Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 98 /Thursday, May 21, 1998 / Proposed Rules 27911

on or after [18 months after date of

publication of final rule], hydrostatic

and pneumatic testing must be in

accordance with Section 5.3 of API

Standard 650.

(d) For atmospheric pressure breakout

tanks constructed of carbon and low

alloy steel, welded or riveted, and nonrefrigerated and others (such as those

that were built to API Standard 650 or

its predecessor Standard 12C), that are

returned to service on or after [18

months after date of publication of final

rule], the necessity for the hydrostatic

testing of repair, alteration, and

reconstruction is covered in Section

10.3 of API Standard 653.

(e) For breakout tanks built to API

Standard 2510 and first placed in

service on or after [18 months after date

of publication of final rule], pressure

testing must be in accordance with

ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code,

Section VIII, Division 1 or 2.

8. Section 195.405 would be added to

read as follows:

§ 195.405 Protection against ignitions and

safe access/egress involving floating roofs.

(a) Protection provided on or after [18

months after date of publication of final

rule] against ignitions arising out of

static electricity, lightning, and stray

currents during operation and

maintenance activities involving

aboveground breakout tanks, must be in

accordance with API Recommended

Practice 2003, unless the operator notes

in the procedural manual (§ 195.402(c))

why compliance with all or certain

provisions of API Recommended

Practice 2003 is not necessary for the

safety of a particular breakout tank.

(b) The hazards associated with

access/egress onto floating roofs of inservice breakout tanks to perform

inspection, service, maintenance or

repair activities (other than specified

general considerations, specified routine

tasks or entering tanks removed from

service for cleaning) are addressed in

API Publication 2026. On or after [18

months after date of publication of final

rule] the operator must review and

consider the potentially hazardous

conditions, safety practices and

procedures in API Publication 2026 for

inclusion in the procedure manual

(§ 195.402(c)).

9. Section 195.416 would be amended

by adding paragraph (j) to read as

follows:

§ 195.416 External corrosion control.

* * * * *

(j) For breakout tanks where corrosion

of the tank bottom is controlled by a

cathodic protection system, the cathodic

protection system must be inspected to

ensure it is operated and maintained in

accordance with API Recommended

Practice 651, unless the operator notes

in the procedure manual (§ 195.402(c))

why compliance with all or certain

provisions of API Recommended

Practice 651 is not necessary for the

safety of a particular breakout tank.

10. Section 195.428 would be

amended by revising the title and by

adding paragraphs (c), (d) and (e) to read

as follows:

§ 195.428 Overpressure safety devices and

overfill protection systems.

* * * * *

(c) Except as provided in paragraph

(d) of this section, aboveground

breakout tanks must have an overfill

protection system in accordance with

API Recommended Practice 2350, on or

after [18 months after date of

publication of final rule], unless the

operator notes in the procedural manual

(§ 195.402(c)) why compliance with all

or certain provisions of API

Recommended Practice 2350 is not

necessary for the safety of a particular

breakout tank. However, API

Recommended Practice 2350 does not

apply to tanks with less than 600

gallons (2271 liters) of storage capacity.

(d) Breakout tanks that were built to

API Standard 2510 must have an overfill

protection system in accordance with

Section 5.1.2 of API Std. 2510 on or

after [18 months after date of

publication of final rule].

(e) The inspection and testing of each

overfill protection system on or after [18

months after date of publication of final

rule] must be in accordance with the

requirements for inspection and testing

of pressure control equipment in

paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section.

11. Section 195.432 would be revised

to read as follows:

§ 195.432 Inspection of in service

Breakout tanks.

(a) Each operator shall, at intervals

not exceeding 15 months, but at least

once each calendar year, inspect each

breakout tank (including atmospheric

and pressure tanks).

(b) On or after [18 months after date

of publication of final rule], compliance

with paragraph (a) of this section for the

inspection of the breakout tanks

specified requires the following:

(1) For tanks that are constructed of

carbon and low alloy steel, welded or

riveted, and non-refrigerated (such as

atmospheric tanks built to API Standard

650 or its predecessor Standard 12C),

the integrity inspection must be in

accordance with Section 4 of API

Standard 653.

