[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 232 (Wednesday, December 3, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67739-67740]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-30106]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2003-16463; Notice 1]


Hankook Tire America Corp., Receipt of Application for Decision 
of Inconsequential Noncompliance

    Hankook Tire America Corp. (Hankook Tire) has determined that 
certain tires it produced in 2003 do not comply with S4.3(e) of 49 CFR 
571.109, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 109, New 
pneumatic tires.
    Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 30118(d) and 30120(h), Hankook Tire has 
petitioned for a determination that this noncompliance is 
inconsequential to motor vehicle safety and has filed an appropriate 
report pursuant to 49 CFR Part 573, ``Defect and Noncompliance 
Reports.''
    This notice of receipt of an application is published under 49 
U.S.C. 30118 and 30120 and does not represent any agency decision or 
other exercise of judgment concerning the merits of the application.
    A total of approximately 3,049 tires are involved. These are 215/
50R 17 91H 04PR H405 tires, which Hankook Tire produced during DOT 
weeks 16 through 21 and DOT weeks 24 and 25 of the year 2003. They have 
the nylon ply number mismarked on one side of the tire, specifically on 
the DOT serial side. The incorrect marking on the DOT serial side is 
``2 steel + 2 polyester + 2 nylon'' and the correct marking on the 
opposite side is ``2 steel + 2 polyester + 1 nylon.'' Paragraph S4.3 of 
FMVSS No. 109 requires ``each tire shall have permanently molded into 
or onto both sidewalls * * * (e) Actual number of plies in the 
sidewall, and the actual number of plies in the tread area if 
different.''
    Hankook Tire believes that the noncompliance is inconsequential to 
motor vehicle safety, and that no corrective action is warranted. 
Hankook Tire states that first, the affected tires meet all 
requirements of 49 CFR 571.109 except for the markings pertaining to 
S4.3(e), and second, the markings on the side of the tire opposite the 
DOT serial side are correct.
    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and 
arguments on the application described above. Comments must refer to 
the docket and notice number cited at the beginning of this notice and 
be submitted by any of the following methods. Mail: Docket Management 
Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation, Nassif Building, Room

[[Page 67740]]

PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. Hand 
Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC. It is requested, but not required, 
that two copies of the comments be provided. The Docket Section is open 
on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Federal holidays. Comments 
may be submitted electronically by logging onto the Docket Management 
System Web site at http://dms.dot.gov. Click on ``Help'' to obtain 
instructions for filing the document electronically. Comments may be 
faxed to 1-202-493-2251, or may be submitted to the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
    The application, supporting materials, and all comments received 
before the close of business on the closing date indicated below will 
be filed and will be considered. All comments and supporting materials 
received after the closing date will also be filed and will be 
considered to the extent possible. When the application is granted or 
denied, notice of the decision will be published in the Federal 
Register pursuant to the authority indicated below.
    Comment closing date: January 2, 2004.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 301118, 301120: delegations of authority at 
CFR 1.50 and 501.8.

Kenneth N. Weinstein,
Associate Administrator for Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 03-30106 Filed 12-2-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P