Here Joan. This is one of the items you need to own to TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY of owning a car.
Posted on 04/07/2005 9:38:19 AM PDT by SmithL
WASHINGTON - New passenger cars must have tire pressure monitoring systems in place by the 2008 model year, the government announced Thursday.
To comply with the regulation, which has its roots in the Firestone tire recall of 2000, automakers most likely will attach tiny sensors to each wheel that will signal if a tire falls 25 percent below the recommended inflation pressure. If any one of the four tires is underinflated, the sensors set off a dashboard warning light.
Automakers will begin implementing the technology in September. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates the upgrade will cost manufacturers between $48.44 and $69.89 per vehicle.
The government said underinflated tires hurt a vehicle's fuel economy and can increase stopping distances, increase likelihood of tire failure and lead to skidding on wet surfaces.
All new four-wheel vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less will be required to be equipped with the systems by the 2008 model year. The regulation affects passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks and minivans.
NHTSA estimates that 120 lives a year will be saved when all new vehicles are equipped with the systems.
The regulation was proposed last September. Tire manufacturers have questioned whether the warning system would signal low pressure early enough. Automakers have raised concerns that motorists may ignore the lights if they appear too frequently.
Donald B. Shea, president and chief executive of the Rubber Manufacturers Association, the trade group that represents tire makers, said, "Unfortunately, this regulation may give motorists a false sense of security that their tires are properly inflated when they may be significantly underinflated."
Eron Shosteck, a spokesman for The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which represents nine automakers, said about 18 percent of their vehicles already have the technology. It first appeared in the 1997 Chevrolet Corvette and is currently used in some luxury vehicles.
"We're gratified that there's a final rule which allows us to continue the implementation of the technology as we've been doing," Shosteck said.
Congress, seeking ways to prevent SUV rollovers after more than 10 million Firestone tires were recalled beginning in August 2000, sought the warning devices in The Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation Act.
NHTSA originally issued a rule in December 2001 that would have required vehicles made after November 2003 to have dashboard lights warning drivers if their tire pressure was low.
But Public Citizen and other consumer groups sued the government agency, arguing the rule weakly allowed automakers to choose between cheaper "indirect" monitors, which operate off the antilock braking system, or "direct" systems, which have monitors attached to each wheel.
A federal appeals court in New York agreed with the consumer groups and tossed out NHTSA's rule in August 2003, leading to the new process of issuing the regulation.
Joan Claybrook, the president of Public Citizen and a former NHTSA administrator, said she would prefer that motorists get quicker warnings about low tire pressure.
The rule requires the system to warn the driver within 20 minutes of additional travel within a speed range of about 30 mph to 60 mph. Claybrook said motorists driving locally at lower speeds might be delayed in receiving the dashboard warning.
"It's not exactly what we hoped but I think that it will work," Claybrook said.
When will DC get around to mandating that people wear quality shoes?
Yeah, cuz God knows how difficult it is for someone to check the tire pressure themselves.
And what is wrong with the pocket tire gauge?
There were a number of domestic and foreign car models that added sensors around 2002-2004. Many of those models no longer have the sensors, because they were greatly prone to failure. People would have a constant tire pressure warning sensor on, and they'd keep inflating their tires to try and correct the problem. (Thus, creating a problem where there wasn't one...)
Next step: Car won't run when indicator goes off. Cuz you know damn well people are going to just ignore that stupid light.
And the end game is what? You don't have to check why your car is tipping down on the front passeneger side?
One reason why the price of cars keeps going up...
I'm not big on nanny state stuff, but the general idea of this become standard on cars appeals to me. I'd rather the automakers did it without a legislative act.
I do most maintenance on my cars, but forget the tire pressure until it's time to get the rubber rotated. Bad habit, yes, but my reality.
Here Joan. This is one of the items you need to own to TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY of owning a car.
We just got slapped in NJ with a tire fee.
I just can't help but wonder what the ultimate motive is behind all this.
How had an agenda that need going through for what.
I'm really getting sick and tired of all these special interest groups speaking on behave of the public with agendas when the general public didn't elect them as spokes people.
Maybe the government could just make us each a giant rubber ball to live inside so we wouldn't get hurt anymore.
Regards
Kind of like that check engine light that stays lit.
I don't know about air pressure warning, but I always thought a flashing light when the engine temp gets too hot would be helpful. My 80 Jeep Cherokee only had a gauge and when the water pump went out I kept driving until it was too late because I never looked down at the temp gauge.
What would we ever do if we didn't have the meddling government to protect us from every little thing in life!!
This is just something else to go wrong and cost a mint to fix. Not to mention it being one more point to have to be certified before you can get your automobile licensed every year.
The government didn't come up with the idea, they should keep their collective tyrannical noses out of the automobile business.
Is that a tire disposal fee?? If it is, we've had that in Texas for years.
Multiplying complexity where no real need exists. If an underinflated Firestone tire is clearly a causative factor in accidents, then it would be up to Firestone to build a more leak-resistant or run-flat tire, not demand the Federal government issue a mandate on all new automobiles sold in this country, that they all should have tire pressure monitors.
And sometimes the leak is not from the tire. It is not unusual for a corroded wheel rim, or a faulty valve stem, to be the source of the leak.
You'll notice that no congress critter or bureaucRAT is named as responsible for this.
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