(2) [Reserved].

Issued in Washington, DC on May 15,

1998.

Richard B. Felder,

Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.

[FR Doc. 98–13579 Filed 5–20–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–60–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

49 CFR Part 575

[Docket No. NHTSA–97–3251]

RIN 2127–AG67

Consumer Information Regulations;

Uniform Tire Quality Grading

Standards

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA),

Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY: This rulemaking action

follows the agency’s granting of a

petition filed by the Association of

International Automobile Manufacturers

(AIAM) for rulemaking to amend the

Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards

(UTQGS) to remove the requirement

that vehicle manufacturers provide

general UTQGS information to

purchasers and potential purchasers at

the point of sale of new motor vehicles.

That information is normally provided

in leaflets that inform customers of the

existence of the UTQGS, explain their

purpose, and explain how consumers

can use UTQGS information in

purchasing replacement tires for

passenger motor vehicles. Because new

passenger cars are typically equipped

with tires from any one of a number of

tire manufacturers, the leaflets do not

contain any information on the tires

provided on a specific vehicle.

Pursuant to the AIAM petition, the

agency proposes to amend the consumer

information regulation by removing the

requirement that motor vehicle

manufacturers provide general UTQGS

information to purchasers and

prospective purchasers of new motor

vehicles at the point of sale, requiring

instead that such information be

included in owners’ manuals, as some

auto manufacturers already do.

Elimination of the point-of-sale

requirement would remove a burden on

motor vehicle manufacturers and

dealers, yet should have little effect on

consumers. NHTSA believes that the

general UTQGS information is of little

value to consumers at the point of sale

of new vehicles because the vehicles are

sold with tires selected by the
27912 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 98 /Thursday, May 21, 1998 / Proposed Rules

1Subpart B of 49 CFR Part 575 includes

§ 575.103, Truck-camper loading; § 575.104,

Uniform tire quality grading standards; and

§ 575.105, Utility vehicles.

manufacturer and the consumer has

limited, if any, choice in selecting tire

brands and models. Further, consumers

normally have little interest in

replacement tires when shopping for or

purchasing a new vehicle. The agency

believes that consumers would be better

served by requiring such information to

be included in owners’ manuals for the

future reference of those consumers

when purchasing replacement tires.

Finally, this action also proposes to

delete the definitions of brake power

unit, lightly loaded vehicle weight,

maximum loaded vehicle weight, and

maximum sustained vehicle speed from

part 575 because they are no longer

pertinent to the Consumer Information

Regulations.

DATES: Comment closing date:

Comments on this notice must be

received on or before July 20, 1998.

Proposed effective date: If adopted,

the amendments proposed herein would

become effective for new motor vehicles

introduced more than 180 days

following publication of the final rule in

the Federal Register. Optional early

compliance would be permitted

beginning on the date of publication of

the final rule in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to

the docket number noted above and be

submitted to: Docket Management,

Room PL–401, 400 Seventh Street SW,

Washington, DC 20590. Docket room

hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.,

Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For technical issues, Mr. P.L. Moore,

Safety Standards Engineer, Office of

Planning and Consumer Programs,

Safety Performance Standards, National

Highway Traffic Safety Administration,

400 Seventh Street SW, Washington, DC

20590, telephone (202) 366–5222.

For legal issues: Walter K. Myers,

Attorney-Advisor, Office of the Chief

Counsel, National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, 400 Seventh

Street SW, Washington, DC 20590;

telephone (202) 366–2992.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Section 30123(e) of Title 49, U.S.

Code requires the Secretary of

Transportation to prescribe a uniform

quality grading system for motor vehicle

tires. The purpose of such system is to

assist consumers in making informed

decisions when purchasing tires.

