S-1741 : Still Just a Bill

Tire Efficiency, Safety, and Registration Act of 2015 or the TESR Act

This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish tire fuel efficiency minimum performance standards, tire registration requirements, and a tire recall database.

DOT must establish:

• tire fuel efficiency minimum performance standards for passenger car tires that meet specified requirements, and
• tire wet traction minimum performance standards to ensure that passenger tire wet traction capability is not reduced to achieve improved tire fuel efficiency.

DOT must require tire distributors or dealers that are not owned or controlled by a tire manufacturer to maintain records that include the names and addresses of customers and the tires that are leased or purchased. The distributors or dealers must electronically transmit the records to the tire manufacturers at no cost to the customers.

DOT must also establish a publicly available and searchable electronic database of tire recall information that is reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The database must be searchable by Tire Identification Number and any other criteria that assist consumers in determining whether a tire is subject to a recall.