NHTSA Denies RMA Petition for Reserve Tire Pressure

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has formally denied the Rubber Manufacturers Association’s (RMA) petition for a rulemaking to establish recommended cold inflation pressure using a tire pressure reserve. The petition requested that NHTSA include a reserve tire pressure sufficient to allow tires to carry the maximum load of a vehicle at the new tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) regulation trigger point.

From Staff & Wire Reports

WASHINGTON — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has formally denied the Rubber Manufacturers Association’s (RMA) petition for a rulemaking to establish recommended cold inflation pressure using a tire pressure reserve.

The petition requested that NHTSA include a reserve tire pressure sufficient to allow tires to carry the maximum load of a vehicle at the new tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) regulation trigger point.

The Tire Industry Association (TIA) had supported RMA’s petition and expressed disappointment with the agency’s ruling.

“We are disappointed that NHTSA decided not to build in an additional safety measure and grant the petition for reserve inflation pressure,” said Roy Littlefield, executive vice president of TIA, in a statement. “With this decision coming on the heels of the TPMS ruling, TIA is frustrated with NHTSA’s apparent lack of interest in what the tire industry has to say.”

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