I recently sold a 2004 Camry and bought a 2009 Camry. The 09 has 16 inch tires. We have snow tires on rims that are 15". I’ve been told that it is OK to run 15" tires on the 09 model. Is this true? Is performance or safety compromised in any way by doing this?
As long as the outside diameter of the front and rear tires is about the same, there should be no problem…If you are in the habit of pushing the car to the limit of traction (fast, aggressive driving) the 15" snow tires may lose traction before the slightly more capable 16" tires. Under “normal driving conditions” few people would notice the difference…
You need to ask the dealer if 15" tires are available for the 09 model. If not, then you need to find out if the brake rotors are the same size. If the 09 has larger brake rotors, then the 15" rims may not have enough clearance. Even if they fit, they might restrict cooling of the brakes, but then in the middle of a snow storm, cooling might not be an issue.
Along with what Keith was saying, sometimes when a manufacturer does a model change, they change lots of things, including wheel off-sets which effects steering geometry…There may be more to it than just 15" and 16" …Don’t assume you can just bolt them on…You need to do a little checking first…
As long as the brakes clear the rims and they fit.
Tirerack.com does list smaller size alternatives that fit listed in their winter tire packages. See if yours make the cut.
You will likely get an ugly TMPS light on your dash unless you purchase/install a set for your new set.
You want to run the 15" wheels from an '04 Camry on your '09 Camry? It is a matter of do the bolt holes line up? And, if yes will the new wheels spin freely without interfering with the brakes? Often 16" wheels allow for larger brakes, so it might or might not work. If Toyota still used 15" wheels anywhere in the world on '09 Camry’s then likely they didn’t increase the brake hardware when fitting the 16" wheels.
First, the 2009 Camry never came with 15" tires - only 16". Plus, the vehicle gained a few hundred pound of weight since 2004.
The brake clearance question can be answered by looking up winter tires at Tire Rack - and Tire Rack says “No!”