Late last week, NHTSA issued a final rule that increases to 13 the number of symbols used in a tire identification number on new tires.
NHTSA announced in July 2014 that it was considering the changes because it was simply running out of two-symbol codes to identify new tire plants. At the same time it proposed to standardize the length of the TIN to 13 symbols for new tires and seven symbols for retreaded tires.
NHTSA said the newly minted rule would expand the manufacturer identifier portion of the TIN from two digits to three, significantly increasing the number of unique alpha-numeric combinations that can be used to identify both the tiremaker and the specific plant where a tire was produced.
In addition, the standardization of TINs to 13 characters for new tires and seven for retreads will “eliminate confusion that could arise from the variable length of tire identification numbers.”
However, while the new rule is effective immediately, NHTSA acquiesced to commenter requests that the lead-time for total implementation be extended from the originally proposed five years to a full 10 years. This will give the manufacturers time to convert all current molds and prepare for new molds as they come on stream.
NHTSA said it received just 13 comments in response to its proposed rulemaking notice last July, including input from Oyatullohi Maddud, Tire Rack, the National Transportation Safety Board, Specialty Tires of America, Gillespie Automotive Safety Services, Kojin Kitao, the Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association, Safety Research and Strategies, the Rubber Manufacturers Assocation, Zhongce Rubber Group Co., the government of Thailand, the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada, and the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy of the Republic of Korea.
