[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 58 (Monday, March 26, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17567-17568]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-7097]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-2012-0031, Notice 1]
Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming
Right-Hand Drive 2000-2003 Jeep Wrangler Multi-Purpose Passenger
Vehicles Are Eligible for Importation
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This document announces receipt by the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that
right-hand drive (RHD) 2000-2003 Jeep Wrangler multi-purpose passenger
vehicles (MPVs) that were not originally manufactured to comply with
all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) are
eligible for importation into the United States because they have
safety features that comply with, or are capable of being altered to
comply with, all such standards.
DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is April 25, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to the docket and notice numbers above
and be submitted by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting
comments.
Mail: Docket Management Facility: U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor,
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building Ground Floor, Room
W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Fax: 202-493-2251.
Instructions: Comments must be written in the English language, and
be no greater than 15 pages in length, although there is no limit to
the length of necessary attachments to the comments. If comments are
submitted in hard copy form, please ensure that two copies are
provided. If you wish to receive confirmation that your comments were
received, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard with the
comments. Note that all comments received will be posted without change
to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information
provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading below.
Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78).
How to Read Comments submitted to the Docket: You may read the
comments received by Docket Management at the address and times given
above. You may also view the documents from the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the online instructions for accessing the dockets. The
docket ID number and title of this notice are shown at the heading of
this document notice. Please note that even after the comment closing
date, we will continue to file relevant information in the Docket as it
becomes available. Further, some people may submit late comments.
Accordingly, we recommend that you periodically search the Docket for
new material.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Stevens, Office of Vehicle
Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202-366-5308).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Under 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(B), a motor vehicle that was not
originally manufactured to conform to all applicable FMVSS, and has no
substantially similar U.S.-certified counterpart, shall be refused
admission into the United States unless NHTSA has decided that the
motor vehicle has safety features that comply with, or are capable of
being altered to comply with, all applicable FMVSS based on destructive
test data or such other evidence as NHTSA decides to be adequate.
Petitions for eligibility decisions may be submitted by either
manufacturers or importers who have registered with NHTSA pursuant to
49 CFR Part 592. As specified in 49 CFR 593.7, NHTSA publishes notices
in the Federal Register of each petition that it receives, and affords
interested persons an opportunity to comment on the petition. At the
close of the comment period, NHTSA decides, on the basis of the
petition and any comments that it has received, whether the vehicle is
eligible for importation. The agency then publishes this decision in
the Federal Register.
US SPECS of Havre de Grace, Maryland (Registered Importer 03-321)
has petitioned NHTSA to decide
[[Page 17568]]
whether nonconforming RHD 2000-2003 Jeep Wrangler MPVs are eligible for
importation into the United States. US SPECS believes these vehicles
are capable of being modified to meet all applicable FMVSS.
In its petition, US SPECS notes that Chrysler Corporation certified
an RHD 2003 Jeep Wrangler MPV to all applicable FMVSS and offered that
vehicle for sale in the United States. US SPECS contends that the non-
U.S certified RHD 2000-2003 Jeep Wrangler MPV shares the same platform
with the U.S.-certified RHD 2003 model, and on that basis compares the
non-U.S. certified models to that vehicle to establish their conformity
with many applicable FMVSS. Because there is no U.S.-certified
counterpart for the RHD 2000, 2001, and 2002 Jeep Wrangler MPV, the
petitioner acknowledged that it could not base its petition on the
substantial similarity of those vehicles to the U.S.-certified RHD 2003
Jeep Wrangler MPV in light of the petitioning requirements of 49 U.S.C.
30141(a)(1)(A), as set forth in 49 CFR Part 593. Instead, the
petitioner chose to establish import eligibility on the basis that the
vehicles have safety features that comply with, or are capable of being
modified to comply with, the FMVSS based on destructive test data or
such other evidence that NHTSA decides to be adequate as set forth in
49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(B). Nevertheless, the petitioner contends that
the non-U.S. certified RHD 2000-2003 Jeep Wrangler MPV utilizes the
same components as the U.S.- certified RHD 2003 Jeep Wrangler MPV in
virtually all of the systems subject to the applicable FMVSS.