Authority to implement that

requirement was delegated to the

Administrator of NHTSA. In accordance

with that statutory mandate, NHTSA

issued the UTQGS in 49 Code of Federal

Regulations (CFR), § 575.104. The

UTQGS, applicable to new passenger

car tires, in general require motor

vehicle and tire manufacturers and tire

brand name owners to provide

consumers with grading information for

each tire of which they are the

manufacturer or brand name owner with

respect to their tires’ relative

performance regarding treadwear,

traction, and temperature resistance.

Excluded from the standards are deep

tread, winter-type snow tires, spacesaver or temporary-use spare tires, tires

with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12

inches, and limited production tires.

Section 575.6(a) of Title 49, CFR

requires that at the time a motor vehicle

is delivered to the first purchaser for

purposes other than resale, the

manufacturer of that vehicle must

provide, in writing and in the English

language, the information specified in

§§ 575.103 and 575.104 that is

applicable to the vehicle and its tires.

The required information regarding tires

is set forth in § 575.104(d)(1)(iii) which

requires the vehicle manufacturer to list

all possible grades for traction and

temperature resistance and restate

verbatim the explanation for each of the

three performance areas. The

information must also contain a

statement referring the reader to the tire

sidewall for the specific tire grades for

the tires with which the vehicle is

equipped. In addition, § 575.6(c)

requires each manufacturer of motor

vehicles, each brand name owner of

tires, and each manufacturer of tires for

which there is no brand name owner to

provide the information specified in

subpart B of part 575 1 to prospective

purchasers at each location at which its

vehicles or tires are offered for sale. The

subpart B information pertaining to tires

specified in § 575.104(d)(1)(ii) is also

the general information on tire grading

with additional specific grade rating

information required only of the tire

manufacturer or tire brand name owner.

The Petition

The AIAM petitioned the agency to

amend 49 CFR 575.6(a), (c), and (d), and

the applicable portions of § 575.104(d)

to delete the requirement that motor

vehicle manufacturers provide UTQGS

information to purchasers and

prospective purchasers at the point of

sale of new vehicles. AIAM argues that

new vehicles are sold with tires that are

selected by the manufacturers for the

particular vehicle models. Thus, the

tires are not an item of choice for the

vehicle purchaser. AIAM states that

UTQGS information can be helpful

when consumers are shopping for

replacement tires, and that such

information would be provided by tire

manufacturers or brand name owners as

required by the regulation.

AIAM asserts that deletion of the

requirement for motor vehicle

manufacturers and their dealers to

provide UTQGS information for new

cars would eliminate unnecessary

administrative and paperwork expenses

for documents that are of no value to

purchasers and prospective purchasers

of new motor vehicles. AIAM asserts

that in its members’ experience,

consumers do not ask for this

information at new car dealerships.

Finally, AIAM states that some

vehicle manufacturers currently include

UTQGS information in their owners’

manuals where it is available to vehicle

owners as a reference when considering

the purchase of replacement tires.

Agency Analysis and Proposal

NHTSA has no information on the

cost of vehicle manufacturers of

supplying UTQGS information at all its

sales offices. However, considering that

approximately 10 to 12 million vehicles

are produced annually equipped with

passenger car tires for the U.S. domestic

market, the current provisions require

many millions of leaflets or brochures,

since auto manufacturers are required to

provide this information not only to

purchasers but to prospective

purchasers as well. NHTSA believes

that the AIAM point is well taken that

purchasers, and especially prospective

purchasers of new motor vehicles,

would not normally be concerned about

replacement tires while shopping for or

purchasing a new vehicle.

AIAM makes the point that, although

not currently required, some vehicle

manufacturers include UTQGS

information in their owners’ manuals.

NHTSA believes that to be an excellent

practice and an effective source of

UTQGS information since owners’

manuals are primary references for

vehicle owners regarding virtually all

aspects of their vehicles, and remain so

for the life of the vehicle. Thus, when

vehicle owners are ready to replace their

tires, their owner’s manual is a

convenient source of UTQGS

information for their consideration in

selecting replacement tires.

