Interpretation ID: nht90-1.32

TYPE: Interpretation-NHTSA

DATE: January 31, 1990

FROM: Earl W. Dahl -- Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company., Vice President

TO: Stephen P. Wood -- Acting Chief Counsel., NHTSA

TITLE: None

ATTACHMT: Attached to letter dated 5-2-90 To Earl W. Dahl and From Stephen P. Wood; (A35; Part 574); Also attached to letter dated 5-31-89 To Garry Gallagher and From Erika Z. Jones

TEXT:

This letter is related to the tire identification and recordkeeping requirements of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 574. Section 574.5 defines the tire identification number, the fourth grouping of which consists of three numerals which identif y the date of manufacture. The first two numerals identify the week of the year, and the third numeral identifies the year. For example, date code "439" identifies the 43rd week of 1989. But that same date code also identifies the 43rd week of 1979. And therein lies the reason for this letter.

For various reasons, the European tire industry, including the European operations of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, believes it is necessary to be able to distinguish the date of manufacture in an interval longer than one decade. To that end, it is the intent of the European manufacturers to add a symbol immediately following the fourth grouping of the tire identification number to identify tires produced in the decade from 1990 through 1999. The predominant symbol will be an isosceles right trian gle, with the right angle pointed toward the tire identification number.

NHTSA has been consistent in allowing information to be stamped on tires, in addition to that required by the regulations, so long as the additional information did not obstruct or confuse the meaning of the information required by the regulations. Attac hed is an example serial number showing the proposed "decade symbol." In this case, the symbol is about 3/4 inch away from the last character of the date code. However, in some cases the symbol will directly follow the date code, with no more than 1/8 in ch spacing between the date code and the symbol.

We request an opinion that the addition of such a symbol is permissible. Encl. 1 (Graphics not included)