[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 113 (Tuesday, June 11, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 29493-29495]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-14491]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

49 CFR Parts 571 and 574

[Docket No. 96-57, Notice 01]
RIN 2127-AG26


Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards: New Pneumatic Tires; 
Retreaded Pneumatic Tires; New Pneumatic Tires for Vehicles Other Than 
Passenger Cars; Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles Other Than 
Passenger Cars; Tire Identification and Recordkeeping

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Technical amendment.

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SUMMARY: The technical amendments herein amend four Federal motor 
vehicle safety standards and the regulation on tire identification and 
recordkeeping to delete obsolete dates, update statutory citations, 
correct typographical errors, and update the designations of the 
offices to which requests and reports are submitted.
    The changes effected by these technical amendments are in 
accordance with the President's Regulatory Reinvention Initiative of 
March 4, 1994, which directed Federal departments and agencies to 
eliminate unneeded regulations or parts thereof and update those that 
are to remain in effect.

DATES: These amendments are effective July 11, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical issues: Robert M. 
Clarke, Chief, Vehicle Dynamics Division, Office of Crash Avoidance 
Standards, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh 
Street SW., Washington, DC 20590; telephone (202) 366-5281; FAX (202) 
366-4329.
    For legal issues: Walter Myers, Office of the Chief Counsel, 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street SW., 
Washington, DC 20590; telephone (202) 366-2992; FAX (202) 366-3820.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On March 4, 1994 the President issued a directive entitled 
``Regulatory Reinvention Initiative'' to the heads of all Federal 
departments and agencies directing them to review all regulations for 
which they are responsible in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). 
The review was intended to delete

[[Page 29494]]

unnecessary or obsolete rules, update rules in light of current 
technology and industry conditions, and improve and streamline rules in 
order better to serve our customers. As a result of NHTSA's review of 
its existing safety standards and related regulations, the agency 
identified a number of errors and outdated information in the tire 
standards. Specifically, in addition to obsolete dates, such errors as 
misspelled words, obsolete statutory and regulatory citations, and 
outdated office designations for the receipt of requests and reports 
were noted in Federal motor vehicle safety standard (Standard) Nos. 
109, New pneumatic tires (49 CFR 571.109); 117, Retreaded pneumatic 
tires (49 CFR 571.117); 119, New pneumatic tires for vehicles other 
than passenger cars (49 CFR 571.119); 120, Tire selection and rims for 
motor vehicles other than passenger cars (49 CFR 571.120); and 49 CFR 
part 574, Tire Identification and Recordkeeping.
    NHTSA has decided to make the necessary changes without affording 
an opportunity for public comment because these changes represent only 
technical corrections to regulations that otherwise remain current, 
viable, and useful. The changes promulgated herein impose no 
obligations on any party. Rather, they delete or correct provisions 
that otherwise could create confusion or potentially cause 
misunderstandings in the agency, the public, and the tire industry. 
Accordingly, the agency finds for good cause that notice and 
opportunity for comment are unnecessary. Therefore, these changes are 
effective upon publication of this notice.

List of Subjects

49 CFR Part 571

    Imports, Motor vehicle safety, Motor vehicles, Rubber and rubber 
products, Tires.

49 CFR 574

    Labeling, Motor vehicle safety, Reporting and requirements, Tires.

    In consideration of the foregoing, 49 CFR part 571 is amended to 
read as follows:

PART 571--FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS

    1. The authority citation for part 571 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115, 30117, and 30166; 
delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50.

    2. Section 571.109 is amended by revising paragraph S4.2.1(d), by 
removing and reserving paragraph S4.3.3, and by revising paragraph 
S4.4.1(a) to read as follows:


Sec. 571.109  Standard No. 109, New pneumatic tires.