NHTSA is persuaded by the AIAM

petition that UTQGS information would

be of more value to consumers if set

forth in owners’ manuals rather than in

new car show rooms. Accordingly,

NHTSA proposes to amend, among

other things, § 575.6(a)(1) by requiring
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 98 /Thursday, May 21, 1998 / Proposed Rules 27913

vehicle manufacturers to include

§ 575.104 information in the owner’s

manual of each vehicle it produces; and

to amend paragraph (d)(1)(iii) of

§ 575.104 to require that the UTQGS

information prescribed in § 575.104,

Figure 2, Part II, be included in each

vehicle’s owner’s manual. Those

amendments would have the effect of

deleting the requirement that vehicle

manufacturers provide UTQGS

information to purchasers and

prospective purchasers of new

passenger cars at the point of sale

location, and to make that information

available to vehicle owners in their

owners’ manuals. Thus, the information

would still be available to consumers,

yet would relieve manufacturers of the

burden of providing quantities of

information of questionable value to

purchasers and prospective purchasers

of new passenger cars.

NHTSA also proposes to delete the

definitions of brake power unit, lightly

loaded vehicle weight, maximum loaded

vehicle weight, and maximum sustained

vehicle speed from § 575.2(c) because

they are no longer pertinent to Part 575.

Those definitions applied to §§ 575.101,

Vehicle stopping distance; 575.102, Tire

reserve load; and 575.106, Acceleration

and passing ability, all of which have

been removed from Part 575 in previous

rulemaking actions. In addition, NHTSA

proposes to revise Example 2 in

§ 575.6(a)(1) to be more representative of

the type of tables that might appear in

response to § 575.103.

Finally, NHTSA proposes to amend

§ 575.104(c)(1) to exclude tires with

nominal rim diameters of 12 inches or

less, rather than tires with nominal rim

diameters of 10 to 12 inches. NHTSA is

proposing this change in order to

eliminate any ambiguity about grading

tires smaller than 10 inches, such as

tires with rim diameters of 8 inches, that

should also be excluded. NHTSA notes

that there are few passenger car

applications in the U.S. of tires with rim

diameters of 12 inches or less.

Issues for NHTSA’s Evaluation

As stated above, the objective of the

UTOGS is to provide meaningful

comparative information to consumers

that will assist them in making informed

selections when purchasing passenger

car tires. NHTSA continues its interest

in providing the most effective and

efficient ways of promulgating that

information. Therefore, in order to

obtain additional data for the agency’s

evaluation of the issues raised in this

petition, NHTSA solicits comments on

the following specific questions:

1. To what extent do consumers and

potential consumers consider the

UTOGS information provided by

vehicle manufacturers at the point of

sale of new passenger cars?

2. What costs are incurred in the

preparation, printing, and distribution

of UTOGS information at the point of

sale of new passenger cars?

3. In what quantities do vehicle

manufacturers currently dispense

UTOGS information at the point of sale

of new passenger cars?

4. How much lead time would be

required and what costs would be

incurred or saved by vehicle

manufacturers by not having to provide

UTOGS information at the point of sale,

but by having to include such

information in owners’ manuals?

5. How much time is currently

devoted by manufacturers to the

preparation and distribution of UTOGS

information to purchasers and

prospective purchasers of new

passenger cars?

6. Should any information be added

to or deleted from that UTOGS

information currently required?

7. What would be the costs and/or

other problems for passenger car

manufacturers to provide, in leaflet form

or in the owner’s manual, the UTOGS

ratings for the specific tires provided on

each individual vehicle?

Rulemaking Analyses and Notices

(a) Executive Order 12866 and DOT

Regulatory Policies and Procedures.

This document was not reviewed

under Executive order 12866,

Regulatory Planning and Review.

NHTSA has analyzed the impact of this

rulemaking action and has determined

that it is not ‘‘significant’’ under the

DOT’s regulatory policies and

procedures. This proposed action would

relieve motor vehicle manufacturers of

the requirement to provide UTOGS

information to purchasers and

prospective purchasers of new motor

vehicles at the points of sale of those

vehicles, but would require the

manufacturers of vehicles equipped

with passenger car tires to include that

UTOQS information in the owner’s

manual of each individual such vehicle.

