§30123. Tires

(a) Regrooved Tire Limitations.-(1) In this subsection, "regrooved tire" means a tire with a new tread produced by cutting into the tread of a worn tire.

(2) The Secretary may authorize the sale, offer for sale, introduction for sale, or delivery for introduction in interstate commerce, of a regrooved tire or a motor vehicle equipped with regrooved tires if the Secretary decides the tires are designed and made in a way consistent with section 30101 of this title. A person may not sell, offer for sale, introduce for sale, or deliver for introduction in interstate commerce, a regrooved tire or a vehicle equipped with regrooved tires unless authorized by the Secretary.

(b) Uniform Quality Grading System, Nomenclature, and Marketing Practices.-The Secretary shall prescribe through standards a uniform quality grading system for motor vehicle tires to help consumers make an informed choice when purchasing tires. The Secretary also shall cooperate with industry and the Federal Trade Commission to the greatest extent practicable to eliminate deceptive and confusing tire nomenclature and marketing practices. A tire standard or regulation prescribed under this chapter supersedes an order or administrative interpretation of the Commission.

(c) Maximum Load Standards.-The Secretary shall require a motor vehicle to be equipped with tires that meet maximum load standards when the vehicle is loaded with a reasonable amount of luggage and the total number of passengers the vehicle is designed to carry. The vehicle shall be equipped with those tires by the manufacturer or by the first purchaser when the vehicle is first bought in good faith other than for resale.

( Pub. L. 103–272, §1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 956 ; Pub. L. 105–178, title VII, §7106(b), June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 467 .)

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised Section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
30123(a)	15:1421 (1st sentence).	Sept. 9, 1966, Pub. L. 89–563, §§201–203, 204(c), 205, 80 Stat. 728 , 729.
30123(b)	15:1421 (2d sentence).
30123(c)	15:1421 (last sentence).
30123(d)	15:1424(a).	Sept. 9, 1966, Pub. L. 89–563, §204(a), 80 Stat. 729 ; restated Oct. 27, 1974, Pub. L. 93–492, §110(c), 88 Stat. 1484 .
	15:1424(c).
30123(e)	15:1423.
	15:1425.
30123(f)	15:1422.

In subsections (a) and (d)(2), the words "section 30101 of this title" are substituted for "the purposes of this chapter" as being more precise.

In subsection (a), the words "to a motor vehicle safety standard prescribed under this chapter" are substituted for "In all standards for . . . established under subchapter I of this chapter . . . thereto" for consistency and because of the restatement.

In subsection (b)(1)(A) and (B), the word "suitable" is omitted as surplus.

In subsection (b)(1)(C), the words "for a tire containing" are substituted for "unless the tire contains . . . in which case it shall also contain" to eliminate unnecessary words. The word "allowing" is substituted for "which would permit" for consistency.

In subsection (b)(3), the word "actual" is omitted as surplus.

In subsection (b)(5)(A), the word "statement" is substituted for "recital" for clarity. The words "complies with" are substituted for "conforms to", the words "prescribed under this chapter" are substituted for "Federal", and the word "or" is substituted for "except that in lieu of such recital", for consistency.

In subsection (b)(5)(B), the word "appropriate" is omitted as surplus.

In subsection (d)(2), the words "by order" are omitted as surplus. The words "a regrooved tire or a motor vehicle equipped with regrooved tires" are substituted for "any tire or motor vehicle equipped with any tire which has been regrooved" for consistency. The words "A person may not . . . unless authorized by the Secretary" are substituted for "No person shall" for clarity and consistency in the revised title. The word "introduce" is substituted for "introduction" after "or" to correct a mistake.

In subsection (e), the words "The Secretary shall prescribe through standards" are substituted for "within two years after September 9, 1966, the Secretary shall, through standards established under subchapter I of this chapter, prescribe by order, and publish in the Federal Register" in 15:1423 to eliminate unnecessary and executed words. The text of 15:1423 (2d sentence) is omitted as executed. The last sentence is substituted for 15:1425 to eliminate unnecessary words.

In subsection (f), the words "In standards established under subchapter I of this chapter" and "fully" are omitted as surplus. The words "The vehicle shall be equipped" are added for clarity.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1998-Pub. L. 105–178 redesignated subsecs. (d) to (f) as (a) to (c), respectively, and struck out former subsecs. (a) to (c), which related to labeling requirements, contents of label, and additional information that may be required, respectively.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Tire Pressure Monitoring System

Pub. L. 114–94, div. B, title XXIV, §24115, Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat. 1710 , provided that:

"(a) Proposed Rule.-Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 4, 2015], the Secretary shall publish a proposed rule that-

"(1) updates the standards pertaining to tire pressure monitoring systems to ensure that a tire pressure monitoring system that is installed in a new motor vehicle after the effective date of such updated standards cannot be overridden, reset, or recalibrated in such a way that the system will no longer detect when the inflation pressure in one or more of the vehicle's tires has fallen to or below a significantly underinflated pressure level; and

"(2) does not contain any provision that has the effect of prohibiting the availability of direct or indirect tire pressure monitoring systems that meet the requirements of the standards updated pursuant to paragraph (1).

"(b) Final Rule.-Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, after providing the public with sufficient opportunity for notice and comment on the proposed rule published pursuant to subsection (a), the Secretary shall issue a final rule based on the proposed rule described in subsection (a) that-

"(1) allows a manufacturer to install a tire pressure monitoring system that can be reset or recalibrated to accommodate-

"(A) the repositioning of tire sensor locations on vehicles with split inflation pressure recommendations;

"(B) tire rotation; or

"(C) replacement tires or wheels of a different size than the original equipment tires or wheels; and

"(2) to address the accommodations described in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (1), ensures that a tire pressure monitoring system that is reset or recalibrated according to the manufacturer's instructions would illuminate the low tire pressure warning telltale when a tire is significantly underinflated until the tire is no longer significantly underinflated.

"(c) Significantly Underinflated Pressure Level Defined.-In this section, the term 'significantly underinflated pressure level' means a pressure level that is-

"(1) below the level at which the low tire pressure warning telltale must illuminate, consistent with the TPMS detection requirements contained in S4.2(a) of section 571.138 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, or any corresponding similar or successor regulation or ruling (as determined by the Secretary); and

"(2) in the case of a replacement wheel or tire, below the recommended cold inflation pressure of the wheel or tire manufacturer."

Improved Tire Information

Pub. L. 106–414, §11, Nov. 1, 2000, 114 Stat. 1806 , provided that, by 30 days after Nov. 1, 2000, the Secretary of Transportation would initiate a rulemaking proceeding to improve the labeling of tires required by this section to assist consumers in identifying tires that may be the subject of a decision or notice under section 30118 of this title and also provided the Secretary could authorize any additional action needed to inform the public of the importance of observing motor vehicle tire load limits and maintaining proper tire inflation levels, with the rulemaking completed by not later than June 1, 2002.

Tire Pressure Warning

Pub. L. 106–414, §13, Nov. 1, 2000, 114 Stat. 1806 , provided that, not later than 1 year after Nov. 1, 2000, the Secretary of Transportation would complete a rulemaking for a regulation, effective not later than 2 years after the date of the completion of such rulemaking, to require a warning system in new motor vehicles to indicate significantly underinflated tires.