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Do Pickup Truck Safety Ratings Change With a Tow Package or Larger Tires?

Adding a tow package or larger tires does not automatically change a pickup’s published safety rating. The result still applies to the listed test configuration, and tire changes should follow the vehicle maker’s fitment and pressure guidance.
Entry135 Date Time10 min MechanicCarCody Team
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No—not automatically. A pickup’s published NHTSA or IIHS rating reports results for the model year, configuration, and tests identified by that agency. Adding a tow package or changing tire size does not itself produce a new rating. But an unchanged published score is not proof that a modified truck performs identically in every condition.

If you are considering larger tires, start with the truck’s owner’s manual and driver-side Tire and Loading Information label. NHTSA advises using the original tire size or another size the vehicle manufacturer recommends, and following the vehicle maker’s inflation-pressure guidance.

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What a pickup truck safety rating actually covers

NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) 5-Star Safety Ratings give consumers information about crash protection and rollover safety beyond federal minimum requirements. The score belongs to the vehicle and test program shown in the agency’s listing; it is not a new evaluation of each individual truck after an owner changes its equipment. NHTSA also limits comparisons: frontal and overall scores should be compared only among vehicles in the same class and within 250 pounds of the vehicle being rated. A pickup’s score is not a universal ranking against vehicles in other classes. See NHTSA’s ratings and comparison guidance.

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IIHS reports separate crashworthiness and crash-avoidance results for listed vehicles and model years. Its large-pickup ratings include categories such as small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, headlights, front crash prevention, seat-belt reminders, and LATCH ease of use. The results may be tied to a particular model year and cab or body configuration, so check the exact row and category rather than relying on a model name alone. Review IIHS large-pickup ratings.

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The tests themselves are specific procedures, not a general verdict on every possible road situation. For example, IIHS describes its small-overlap test as a 40 mph impact involving 25% of the vehicle’s width; its side test uses an SUV-like rig at 37 mph. A rating page reports those test results for the listed vehicle configuration. It does not establish what happens after a particular owner changes the truck.

NHTSA and IIHS results also answer different questions: NCAP provides star ratings for crash protection and rollover safety, while IIHS lists results by test and feature category. Neither page should be read as a single, comprehensive score for every safety characteristic or every combination of options. When a result is attached to a model year and cab/body style, those details are part of what the result describes—not administrative fine print to ignore.

Does adding a tow package change the rating?

No blanket adjustment to NHTSA or IIHS ratings is established for a truck merely because it has a tow package. The published score remains the result shown for the tested model year and configuration. The rating pages do not amount to a separate crash test of every optional package or equipment combination.

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That does not establish that a tow package has no physical effect on any aspect of a truck. The available agency rating information does not quantify package-specific effects on crashworthiness, braking, handling, or towing stability. It would therefore be inaccurate to claim either that a tow package makes every truck safer or that it changes a particular crash-test score.

Package names alone are not enough to identify what was tested. If you are evaluating a particular pickup, verify the exact model year and cab/body configuration in the rating entry, then consult the manufacturer’s documentation to learn what the tow package includes on that truck. The agency rating information does not establish whether a particular package was included in a given test vehicle or what effect its equipment would have on a test result.

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How to check a specific truck

  1. Identify the truck’s model year, cab or body style, and trim. Record the tow-package name if the truck has one.
  2. Look up that model year on NHTSA’s ratings page and the relevant listing on IIHS’s large-pickup page.
  3. Read the specific test categories and configuration notes. Do not assume that a result for one cab, model year, or listed configuration applies to every version carrying the same model name.
  4. For package-specific equipment details, check the vehicle maker’s documentation for that exact truck. Do not infer package effects from the rating alone.

Do larger tires change the rating or the truck’s safety?

A larger tire does not automatically rewrite the truck’s published rating. Nor does an unchanged score demonstrate that an altered truck performs identically to the configuration covered by the rating. The effect of a tire change depends on the truck and the specific tire-and-wheel fitment; the agency materials cited here do not quantify the result for an unspecified combination.

NHTSA’s practical guidance is specific: “To maintain tire safety, purchase new tires that are the same size as the vehicle’s original tires or another size recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.” Find the suitable size in the owner’s manual or on the Tire and Loading Information label on the driver-side door edge or post. Use the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended inflation pressure, not the pressure printed on the tire. NHTSA also advises having new tires balanced and checking the manual for tire-rotation guidance. Read NHTSA’s TireWise guidance.

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The label and manual are the practical starting points because a tire’s sidewall marking is not a substitute for the vehicle maker’s pressure recommendation. If you are considering a size not listed as an approved alternative, the fact that it can be mounted does not establish that it is suitable for the truck. Ask the manufacturer or a qualified tire professional about the specific tire-and-wheel combination and fitment; the available sources do not provide a universal safe alternative size.

Do not assume that larger tires always improve or worsen stopping distance, rollover risk, or electronic safety-system behavior. Those outcomes have not been established here for a particular pickup and tire setup. If you are considering a non-original size, get vehicle-specific fitment guidance from the manufacturer or a qualified tire professional rather than treating a general claim about “bigger tires” as a safety finding.

A sensible tire-change checklist

  • Check the original size and manufacturer-approved alternatives in the owner’s manual and on the driver-side tire label.
  • Confirm the recommended cold inflation pressure from the vehicle maker; do not substitute the tire sidewall’s pressure marking for the vehicle’s recommendation.
  • Ask whether the specific tire and wheel combination is suitable for the truck, rather than relying only on diameter.
  • After installation, have the tires balanced and follow the manual’s rotation instructions.
  • Keep the published safety rating in context: it describes the listed test configuration, not a bespoke assessment of your modified truck.

