WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has denied a 3-year-old petition by Foreign Tire Sales Inc. seeking a ruling of "inconsequential noncompliance" regarding nearly 2,700 mislabeled ProMeter-brand medium radial truck tires.
Union, N.J.-based tire importer Foreign Tire Sales Inc. petitioned NHTSA in June 2010 for a finding of inconsequential noncompliance on the ProMeter tires, claiming innacurate load and inflation information marked on the tires was inconsequential because the difference between the actual and marked load and inflation figures was minimal.
The tires—2,659 size 285/75R24.5 14 ply (steer and drive) and 295/75R22.5 14 ply (steer and drive) medium truck radials—were manufactured by Shandlong Linglong Rubber Co. Ltd. at its plant in Zhaoyan/Shandong, China, between the 15th and the 22nd weeks of 2009. The tires carry the DOT tire code 0U.
In denying FTS' petition, NHTSA is ordering FTS to notify owners, purchasers and dealers that the tires are subject to recall. FTS has as yet not issued any statements regarding NHTSA's decision.
FTS told NHTSA in its petition that it had sold the tires in question to 11 distributors, and that three of these had not sold any of the tires.