Informal Document No.21 53rd GRRF, 3-7 February 2003 Agenda Item 6.1. Status of tire rulemaking actions

1
Informal Document No.2153rd GRRF, 3-7 February
2003Agenda Item 6.1.Status of tire rulemaking
actions

• Submission by the United States of America for
  information on the status of the various tire
  rulemaking actions

2
TREAD ACT

• HR 5164 signed into law on November 1, 2000
• Transportation Recall Enhancement,
  Accountability, and Documentation (TREAD) Act
• 3 Sections relate to tire performance items

3
SECTION 10 - TIRE STANDARD UPGRADE

• Revise and Update tire standards FMVSS 109 and
  FMVSS 119
• Rulemaking must be completed by June 1, 2002

4
SECTION 11 - IMPROVED TIRE INFORMATION

• Tire Labeling
• Improve labeling for consumers to easily identify
  tires involved in a recall
• Initiate rulemaking within 30 days
• Complete rulemaking by June 1, 2002
• Inflation Levels and Load Limits
• Consumer information on tire load limits
• Consumer information on maintaining proper tire
  inflation levels
• No statutory deadlines established

5
SECTION 13 - TIRE PRESSURE WARNING

• Require a warning system in the vehicle to
  indicate when the tire is significantly
  under-inflated
• Complete rulemaking by November 1, 2001
• Requirement must become effective 2 years after
  completion of rulemaking

6
PROPOSALS FOR NEW FMVSS 139

• Proposal published March 5, 2002
• Light Vehicle Standard for vehicles up to 10,000
  lbs GVWR
• High Speed test Upgraded
• Endurance test Upgraded
• Low Pressure Performance test New
• Bead Unseating test Upgraded
• Road Hazard Impact test Upgraded
• Aging Effects test New

7
BRIEF SUMMARY OF COMMENTS TO NPRM

• High Speed test
• RMA accepts test with some minor revisions for
  ambient temperature and parameters for testing LT
  tire
• Alliance supports GTS-2000 proposal Ford
  suggested 105 load at rated speed
• Consumer groups prefer test based on speed
  ratings
• UN/ECE supports a test based on the speed rating
  of the tire

8
BRIEF SUMMARY OF COMMENTS TO NPRM

• Endurance test
• RMA recommended lower loads for shorter duration
  also different test parameters for LT tires
• Ford suggested adding 48 hours at 130 load to
  the current FMVSS 109
• Consumer Groups supported a higher load of
  100/110/115
• UN/ECE believes that there is no value in this
  test

9
BRIEF SUMMARY OF COMMENTS TO NPRM

• Low Pressure Test
• RMA supports Option 1 of test, with revised
  parameters for LT tires
• ETRTO says there is no justification for such a
  test
• Alliance suggests that the low pressure test be
  run after the aging test
• Consumers Union favors a 4-hour low pressure test
• UN/ECE is opposed to test because test conditions
  are excessive

10
BRIEF SUMMARY OF COMMENTS TO NPRM

• Road Hazard Impact test
• RMA said that a road hazard impact test is not
  necessary for regulatory purposes
• Alliance wants to retain the plunger test until a
  better replacement is developed
• Consumer groups say that the test has limited
  value
• UN/ECE believed that more research is needed

11
BRIEF SUMMARY OF COMMENTS TO NPRM

• Bead Unseating test
• RMA suggests that the agency keep the current
  test
• Alliance suggested a revision to load values used
  and that a test rim be specified
• Consumers Union recommended more research
• UN/ECE believes that that there is no safety
  benefit from this test

12
BRIEF SUMMARY OF COMMENTS TO NPRM

• Aging Test
• RMA does not support an aging test. Oven aging
  is least objectionable if agency has to choose a
  test
• Alliance believes that proposed tests may not
  increase safety
• Ford recommends a revised version of oven aging
  proposal using blend of O2/N2
• Consumer Groups think more research is needed
• UN/ECE says it could support an oven aging test
  but more research is needed

13
BRIEF SUMMARY OF COMMENTS TO NPRM

• Tire Selection Criteria
• RMA supports retaining 1.10 de-rating for
  P-metric tires and the proposal for normal load
  to be 85 of load at placard
• Alliance urged the agency to keep normal load at
  88 of max load
• Consumer groups want a reserve load of 18-20
• UN/ECE urged agency to adopt a reserve load
  requirement

14
BRIEF SUMMARY OF COMMENTS TO NPRM

• Effective Date
• RMA supports an effective date for full
  compliance 5 years after the final rule
• Alliance supports a September 1, 2007 effective
  date, with optional compliance prior to that date
• Consumer groups want the new rule effective as
  soon as possible

15
SUMMARY

• Next Steps for Final Rule
• Currently being reviewed by the Secretary of
  Transportation
• Then forwarded to the Office of Management and
  Budget (OMB) for review
• After these reviews and approvals, published in
  the Federal Register
• 45-day petition for reconsideration

16
SUMMARY OF TPMS and TIRE LABELING

• TPMS (Docket 8572)
• Final Rule published June 5, 2002
• 13 Petitions for reconsideration received
• Final Rule petitions for reconsideration will
  be published after review/approval process
• Tire Labeling (Docket 11157 13678)
• Final Rule published November 18, 2002
• 7 Petitions for reconsideration received
• Final Rule petitions for reconsideration will
  be published after review/approval process