[Federal Register: June 24, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 121)]
[Notices]               
[Page 42599-42600]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24jn02-112]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

 
Denial of Motor Vehicle Recall Petition, RP01-001

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Denial of petition for a hearing on the adequacy of recall 
notification.

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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the reasons for the denial of a 
petition submitted to NHTSA under 49 U.S.C. 30162, requesting that the 
agency hold a Public Hearing to determine whether General Motors 
Corporation (GM) has reasonably met its obligation to notify owners of 
NHTSA Safety Recall No. 00V-189. The petition is identified as RP01-
001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jonathan White, Office of Defects 
Investigation (ODI), NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20590. Telephone: (202) 366-5226.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Mr. Franklin Walter Long, Jr., of Detroit, 
MI, submitted a petition to NHTSA by facsimile dated October 24, 2001, 
requesting that the agency hold a Public Hearing to determine whether 
GM has reasonably met its obligation to notify him of NHTSA Safety 
Recall No. 00V-189 with respect to his model year 1991 Oldsmobile 
Cutlass Supreme. The petitioner alleges that GM did not notify him of 
NHTSA Safety Recall No. 00V-189.
    ODI has reviewed its records for this recall, which involved more 
than 700,000 vehicles, and no other individuals have expressed any 
concerns to NHTSA regarding notification. When a motor vehicle 
manufacturer conducts a safety recall, it is required by 49 U.S.C. 
30119 to use its records and State motor vehicle records to identify 
owners of the vehicles covered by the recall. According to records 
provided by GM, Northern Michigan Loan, Inc., was notified of this 
recall on September 28, 2000. That entity apparently was identified as 
the registered owner of the vehicle at that time. Subsequently, Mr. 
Long was mailed an owner notification with respect to this recall on 
March 8, 2002. Furthermore, GM has advised NHTSA that it has taken 
steps to buy back the petitioner's vehicle.
    In view of the foregoing, it is unlikely that NHTSA would issue an 
order to GM regarding the adequacy of the notification under this 
recall following a hearing such as the one the petitioner

[[Page 42600]]

requested. Therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize 
NHTSA's limited resources to best accomplish the agency's safety 
mission, the petition is denied.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30162(d); delegations of authority at CFR 
1.50 and 501.8.

    Issued on: June 18, 2002.
Kenneth N. Weinstein,
Associate Administrator for Safety Assurance.
[FR Doc. 02-15798 Filed 6-21-02; 8:45 am]
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