* * * * *
    S4.2.1 * * *
    (d) It shall incorporate a tread wear indicator that will provide a 
visual indication that the tire has worn to a tread depth of \1/16\ 
inch.
* * * * *
    S4.3.3  [Removed and reserved]
* * * * *
    S4.4.1 * * *
    (a) Listed by manufacturer name or brand name in a document 
furnished to dealers of the manufacturer's tires, to any person upon 
request, and in duplicate to the Docket Section, National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 
20590; or
* * * * *
    3. Appendix A to 571.109 is amended by revising the first paragraph 
of the introductory text to read as follows:

Appendix A--Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109

    The following tables list tire sizes and tire constructions with 
proper load and inflation values. The tables group tires of related 
constructions and load/inflation values. Persons requesting the 
addition of new tire sizes to the tables or the addition of tables 
for new tire constructions may, when the additions requested are 
compatible with existent groupings, or when adequate justification 
for new tables exists, submit five (5) copies of information and 
data supporting the request to the Vehicle Dynamics Division, Office 
of Crash Avoidance Standards, National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590.
* * * * *
    4. Section 571.117 is amended by revising paragraph S6.1, by 
removing and reserving paragraph S6.2 in its entirety, by revising 
paragraph S6.3, and by removing paragraphs S6.3.1 and S6.3.2 entirely.


571.117  Standard No. 117, Retreaded pneumatic tires.

* * * * *
    S6.1  Each manufacturer of a retreaded tire shall certify that its 
product complies with this standard pursuant to Section 30115 of Title 
49, United States Code, by labeling the tire with the symbol DOT in the 
location specified in section 574.5 of this chapter.
    S6.2  Removed and reserved.
    S6.3  Labeling. Each retreaded tire shall bear permanent labeling 
through molding, branding, or other method that will produce a 
permanent label, or through the retention of the original casing 
labeling, in at least one location on the tire sidewall, in letters and 
numbers not less than 0.078 inch high, consisting of the following 
information:
    (a) The tire's size designation;
    (b) The tire's maximum permissible inflation pressure, either as it 
appears on the casing or as set forth in Table 1;
    (c) The tire's maximum load, either as it appears on the casing or 
as set forth in Table 1;
    (d) The actual number of plies in or the ply rating of the tire 
sidewall and, if different, the actual number of plies in or the ply 
rating of the tread area;
    (e) The generic name of each cord material used in the plies of 
both sidewall and the tread area of the tire;
    (f) The word ``tubeless'' if the tire is a tubeless tire, or the 
words ``tube-type'' if the tire is a tube-type tire;
    (g) If the tire is of bias/belted construction, the words ``bias/
belted;''
    (h) If the tire is of radial construction, the word ``radial.''
    The information shall either be retained from the casing used in 
the manufacture of the tire, or may be labeled onto the tire during the 
retreading process.
    S6.3.1  [Removed]
    S6.3.2  [Removed]
* * * * *
    5. Section 571.119 is amended by revising paragraphs S5.1(a), 
S6.5(f), and S7.2(a) to read as follows:


Sec. 571.119  Standard No. 119, New pneumatic tires for vehicles other 
than passenger cars.

* * * * *
    S5.1 * * *
    (a) Listed by manufacturer name or brand name in a document 
furnished to dealers of the manufacturer's tires, to any person upon 
request, and in duplicate to: Docket Section, National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590; or
* * * * *
    S6.5  Tire markings. * * *
    (f) The actual number of plies and the composition of the ply cord 
material in the sidewall and, if different, in the tread area;
* * * * *
    S7.2  Endurance. (a) Mount the tire on a model rim assembly and 
inflate it to the inflation pressure corresponding to the maximum load 
rating marked on the tire. Use a single maximum load value when the 
tire is marked with both single and dual maximum load.
* * * * *
    6. Section 571.120 is amended by revising paragraphs S5.1.1, S5.2

[[Page 29495]]

introductory text, S5.2(e)(1), and the introductory paragraph of S5.3 
to read as follows:


Sec. 571.120  Standard No. 120, Tire selection and rims for motor 
vehicles other than passenger cars.

