sidewall above and below the rim. Your true speed is then Actual = Indicated × (D_new / D_stock), and the reading error is (D_new − D_stock) / D_stock × 100. The same ratio scales odometer distance: a larger tire makes the odometer under-count miles.

Everything is computed locally in your browser. A taller tire makes the speedometer read low (you are going faster than it shows) and the odometer under-record distance; a shorter tire does the opposite. To keep readings accurate after a size change, the vehicle's speedometer calibration (or the tone-ring/final-drive data in the ECU) should be adjusted to the new diameter. Use this as a planning estimate — actual rolling diameter varies slightly with load, pressure, and wear.

Frequently asked questions

How is a tire's overall diameter found from its size?
For a P-metric size like 245/45R18, sidewall height = 245 mm × 45% = 110.25 mm. Doubling it (top and bottom) and converting to inches gives 8.68 in, plus the 18 in rim = 26.68 in overall diameter. The tool does this automatically, or you can type a diameter directly.
Which way does the error go with bigger tires?
A larger-diameter tire travels farther per revolution, so at a true 60 mph the speedometer reads lower than 60 — you are actually going faster than indicated. The odometer likewise under-counts distance. Smaller tires reverse both effects.
Can I just enter the diameter instead of a tire size?
Yes. Each field accepts either a P-metric size such as 265/70R17 or a plain overall diameter in inches (e.g. 30 or 30"). Mix and match — enter stock as a size and the new tire as a measured diameter if that is what you have.
Will this fix my actual speedometer?
No — it shows the size of the error. To correct the reading you need to recalibrate the speedometer for the new tire diameter, either with a programmer/tuner that updates the ECU tire data or via a calibration device, depending on the vehicle.

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