Tire manufacturers and retreaders got at least some of what they wanted from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in terms of new tire labeling requirements.
Answering petitions from the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA), the Tire Industry Association (TIA) and others, the agency granted TIA's request to exclude retreaders from the requirement to mold the tire identification number on both sides of the tire. NHTSA clarified the information requirements for vehicle placards-such as allowing the inclusion of bar codes, ID numbers and tire load indications-and changed the effective compliance date to a phase-in between September 2005 and September 2007.
NHTSA didn't remove the requirement to mold the TIN on ``the intended outboard sidewall,'' as the RMA requested, but did give tire makers until Sept. 1, 2009, to comply.
A RMA spokesman said the association was still studying the NHTSA document at press time, but TIA expressed pleasure at its exemption. ``The passenger/light truck retread market is very small, and there has never been a recall,'' said Becky MacDicken, TIA director of government affairs. ``We commend NHTSA for realizing there is no need to force retreaders through the expense of these labeling requirements.''
The agency issued its final rule on tire labeling Nov. 18, 2002, as part of the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation (TREAD) Act.