[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 247 (Tuesday, December 26, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77436-77437]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-22032]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2006-26656; Notice 1]


Continental Tire North America, Receipt of Petition for Decision 
of Inconsequential Noncompliance

    Continental Tire North America (Continental) has determined that 
certain tires it produced in 2006 do not comply with S5.5(f) of 49 CFR 
571.139, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 139, ``New 
pneumatic radial tires for light vehicles.'' Continental has filed an 
appropriate report pursuant to 49 CFR Part 573, ``Defect and 
Noncompliance Reports.''
    Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 30118(d) and 30120(h), Continental has 
petitioned for an exemption from the notification and remedy 
requirements of 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301 on the basis that this 
noncompliance is inconsequential to motor vehicle safety.
    This notice of receipt of Continental's petition 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 petition.
    Affected are a total of approximately 1,369 model 225/70R16 103S 
Continental and General replacement tires manufactured during October, 
2006. S5.5(f) of FMVSS No. 139 requires the actual number of plies in 
the tread area to be molded on both sidewalls of each tire. The 
noncompliant tires are

[[Page 77437]]

marked on the sidewall ``TREAD 5 PLIES 2 STEEL + 2 POLYESTER + 1 
NYLON'' whereas the correct marking should be ``TREAD 4 PLIES 2 STEEL + 
2 POLYESTER.''
    Continental Tire believes that the noncompliance is inconsequential 
to motor vehicle safety and that no corrective action is warranted. 
Continental Tire states,

    All other sidewall identification markings and safety 
information are correct. This noncompliant sidewall marking does not 
affect the safety, performance and durability of the tire; the tires 
were built as designed.

Continental has corrected the problem that caused these errors so that 
they will not be repeated in future production.
    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and 
arguments on this petition. 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 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 am to 5 pm 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 petition, 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 petition 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 25, 2007.

(Authority 49 U.S.C. 30118, 30120: delegations of authority at CFR 
1.50 and 501.8)

    Issued on: December 19, 2006.
Claude H. Harris,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
 [FR Doc. E6-22032 Filed 12-22-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P