Tier 5: What are the Obligations of OEMs?

Tier 5 legislation concerning agricultural and non-road vehicle emission levels (NRMM), came into force on January 1st. To keep a fleet up to spec, these are rules which must be adhered to. Here are some useful points for OEMs.

by Alma Castiglioni

On January 1st 2019, Tier 5 became a legal stipulation, this is the adoption of European law 2016/1628 (*). This legislation becomes obligatory for tractors and non-road vehicles (NRMM non-road Mobile Machinery) on the market. There is still the chance to take advantage of the transitional period as previously manufactured vehicles come onto the market but from this year, new production must respect the limits set by the Tier V law. Looking at the situation in detail, here are some of the challenges manufacturers could face:

What power reference determines an engine’s emissions category?
The reference power for engines of variable speed is defined as its maximum power on the nominal power curve with full load, in other words, the maximum power according to the ECE R120 rule, equivalent to ISO 14396. Should there be more than one power curve, the highest one is the reference irrespective of the commercially used power description from the OEM.
For most constant speed engine categories, the reference is the nominal power as defined by the constructor. In such a case, maximum power cannot exceed nominal power by more than 12.5%.
Is it still possible to continue producing engines under pre Tier V stipulations in the EU?
Another question manufacturers are posing is that of continuing to manufacture vehicles under pre-Tier V conditions for the EU market. This is not allowed. There is, however, a transition period for tractors and non-road mobile vehicles using engines with pre Tier V specification.

What obligations for constructors following the new legislation
Let’s take a look at the obligations vehicle manufacturers have. Firstly, OEMs cannot put non Tier V conformity vehicles on the market, unless this should be under specifically agreed exceptional circumstances.
They are also held to follow all instructions given by the engine producer in order that following installation, all legislative requirements have been met for that particular vehicle.
They must then evaluate whether the stamp declaring legislative conformity is clearly visible and should it not be, ask the producer to supply another stamp, which can then be clearly displayed on the engine.
Finally, they must include, in the same format and same language as the operative and maintenance manual, essential information for the end user, including:
– any restriction or limitation concerning engine use;
– the pre-requisites for correctly functioning engine maintenance, including post-treatment system, for example, how much urea solution to use, cleaning needs, correction of malfunction arising from such factors;
– information concerning loss of performance where the above malfunctions are not resolved;
– information concerning intentional engine sabotage, its control system and exhaust fume treatment which can render engine approval void (making the end user liable);
– information on correct fuel, that approved for the engine;
– information on the quality of lubrification oil and its substitution cycle;
– CO2 emission levels, together with test cycle data in which such emission levels were ascertained.