Tyres, wheels and hubs

10-1 Tyres and wheels

Reasons for rejection

Mandatory equipment

1. A vehicle, tyre or wheel does not comply with a requirement relating to mandatory equipment set out in:

Compliance with approved standards

2. A new tyre that is required to comply with an approved new tyre standard did not comply, or cannot be demonstrated to have complied, with at least one of the standards listed in Table 10-1-1 at the time the tyre was manufactured.

3. A retreaded tyre that is required to comply with an approved retread tyre standard did not comply, or cannot be demonstrated to have complied with at least one of the standards listed in Table 10-1-2 at the time the tyre was retreaded.

4. A temporary-use spare tyre that is required to comply with an approved temporary-use spare tyre standard did not comply, or cannot be demonstrated to have complied, with at least one of the standards listed in Table 10-1-3 at the time the tyre was manufactured.

Condition and modification

5. A tyre or wheel does not comply with a requirement relating to condition or modification set out in:

Space-saver tyres

6. A space-saver tyre does not have a safety warning label permanently attached to the outside of the wheel.

7. A space-saver tyre warning label (see Figure 10-1-3 for label examples) does not meet all of the following:

  • have safety instructions that are clearly printed in English
  • identify that the tyre is for temporary use only
  • specify that the vehicle must not be operated at a speed of more than 80km/h or at a lesser speed specified by the tyre manufacturer
  • have information on the recommended inflation pressure of the tyre when in use.
Note 1

To decode the date of manufacture codes for tyres under ECE, FMVSS and ADR, the requirements are as follows:

  • for tyres manufactured before 1 January 2000, codes are three-digit numbers. The first two digits represent the week of the year, the last digit represents the year itself. For example, the code 267 means the 26th week of 1997
  • for tyres manufactured on or after 1 January 2000, codes are four-digit numbers. The first two digits represent the week of the year, the last two digits represent the year itself. For example, the code 2501 means the 25th week of 2001.
Note 2

A new tyre is a tyre that has not been retreaded.

Note 3

New or retreaded tyres fitted to vehicles that are towed at speeds not exceeding 30 km/h are not required to comply with approved standards.

Note 4

New or retreaded tyres fitted to groundspreaders or dedicated groundsprayers are not required to comply with approved standards.

Note 5

New or retreaded tyres fitted to all-terrain vehicles are not required to comply with approved standards.

Note 6

New or retreaded tyres fitted to vehicles that are more than 30 years old are not required to comply with approved standards.

Note 7

Class LE2 vehicles have been omitted in the rule in the table for new tyres.

Note 8

Makers of Dunlop and Goodyear brand tyres in Japan.

Note 9

Makers of BF Goodrich and RIKEN brand tyres in Japan.

Note 10

Isuzu NNR250, NPR250 and NPR 300 model trucks (all variants) imported by Isuzu New Zealand are fitted with these tyres.

New tyres

Retreaded tyres

  • NZS 5453 (although the tyre need not be marked with the standard)
  • NZS 5464 (although the tyre need not be marked with the standard)
  • ADR 23 (the tyre need not be marked with the standard but should be marked MADE IN AUSTRALIA)
  • NZS 5423
  • AS 1973 (must be followed by 007, 103, 125 or 4007)
  • BS AU 144

JATMA standards

Compliance is assured if the tyre markings contain the full company name or the brand name of one of the following manufacturers together with the words ‘Made in Japan’:

  • Bridgestone Corporation
  • Nitto Tire Co Ltd
  • Michelin Okamoto Tire Corporation (Note 9)
  • The Yokohama Rubber Co Ltd
  • Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd (Note 8)
  • The Ohtsu Tire and Rubber Co Ltd
  • Toyo Tire and Rubber Co Ltd

Compliance is assured if the tyre markings contain the brand name Michelin, the size designation 195/85R16 XZA TL 114/112L together with the words ‘Made in Thailand’ (Note 10).

Compliance is assured if the tyre markings contain the brand name Bridgestone, the size designation 11R22.5 G540 together with the words ‘Made in Thailand’.
Table 10-1-1. Approved new tyre standards*

UN/ECE Regulation no.

EEC/EC Directive

FMVSS

ADR

Japan

Others

30
54
75

92/23
2001/43
2005/11

109
119

23

JIS D4203
JIS D4230
Article 9

NZS 5453
AS/NZS 2230
The standards of the Japan Automobile Tire Manufacturers’ Association, Inc. (JATMA)

* A new tyre that is required to comply with an approved new tyre standard must comply with at least one of the standards listed in the table.

Table 10-1-2. Approved retread tyre standards*

UN-ECE Regulation no.