* * * * *
    S5.1.1  Except as specified in S5.1.3, each vehicle equipped with 
pneumatic tires for highway service shall be equipped with tires that 
meet the requirements of Sec. 571.109, New pneumatic tires, or 
Sec. 571.119, New pneumatic tires for vehicles other than passenger 
cars, and rims that are listed by the manufacturer of the tires as 
suitable for use with those tires, in accordance with S4.4 of 
Sec. 571.109 or S5.1 of Sec. 571.119, as applicable, except that 
vehicles may be equipped with a non-pneumatic spare tire assembly that 
meets the requirements of Sec. 571.129, New non-pneumatic tires for 
passenger cars, and S8 of this standard. Vehicles equipped with such an 
assembly shall meet the requirements of S5.3.3, S7, and S9 of this 
standard.
* * * * *
    S5.2  Rim marking. Each rim or, at the option of the manufacturer 
in the case of a single-piece wheel, wheel disc shall be marked with 
the information listed in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this paragraph, 
in lettering not less than 3 millimeters high, impressed to a depth or, 
at the option of the manufacturer, embossed to a height of not less 
than 0.125 millimeters. The information listed in paragraphs (a) 
through (c) of this paragraph shall appear on the weather side. In the 
case of rims of multi piece construction, the information listed in 
paragraphs (a) through (e) of this paragraph shall appear on the rim 
base and the information listed in paragraphs (b) and (d) of this 
paragraph shall also appear on each other part of the rim.
* * * * *
    S5.2(e)(1) Any manufacturer that elects to express the date of 
manufacture by means of a symbol shall notify NHTSA in writing of the 
full names and addresses of all manufacturers and brand name owners 
utilizing that symbol and the name and address of the trademark owner 
of that symbol, if any. The notification shall describe in narrative 
form and in detail how the month, day, and year or the month and year 
are depicted by the symbol. Such description shall include an actual 
size graphic depiction of the symbol, showing and/or explaining the 
interrelationship of the component parts of the symbol as they will 
appear on the rim or single piece wheel disc, including dimensional 
specifications, and where the symbol will be located on the rim or 
single piece wheel disc. The notification shall be received by NHTSA at 
least 60 calendar days prior to first use of the symbol. The 
notification shall be mailed to the Office of Vehicle Safety 
Compliance, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh 
Street SW., Washington, DC 20590. All information provided to NHTSA 
under this paragraph will be placed in the public docket. * * *
    S5.3  Label information. Each vehicle shall show the information 
specified in S5.3.1 and S5.3.2 and, in the case of a vehicle equipped 
with a non-pneumatic spare tire, the information specified in S5.3.3, 
in the English language, lettered in block capitals and numerals not 
less than 2.4 millimeters high and in the format set forth following 
this section. This information shall appear either--
* * * * *
    In consideration of the foregoing, 49 CFR Part 574 is amended to 
read as follows:

PART 574--TIRE IDENTIFICATION AND RECORDKEEPING

    7. The authority citation for Part 574 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115, 30117, and 30166; 
delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50.

    8. Sections 574.2, 574.3(a), and 574.6 introductory text, are 
revised to read as follows:


Sec. 574.2  Purpose.

    The purpose of this part is to facilitate notification to 
purchasers of defective or nonconforming tires, pursuant to Sections 
30118 and 30119 of Title 49, United States Code, so that they may take 
appropriate action in the interest of motor vehicle safety.


Sec. 574.3  Definitions.

    (a) Statutory definitions.  All terms in this part that are defined 
in Section 30102 of Title 49, United States Code, are used as defined 
therein.
* * * * *


Sec. 574.6  Identification mark.

    To obtain the identification mark required by 574.5(a), each 
manufacturer of new or retreaded pneumatic tires, non-pneumatic tires 
or non-pneumatic tire assemblies shall apply in writing to the Office 
of Vehicle Safety Compliance, National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590, identify 
itself as a tire manufacturer or retreader and furnish the following 
information:
* * * * *
    Issued on June 4, 1996.
Barry Felrice,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 96-14491 Filed 6-10-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P