National Highway Traffic Safety Administration April 21, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document announces receipt by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 2001-2005 Mercedes Benz Sprinter trucks that were not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards, are eligible for importation into the United States because (1) they are substantially similar to vehicles that were originally manufactured for sale in the United States and that were certified by their manufacturer as complying with the safety standards, and (2) they are capable of being readily altered to conform to the standards.

The Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards (UTQGS) contain detailed testing procedures for generating consumer information about the treadwear, traction, and temperature resistance of passenger car tires. To ensure the uniformity of treadwear grades, the grading procedures specify a 400-mile test course located near San Angelo, Texas. Two or four-vehicle convoys equipped with candidate tires travel along this course to evaluate the tire treadwear performance. Because of flooding now affecting several water crossings along a small portion of the test course, NHTSA is issuing this interim final rule to revise the specified treadwear test course route. This change will not compromise the reliability of the treadwear grades, and will not impose or relax any substantive requirements or burdens on manufacturers.