Tire Recall bill

Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation (TREAD) Act - Amends Federal transportation law to require a manufacturer of motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment to report to the Secretary of Transportation within five working days any determination (or notification that the government of a foreign country has determined) to conduct a safety recall or other safety campaign in a foreign country on a motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment that is identical or substantially similar to such vehicle or equipment that is offered for sale in the United States.

(Sec. 3) Requires the Secretary to initiate a rulemaking proceeding to establish early warning reporting requirements for manufacturers to enhance the Secretary's ability to carry out this Act, including requiring manufacturers to report: (1) information received by the manufacturer which is derived from foreign and domestic sources to the extent it may assist in the identification of defects related to motor vehicle safety and motor vehicle equipment in the United States; and (2) all incidents of which the manufacturer receives actual notice of fatalities or serious injuries alleged or proven to have been caused by a possible defect in the manufacturer's motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment in the United States or a foreign country, when the defect in such vehicle or equipment is identical or substantially similar to the vehicle or equipment that is offered for sale in the United States.

Requires the Secretary to issue a final rule requiring (with certain exceptions) a report to the Secretary of such sale or lease by any person who knowingly and willfully sells or leases for use on a motor vehicle a defective tire or a tire not compliant with applicable tire safety standards with actual knowledge that the manufacturer of such tire has notified its dealers of such defect or noncompliance as required by Federal law.

Requires the Secretary to study and report to specified congressional committees on the feasibility and utility of obtaining aggregate information on a regular and periodic basis regarding claims made for private passenger automobile accidents from persons in the business of providing private passenger automobile insurance or of adjusting insurance claims for such automobiles.

(Sec. 4) Extends the period of time for no-charge remedies with respect to defective motor vehicles, replacement equipment, or tires.

(Sec. 5) Revises provisions to increase civil penalties for a manufacturer, distributor, or dealer who violates prohibitions against the manufacture, sale, or importation of motor vehicles and equipment that do not comply with Federal motor vehicle safety standards. Sets forth a civil penalty for such persons who violate certain inspection, investigation, and records requirements with respect to such standards. Subjects to criminal penalties (with certain exceptions) such persons who with specific intent mislead the Secretary about motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment safety related defects that have caused death or serious bodily injury to an individual.

(Sec. 6) Sets forth requirements with respect to: (1) acceleration of a manufacturer's remedy program with respect to defects of motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment; (2) inclusion in a manufacturer's remedy program of plans for reimbursing an owner or purchaser who incurred the cost of a recall remedy within a reasonable time in advance of the manufacturer's notification of a motor vehicle's or motor vehicle equipment's defect or noncompliance with Federal motor vehicle safety standards; (3) prevention of the sale or lease of replaced defective tires and motor vehicle equipment by manufacturers (including limiting the disposal of replaced tires in landfills); (4) the affixation of certification labels by intermediate or final stage manufacturers of motor vehicles built in more than one stage stating that such motor vehicle is in compliance with applicable motor vehicle safety standards; (5) revision of certain endurance and resistance standards for tires; (6) improvement in the labeling of tire information to assist consumers in identifying tires that may be the subject of a decision of the Secretary or notification by a manufacturer that such tires are defective or are in noncompliance with applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards; (7) ensuring public awareness of the importance of observing motor vehicle tire load limits and proper tire inflation levels; (8) the development of a dynamic test on rollovers by motor vehicles for the purpose of a consumer information program; (9) a warning system in new motor vehicles to indicate to the operator when a tire is significantly under-inflated; (10) improving the safety of child restraints, including minimizing head injuries from side impact collisions (earmarking amounts to carry out crash testing of such restraints); and (11) improving certain criteria used by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in determining whether to implement a recall.

(Sec. 16) Directs the Secretary to report to Congress on implementation of the amendments made by this Act.

(Sec. 17) Authorizes appropriations for FY 2001 to the Secretary for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.