FMVSS

Others

108
109

117

BS AU 144
AS 1973
NZS 5423

* A retreaded tyre that is required to comply with an approved retread tyre standard must comply with at least one of the standards listed in the table.

Table 10-1-3. Approved temporary-use spare tyre standards*

UN-ECE Regulation no.

FMVSS

ADR

Japan

Others

64

109
129

71
42/04

JIS D4230
Article 9

The standards of the Japan Automobile Tire Manufacturer’s Association, Inc. (JATMA)

* A temporary-use spare tyre that is required to comply with an approved temporary-use spare tyre standard must comply with at least one of the standards listed in the table.

Table 10-1-4. Load indices

The load index is a numerical code associated with the maximum load (kg) a tyre can carry at the speed indicated by its speed symbol under specified service conditions up to 210 km/h.

Loadindex–(kg)

70–335

71–345

72–355

73–363

74–375

75–387

76–400

77–412

78–425

79–437

80–450

81–462

82–475

83–487

84–500

85–515

86–530

87–545

88–560

89–580

90–600

91–615

92–630

93–650

94–670

95–690

96–710

97–730

98–750

99–775

100–800

101–825

102–850

103–875

104–900

105–925

106–950

107–975

108–1000

109–1030

110–1060

111–1090

112–1120

113–1150

114–1180

115–1215

116–1250

117–1285

118–1320

119–1360

120–1400

121–1450

122–1500

123–1550

124–1600

125–1650

126–1700

127–1750

128–1800

129–1850

130–1900

131–1950

132–2000

133–2060

134–2120

135–2180

136–2240

137–2300

138–2360

139–2430

140–2500

141–2575

142–2650

143–2725

144–2800

145–2900

146–3000

147–3075

148–3150

149–3250

150–3350

151–3450

152–3550

153–3650

154–3750

155–3875

156–4000

157–4125

158–4250

159–4375

160–4500

161–4625

Speed symbols represent the following speed categories:

Table 10-1-5. Speed symbols

Speed symbol – Speed category (km/h)

A1 – 5

A2 – 10

A3 – 15

A4 – 20

A5 – 25

A6 – 30

A7 – 35

A8 – 40

B – 50

C – 60

D – 65

E – 70

F – 80

G – 90

J – 100

K – 110

L – 120

M – 130

N – 140

P – 150

Q – 160

R – 170

S – 180

T – 190

U – 160

H – 210

V – 240

W – 270

Y – 300

ZR – over 240

Figure 10-1-1. Approved tyre standard markings

The following standard markings may assist in determining compliance with approved standards.

typical standards markings

1 The DOT marking may appear below the rest of the marking.

Figure 10-1-2. Identifying tyre markings

The following diagram and tables help identify and explain tyre markings.

tyre markings

Figure 10-1-3. Common space-saver tyre labels

space saver labels

Note These are labels that were previously approved by the NZTA. Labels no longer need NZTA approval, so other labels are acceptable provided they contain the required safety instructions printed clearly in English.

Summary of legislation

Applicable legislation
Mandatory equipment

1. Vehicles, tyres and wheels must comply with the requirements relating to mandatory equipment set out in the VIRM: In-service certification, section 10-1.

Compliance with approved standards

2. The following new tyres (Note 2) must comply with one or more of the new tyre standards in Table 10-1-1, except if one or more of Notes 3 to 6 apply:

a) tyres manufactured on or after 1 October 2002 that are fitted to vehicles of class LC, LD, LE1, LE2, TA and TB (Note 6)

b) tyres manufactured on or after 1 January 1992 that are fitted to vehicles of class MA, MB, MC, MD1, MD2 and NA

c) tyres manufactured on or after 1 October 2004 that are fitted to vehicles of class MD3, MD4, ME, NB, NC, TC and TD.

3. The following retreaded tyres must comply with one or more of the retread tyre standards in Table 10-1-2, except if any of Notes 3 to 6 apply:

a) tyres retreaded on or after 1 October 2002 that are fitted to vehicles of class TA and TB

b) tyres retreaded on or after 1 January 1995 that are fitted to vehicles of class MA, MB, MC, MD1, MD2 and NA

c) tyres retreaded on or after 1 October 2004 that are fitted to vehicles of class MD3, MD4, ME, NB, NC, TC and TD.

4. Temporary-use spare tyres manufactured on or after 1 October 2002 must comply with one or more of the temporary-use spare tyre standards in Table 10-1-3.

Condition and modification

5. Tyres and wheels must comply with the requirements relating to condition and modification set out in the VIRM: In-service certification, section 10-1.

Page amended 1 July 2013 (see amendment details).

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