Thus, although this proposed action, if

finalized, would relieve vehicle

manufacturers of one requirement and

impose another, NHTSA believes that

the cost of adding UTOQS information

to owners’ manuals, which vehicle

manufacturers are already required to

provide, would be minimal and in any

case, less than the cost of preparing and

providing separate UTOQS information

at new vehicle dealerships. AIAM

pointed out in its petition that some

vehicle manufacturers already include

UTOQS information in their owners’

manuals. NHTSA believes, therefore,

that implementation of this proposed

regulatory action would result in an asyet undetermined net overall cost

savings to vehicle manufacturers. The

agency hopes to receive more specific

cost information from the public

comments (see question No. 4, Issues for

NHTSA’s Evaluation, above). The

agency believes, however, that any net

cost savings would be minimal,

therefore not warranting preparation of

a full regulatory evaluation.

(b) Regulatory Flexibility Act. NHTSA

has considered the effects of this

rulemaking action under the Regulatory

Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601, et seq.). I

hereby certify that this notice of

proposed rulemaking would not have a

significant impact on a substantial

number of small entities.

The following is the agency’s

statement providing the factual basis for

the certification (5 U.S.C. 605(b)). The

amendments proposed herein would

primarily affect manufacturers of

passenger cars and multipurpose

passenger vehicles (MPV) that are

equipped with passenger car tires. The

Small Business Administration (SBA)

regulation at 13 CFR part 121 define a

small business in part as a business

entity ‘‘which operates primarily within

the United States’’ (13 CFR 121.105(a)).

SBA’s size standards are organized

according to Standard Industrial

Classification (SIC) codes. SIC code No.

3711, ‘‘Motor Vehicles and Passenger

Car Bodies,’’ has a small business size

standard of 1,000 employees of fewer.

SIC code No. 3714, ‘‘Motor Vehicle Parts

and Accessories,’’ has a small business

size standard of 750 or fewer employees.

For manufacturers of passenger cars

and MPVs, NHTSA estimates that there

are at most 5 small manufacturers of

passenger cars in the U.S. Because each

such manufacturer serves a niche

market, often specializing in replicas or

‘‘classic’’ cars, production for each such

manufacturer is fewer than 100 cars per

year. Thus, there are at most 500 such

cars manufactured per year by U.S.

small businesses.

By contrast, NHTSA estimates that

there are 9 large manufacturers of

passenger cars and light trucks and vans

(LTV) in the U.S. Total U.S.

manufacturing production per year is

approximately 15 to 15.5 million

passenger cars and LTVs. Thus, NHTSA

does not believe that small businesses

manufacture even 0.1 percent of the

total U.S. passenger car and LTV

production per year.

In view of the above discussion,

NHTSA believes that small businesses,

small organizations, and small

governmental units would be affected
27914 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 98 /Thursday, May 21, 1998 / Proposed Rules

by the proposed amendments only to

the extent that there could be a very

slight, minimal decrease in the cost of

new passenger cars. Thus, the agency

has not prepared a preliminary

regulatory flexibility analysis.

(c) Executive Order No. 12612,

Federalism. NHTSA has analyzed this

rulemaking action in accordance with

the principles and criteria of E.O. 12612

and has determined that this rule does

not have sufficient federalism

implications to warrant the preparation

of a Federalism Assessment.

(d) National Environmental Policy

Act. NHTSA has analyzed this

rulemaking action for the purposes of

the National Environmental Policy Act

and has determined that

implementation of this rulemaking

action will not have any significant

impact on the quality of the human

environment.

(e) Paperwork Reduction Act. The

provisions of the proposed amendments

herein requiring manufacturers to

provide information in owners’ manuals

explaining the UTQGS tire quality

grades for the benefit of consumers are

considered to be third-party information

collection requirements as defined by

the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) in 5 CFR part 1320. The

information collection requirements for

49 CFR part 575 have been submitted to

and approved by OMB pursuant to the

provisions of the Paperwork Reduction

Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq. This

collection of information authority has

been assigned control numbers 2127–

0049 for part 575, excluding the

UTQGS; and 2127–0519 for § 575.104

(UTQGS).