US SPECS submitted information with its petition intended to
demonstrate that non-U.S. certified RHD 2000-2003 Jeep Wrangler MPVs
conform to many FMVSS and are capable of being altered to comply with
all other standards to which they were not originally manufactured to
conform.
Specifically, the petitioner claims that non-U.S. certified RHD
Jeep Wrangler MPVs, as originally manufactured, conform to: Standard
Nos. 102 Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and
Transmission Braking Effect, 103 Windshield Defrosting and Defogging
Systems, 104 Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems, 106 Brake Hoses,
113 Hood Latch System, 116 Motor Vehicle Brake Fluids, 119 New
Pneumatic Tires, 124 Accelerator Control Systems, 135 Light Vehicle
Brake Standard, 202 Head Restraints, 204 Steering Control Rearward
Displacement, 205 Glazing Materials, 206 Door Locks and Door Retention
Components, 207 Seating Systems, 210 Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages, 212
Windshield Mounting, 214 Side Impact Protection, 216 Roof Crush
Resistance, 219 Windshield Zone Intrusion, and 302 Flammability of
Interior Materials.
The petitioner also contends that the vehicles are capable of being
altered to meet the following standards, in the manner indicated:
Standard No. 101 Controls and Displays: replacement of the
speedometer with a unit calibrated in miles per hour if the vehicle is
not already so equipped.
Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated
Equipment: if the vehicle is not already so equipped, installation of
U.S.-model: (a) Headlamps and front side marker lamps; (b) tail lamp
assemblies that incorporate rear side marker lamps; (c) center high-
mounted stop lamp; and (d) front and rear side reflex reflectors.
Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirrors: installation of a U.S.-model
passenger side rearview mirror, or inscription of the required warning
statement on the face of that mirror, if the vehicle is not already so
equipped.
Standard No. 114 Theft Protection: installation of a warning buzzer
if the vehicle is not already so equipped.
Standard No. 118 Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel
Systems: inspection of each vehicle and reprogramming or rewiring of
the power operated window system if the vehicle is not already equipped
with a compliant system.
Standard No. 120 Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles Other
than Passenger Cars: installation of a tire and rim information
placard.
Standard No. 201 Occupant Protection in Interior Impact: inspection
of each vehicle and replacement of components if necessary to ensure
compliance with the standard.
Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: inspection of each
vehicle to confirm that U.S.-model airbags, control unit, sensors, seat
belts, and knee bolsters have been installed. The petitioner states
that the vehicles are equipped with a seat belt and audible warning
buzzer that are identical to those found on U.S.-certified models. In
addition, the petitioner states that the vehicles are equipped with
dual front airbags and knee bolsters, and combination lap and shoulder
belts at the front and rear outboard seating positions that are self-
tensioning and are released by means of a single red push button.
Standard No. 209 Seat Belt Assemblies: Replacement of the passenger
side seat belt with a U.S. model component on vehicles that are not
already so equipped.
Standard No. 225 Child Restraint Anchorage Systems: inspection of
each vehicle and installation of a U.S. model anchorage on all vehicles
that are not already so equipped.
Standard No. 301 Fuel System Integrity: inspection of each vehicle
and installation of U.S.-conforming components on all vehicles not
already so equipped to ensure that the fuel system meets the
requirements of this standard.
In addition, the petitioner states that a vehicle identification
number plate must be installed in the area of the left windshield post
to meet the requirements of 49 CFR Part 565 if the vehicle is not
already so equipped.
All comments received before the close of business on the closing
date indicated above will be considered, and will be available for
examination in the docket at the above addresses both before and after
that date. To the extent possible, comments filed after the closing
date will also be considered. Notice of final action on the petition
will be published in the Federal Register pursuant to the authority
indicated below.
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(A) and (b)(1); 49 CFR 593.8;
delegations of authority at 49 CFR 1.50 and 501.8.
Issued on: March 19, 2012.
Claude H. Harris,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2012-7097 Filed 3-23-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P