[Federal Register: March 23, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 55)]
[Notices]
[Page 14749-14751]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23mr05-176]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-2005-20663]
Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming
2002 Jeep Liberty Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles Are Eligible for
Importation
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for decision that nonconforming
2002 Jeep Liberty multipurpose passenger vehicles are eligible for
importation.
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SUMMARY: This document announces receipt by the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that
2002 Jeep Liberty multipurpose passenger vehicles that were not
originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal motor
vehicle safety standards, are eligible for importation into the United
States because (1) they are substantially similar to vehicles that were
originally manufactured for sale in the United States and that were
certified by their manufacturer as complying with the safety standards,
and (2) they are capable of being readily altered to conform to the
standards.
DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is April 22, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to the docket number and notice
number, and be submitted to: Docket Management, Room PL-401, 400
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. [Docket hours are from 9
a.m. to 5 p.m.]. Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all
comments received into any of our dockets by the
[[Page 14750]]
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 (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages
19477-78) or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Coleman Sachs, Office of Vehicle
Safety Compliance, NHTSA ((202) 366-3151).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Under 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(A), a motor vehicle that was not
originally manufactured to conform to all applicable Federal motor
vehicle safety standards shall be refused admission into the United
States unless NHTSA has decided that the motor vehicle is substantially
similar to a motor vehicle originally manufactured for importation into
and sale in the United States, certified under 49 U.S.C. 30115, and of
the same model year as the model of the motor vehicle to be compared,
and is capable of being readily altered to conform to all applicable
Federal motor vehicle safety standards.
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 notice
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 Aberdeen, Maryland (Registered Importer 03-321) has
petitioned NHTSA to decide whether nonconforming 2002 Jeep Liberty
multipurpose passenger vehicles are eligible for importation into the
United States. The vehicles which U.S. SPECS believes are substantially
similar are 2002 Jeep Liberty multipurpose passenger vehicles that were
manufactured for sale in the United States and certified by their
manufacturer as conforming to all applicable Federal motor vehicle
safety standards.
The petitioner claims that it carefully compared non-U.S. certified
2002 Jeep Liberty multipurpose passenger vehicles to their U.S.-
certified counterparts, and found the vehicles to be substantially
similar with respect to compliance with most Federal motor vehicle
safety standards.
US SPECS submitted information with its petition intended to
demonstrate that non-U.S. certified 2002 Jeep Liberty multipurpose
passenger vehicles as originally manufactured, conform to many Federal
motor vehicle safety standards in the same manner as their U.S.
certified counterparts, or are capable of being readily altered to
conform to those standards.
Specifically, the petitioner claims that non-U.S. certified 2002
Jeep Liberty multipurpose passenger vehicles are identical to their
U.S-certified counterparts with respect to compliance with 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, 105 Hydraulic and
Electric Brake Systems (for vehicles built prior to September 1, 2002),
106 Brake Hoses, 113 Hood Latch System, 116 Motor Vehicle Brake Fluids,
119 New Pneumatic Tires for Vehicles Other than Passenger Cars, 124
Accelerator Control Systems, 135 Passenger Car Brake Systems (for
vehicles built after August 31, 2002), 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
readily altered to meet the following standards, in the manner
indicated:
Standard No. 101 Controls and Displays: Replacement or conversion
of the speedometer to read in miles per hour.
Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated
Equipment: Installation, on vehicles that are not already so equipped,
of U.S.-model headlamps, front side marker lamps, taillamp assemblies
that incorporate rear side marker lamps, a high-mounted stoplamp
assembly, and 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 the passenger side rearview mirror.
Standard No. 114 Theft Protection: Installation, on vehicles that
are not already so equipped, of a supplemental key warning buzzer
system to meet the requirements of this standard.
Standard No. 118 Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel
Systems: Inspection of all vehicles and reprogramming and rewiring the
vehicle's systems, as required, to ensure compliance with the standard.
Standard No. 120 Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles Other
than Passenger Cars: Installation of a tire information placard.
Standard No. 201 Occupant Protection in Interior Impact: Inspection
of all vehicles and installation of U.S.-model components, on vehicles
that are not already so equipped, to ensure compliance with the
standard.
Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: (a) Inspection of all
vehicles and replacement of any non U.S.-model seat belts, air bag
control units, air bags, and sensors with U.S.-model components on
vehicles that are not already so equipped, and; (b) installation of a
supplemental seat belt warning buzzer system, if required, to meet the
requirements of this standard.
The petitioner states that the occupant restraints used in these
vehicles consist of dual front airbags and combination lap and shoulder
belts at the front and rear outboard seating positions. These manual
systems are automatic, self-tensioning, and are released by means of a
single red push-button.
Standard No. 209 Seat Belt Assemblies: Inspection of all vehicles
and replacement of non-U.S. model seat belt assemblies with U.S.-model
components.
Standard No. 225 Child Restraint Anchorage Systems: Inspection of
all vehicles and installation, on vehicles that are not already so
equipped, of U.S.-model components to meet the requirements of this
standard.
Standard No. 301 Fuel System Integrity: Inspection of all vehicles
and installation of U.S.-model components, on vehicles that are not
already so equipped, to ensure compliance with the standard.
The petitioner also states that a vehicle identification plate must
be affixed to the vehicles near the left windshield post to meet the
requirements of 49 CFR part 565.
Interested persons are invited to submit comments on the petition
described above. Comments should refer to the docket number and be
submitted to: Docket Management, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20590. [Docket hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.]. It is
requested but not required that 10 copies be submitted.
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
[[Page 14751]]
docket at the above address 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.
Claude H. Harris,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 05-5649 Filed 3-22-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P