(f) Civil Justice Reform. These

proposed amendments would have no

retroactive effect. Under 49 U.S.C.

30103(b), whenever a Federal motor

vehicle safety standard is in effect, a

state or political subdivision of a state

may prescribe or continue in effect a

standard applicable to the same aspect

of performance of a motor vehicle only

if the standard is identical to the Federal

standard. However, the United States

Government, a state or political

subdivision of a state may prescribe a

standard for a motor vehicle or motor

vehicle equipment obtained for its own

use that imposes a higher performance

requirement than that required by the

Federal standard. 49 U.S.C. 30161 sets

forth a procedure for judicial review of

final rules establishing, amending or

revoking Federal motor vehicle safety

standards. A petition for reconsideration

or other administrative proceedings is

not required before parties may file suit

in court.

Comments

Interested persons are invited to

submit comments on the amendments

proposed herein. It is requested but not

required that any comments be

submitted in duplicate (original and 1

copy).

Comments must not exceed 15 pages

in length (49 CFR 553.21). This

limitation is intended to encourage

commenters to detail their primary

arguments in concise fashion. Necessary

attachments, however may be appended

to those comments without regard to the

15-page limit.

If a commenter wishes to submit

certain information under a claim of

confidentiality, 3 copies of the complete

submission, including the purportedly

confidential business information,

should be submitted to the Chief

Counsel, NHTSA, at the street address

noted above and 1 copy from which the

purportedly confidential information

has been deleted should be submitted to

Docket Management. A request for

confidentiality should be accompanied

by a cover letter setting forth the

information in 49 CFR part 512,

Confidential Business Information.

All comments received on or before

the close of business on the comment

closing date indicated above for the

proposal will be considered, and will be

available to the public for examination

in the docket at the above address both

before and after the closing date. To the

extent possible, comments received after

the closing date will be considered.

Comments received too late for

consideration in regard to the final rule

will be considered as suggestions for

further rulemaking action. Comments on

today’s proposal will be available for

public inspection in the docket. NHTSA

will continue to file relevant

information in the docket after the

closing date, and it is recommended that

interested persons continue to monitor

the docket for new material.

Those persons desiring to be notified

upon receipt of their comments in the

rule docket should enclose a selfaddressed stamped postcard in the

envelope with their comments. Upon

receiving the comments the docket

supervisor will return the postcard by

mail.

List of Subjects in 49 CFR Part 575

Consumer protection, Labeling, Motor

vehicle safety, Motor vehicles, Rubber

and rubber products, Tires.

In consideration of the foregoing, 49

CFR part 575 would be amended as

follows:

PART 575—CONSUMER

INFORMATION REGULATIONS

1. The authority citation for part 575

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 575.2(c) would be amended

by removing the definitions of Brake

power unit, Lightly loaded vehicle

weight, Maximum loaded vehicle

weight, and Maximum sustained vehicle

speed.

3. Section 575.6 would be amended

by revising paragraphs (a)(1), (d)(1)(i),

(d)(1)(ii), and (d)(2). Section 575.104

would be amended by revising (c)(1);

(d)(1)(ii); and (d)(1)(iii), to read as

follows:

§ 575.6 Requirements.

(a)(1) At the time a motor vehicle is

delivered to the first purchaser for

purposes other than resale, the

manufacturer of that vehicle shall

provide the Uniform Tire Quality

Grading information required by

§ 575.104(d)(1)(iii) in the owner’s

manual of each vehicle it produces. The

vehicle manufacturer shall also provide

to the purchaser, in writing and in the

English language, the information

specified in § 575.103 of this part that is

applicable to that vehicle. The

information provided with a vehicle

may contain more than one table, but

the document must either:

(i) Clearly and unconditionally

indicate which of the tables apply to the

vehicle with which it is provided, or

(ii) contain a statement on its cover

referring the reader to the vehicle

certification label for specific

information concerning which of the

tables apply to that vehicle. If the

manufacturer chooses option in

paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section, the

vehicle certification label shall include

such specific information.