NHTSA reports 511 motor-vehicle traffic fatalities in tire-related crashes in 2024. That figure is a reminder that tire safety matters, but it does not show that larger tires caused those fatalities or quantify the risk of any particular modification. NHTSA TireWise.

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Vehicle size and weight also matter to crash forces and occupant risk; IIHS notes that larger vehicles such as pickups pose greater injury risk to pedestrians and bicyclists. That broader finding does not isolate the effect of changing tire diameter on a specific pickup. IIHS research on vehicle size and weight.

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What the tire-placard interpretation does—and does not—mean

NHTSA’s 2005 interpretation GF009450-2 concerns a specific question about a post-sale modifier and the tire placard under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 110. For the placard issue raised, the agency reasoned that the tire-size field refers to tires installed at first purchase for purposes other than resale, and concluded that changing tire size, cold inflation pressure, or cargo capacity after sale did not require updating the original placard under the make-inoperative provision it analyzed. Read NHTSA’s interpretation.

This is a narrow, dated interpretation—not a safety recommendation, a blanket opinion on whether a modification is lawful, or an exemption from every applicable requirement. It also does not mean the original placard becomes a reliable source for the correct pressure or capacity of every later modification. Follow vehicle-specific manufacturer guidance for safe fitment and operation.

NHTSA’s certification FAQ says FMVSS Nos. 119 and 120 concern tires and rims on vehicles other than passenger cars, and that manufacturers must equip new vehicles with compliant tires and rims for applicable weight ratings. A separate agency interpretation discusses alterer obligations when a pickup bed is replaced with a utility body before first retail sale. These manufacturer or alterer certification situations are distinct from an owner’s post-sale change; they should not be collapsed into one rule. NHTSA’s certification FAQ and NHTSA’s alteration interpretation.

In other words, a rule about a manufacturer or alterer certifying a new vehicle is not the same thing as an agency crash-rating update, and neither should be treated as a blanket approval of an owner’s chosen modification. The cited placard interpretation addresses only the specific provision and post-sale situation it analyzed.

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How to compare ratings without overreading them

When comparing two trucks—or two configurations of a truck—keep the test and the vehicle details aligned. A rating comparison is useful only when you know what vehicles and test categories the results describe.

  • Match the model year and configuration: Check cab or body style and any notes attached to the rating entry.
  • Compare the same test category: An IIHS result for one crash test is not interchangeable with a different test or a crash-avoidance result.
  • Respect NHTSA’s comparison limits: Frontal and overall scores are comparable only within the same class and among vehicles within 250 pounds of the rated vehicle.
  • Separate test results from modifications: Do not treat a rating for a listed factory configuration as a direct test of a truck with an unspecified package or tire change.
  • Verify current listings: Ratings and test selections can change over time; consult the live agency pages when assessing a named model.

If you are comparing a modified pickup with an unmodified one, be explicit about the limits: you can compare their published entries only to the extent those entries describe the relevant model years, configurations, and test categories. The sources do not provide a way to calculate a new score for an aftermarket package or tire change. A rating difference between two listed vehicles also cannot, by itself, be attributed to a tow package or tire size without more specific evidence.

What can be concluded for an individual modified pickup?

Without the truck’s model year and configuration, tow-package details, and proposed tire size, there is no sound basis for predicting a specific rating change or a particular performance outcome. The dependable answer is narrower: the published rating does not automatically change when an owner adds a tow package or larger tires, while the modified truck’s real-world behavior cannot be inferred from that unchanged rating alone.

Use the exact rating entry to understand what was tested, and use the vehicle maker’s tire-size and pressure recommendations when choosing tires. For a specific modification, obtain fitment advice tied to that truck rather than relying on general claims that a package or larger tire is inherently safer.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do pickup truck safety ratings change when you add a tow package or larger tires?

Not automatically. NHTSA and IIHS ratings report results for listed model years, configurations, and tests; adding equipment does not itself generate a new published rating. The rating also does not prove that the modified truck performs identically in every condition.

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Do bigger tires affect my truck’s safety rating?

They do not automatically change the published rating. The available sources do not quantify the safety effect of an unspecified truck-and-tire combination, so use the original tire size or a size the manufacturer recommends and seek vehicle-specific fitment guidance.

Does a tow package make a pickup safer?

The agency rating sources do not establish a universal safety benefit or a package-specific change to crashworthiness, braking, handling, or towing stability. Check the exact truck’s rating entry and the manufacturer’s documentation for its package equipment.

What tire pressure should I use after changing tires?

NHTSA advises following the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended inflation pressure, found in the owner’s manual or vehicle information, rather than using the pressure printed on the tire as the vehicle recommendation. For a different tire size, confirm fitment and pressure guidance for that specific truck.

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Does NHTSA require a new tire placard after an owner changes tire size?

A 2005 NHTSA interpretation addressed a specific post-sale tire-placard question and concluded that the changes described did not require updating the original placard under the provision it analyzed. It is a narrow interpretation, not a general safety recommendation or blanket legal opinion about modifications.

The Bottom Line

A tow package or larger tires do not automatically change a pickup’s published NHTSA or IIHS rating. That rating still describes the listed model year, configuration, and tests—not a bespoke assessment of the modified truck. Check the exact rating entry, and use the owner’s manual and driver-side tire label for original or manufacturer-recommended tire sizes and pressure. The agency rating information does not support a universal claim that either modification makes every pickup safer or less safe.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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