Appeals court partially rejects TPMS suit in US

Washington, DC - Four major tyre makers and the Tire Industry Association (TIA) lack standing under Title III of the US Constitution to sue the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) over tyre pressure monitoring systems, a three-judge panel of the US District Court for the District of Columbia Circuit has ruled.

TIA, Goodyear, Bridgestone/Firestone, Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. and Pirelli Tire LLC joined with the consumer group Public Citizen two years ago, filing suit to have NHTSA's TPMS rule overturned.

The plaintiffs were challenged the 25-percent underinflation differential before the TPMS warning light flashes on and the 20-minute interval between the system's detection of an underinflated tyre and notifying the driver.

“The tyre industry petitioners' theory of how (the TPMS standard) might cause them harm is far too attenuated,” the majority said in a 2-1 decision.

Public Citizen, however, was welcome to make supplemental submission to the court to prove its standing to sue NHTSA, the majority ruled. The dissenting judge said he also would have dismissed Public Citizen's claim.

An lawyer for the plaintiffs said his clients were still studying the decision to determine their course of action.

From Tire Business (A Crain publication)