Example 1. Manufacturer X furnishes a

document containing several tables that

apply to various groups of vehicles that it

produces. The document contains the

following notation on its front page: ‘‘The

information that applies to this vehicle is

contained in Table 5.’’ That notation satisfies

the requirement.

Example 2. Manufacturer Y furnishes a

document containing several tables as in

Example 1, with the following notation on its

front page:

‘‘Information applies as follows:

Model P. Regular cab, 135 in. (3,430 mm)

wheel base—Table 1.

Model P. Club cab, 142 in. (3,607 mm) wheel

base—Table 2.

Model Q—Table 3.’’

This notation does not satisfy the

requirement, since it is conditioned on the
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 98 /Thursday, May 21, 1998 / Proposed Rules 27915

model or the equipment of the vehicle with

which the document is furnished, and

therefore additional information is required

to select the proper table.

* * * * *

(d)(1)(i) Except as provided in

paragraph (d)(1)(ii) of this section, in the

case of all sections of subpart B other

than § 575.104, as they apply to

information submitted prior to new

model introduction, each manufacturer

of motor vehicles shall submit to the

Administrator 2 copies of the

information specified in subpart B of

this part that is applicable to the

vehicles offered for sale, at least 90 days

before information on such vehicles is

first provided for examination by

prospective purchasers pursuant to

paragraph (c) of this section.

(ii) Where an unforeseen

preintroduction modification in vehicle

design or equipment results in a change

in vehicle performance for a

characteristic included in subpart B of

this part, a manufacturer of motor

vehicles may revise information

previously furnished under paragraph

(d)(1)(i) of this section by submission to

the Administrator of 2 copies of the

revised information reflecting the

performance changes, at least 30 days

before information on such vehicles is

first provided to prospective purchasers

pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section.

(d)(2) In the case of § 575.104, and all

other sections of subpart B as they apply

to post-introduction changes in

information submitted for the current

model year, each manufacturer of motor

vehicles, each brand name owner of

tires, and each manufacturer of tires for

which there is no brand name owner

shall submit to the Administrator 3

copies of the information specified in

subpart B of this part that is applicable

to the vehicles or tires offered for sale,

at least 30 days before it is first provided

for examination by prospective

purchasers pursuant to paragraph (c) of

this section.

* * * * *

§ 575.104 Uniform Tire Quality Grading

Standards.

* * * * *

(c) Application: (1) This section

applies to new pneumatic tires for use

on passenger cars. However, this section

does not apply to deep tread, wintertype snow tires, space-saver or

temporary use spare tires, tires with

nominal rim diameters of 12 inches or

less, or to limited production tires as

defined in paragraph (c)(2) of this

section.

* * * * *

(d) * * * (1) * * *

(ii) In the case of the information

required by § 575.6(c) to be furnished to

prospective purchasers of tires, each tire

manufacturer or band name owner shall,

as part of that information, list all

possible grades for traction and

temperature resistance, and restate

verbatim the explanation for each

performance area specified in Figure 2.

The information need not be in the same

format as in Figure 2. The information

must indicate clearly and

unambiguously the grade in each

performance area for each tire of that

manufacturer or brand name owner

offered for sale at the particular

location.

(iii) Each manufacturer of motor

vehicles equipped with passenger car

tires shall include in the owner’s

manual of each such vehicle a list of all

possible grades for traction and

temperature resistance and restate

verbatim the explanation for each

performance area specified in Figure 2,

Part II. The information need not be in

the exact format of Figure 2, Part II, but

it must contain a statement referring the

reader to the tire sidewall for the

specific tire grades for the tires with

which the vehicle is equipped, as

follows:

Uniform Tire Quality Grading

Quality grades can be found where

applicable on the tire sidewall between tread

shoulder and maximum section width. For

example:

Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A

* * * * *

Issued on May 13, 1998.

L. Robert Shelton,

Associate Administrator for Safety

Performance Standards.

[FR Doc. 98–13277 Filed 5–20–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–M