Hankook Tire America Corp., Receipt of Application for Decision of Inconsequential Noncompliance

Hankook Tire America Corp. (Hankook Tire) has determined that certain tires it produced in 2003 do not comply with S4.3(e) of 49 CFR 571.109, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 109, New pneumatic tires.

Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 30118(d) and 30120(h), Hankook Tire has petitioned for a determination that this noncompliance is inconsequential to motor vehicle safety and has filed an appropriate report pursuant to 49 CFR Part 573, “Defect and Noncompliance Reports.”

This notice of receipt of an application is published under 49 U.S.C. 30118 and 30120 and does not represent any agency decision or other exercise of judgment concerning the merits of the application.

A total of approximately 3,049 tires are involved. These are 215/50R 17 91H 04PR H405 tires, which Hankook Tire produced during DOT weeks 16 through 21 and DOT weeks 24 and 25 of the year 2003. They have the nylon ply number mismarked on one side of the tire, specifically on the DOT serial side. The incorrect marking on the DOT serial side is “2 steel + 2 polyester + 2 nylon” and the correct marking on the opposite side is “2 steel + 2 polyester + 1 nylon.” Paragraph S4.3 of FMVSS No. 109 requires “each tire shall have permanently molded into or onto both sidewalls * * * (e) Actual number of plies in the sidewall, and the actual number of plies in the tread area if different.”

Hankook Tire believes that the noncompliance is inconsequential to motor vehicle safety, and that no corrective action is warranted. Hankook Tire states that first, the affected tires meet all requirements of 49 CFR 571.109 except for the markings pertaining to S4.3(e), and second, the markings on the side of the tire opposite the DOT serial side are correct.

Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and arguments on the application described above. Comments must refer to the docket and notice number cited at the beginning of this notice and be submitted by any of the following methods. Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation, Nassif Building, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC. It is requested, but not required, that two copies of the comments be provided. The Docket Section is open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Federal holidays. Comments may be submitted electronically by logging onto the Docket Management System Web site at http://dms.dot.gov . Click on “Help” to obtain instructions for filing the document electronically. Comments may be faxed to 1-202-493-2251, or may be submitted to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov . Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.

The application, supporting materials, and all comments received before the close of business on the closing date indicated below will be filed and will be considered. All comments and supporting materials received after the closing date will also be filed and will be considered to the extent possible. When the application is granted or denied, notice of the decision will be published in the Federal Register pursuant to the authority indicated below.

Comment closing date: January 2, 2004.

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 301118, 301120: delegations of authority at CFR 1.50 and 501.8.