[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 103 (Friday, May 26, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34248-34249]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-13272]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA 2000-7291; Notice 1]


General Motors Corporation; Receipt of Application for 
Determination of Inconsequential Non-Compliance

    General Motors Corporation (GM) has applied to be exempted from the 
notification and remedy requirements of 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301 ``Motor 
Vehicle Safety'' for a noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety 
Standard (FMVSS) No. 208, ``Occupant Crash Protection,'' on the basis 
that the noncompliance is inconsequential to motor vehicle safety. GM 
has filed a report of a noncompliance pursuant to 49 CFR part 573 
``Defects and Noncompliance Report.''
    This notice of receipt of the application is published under 49 
U.S.C. 30118 and 30120 and does not represent any agency decision or 
other exercise of judgement concerning the merits of the application.

Description of Noncompliance

    GM has identified a condition in which the required seat belt 
audible signal on some 1996-99 Model Year Chevrolet Astro and GMC 
Safari vans may occasionally operate for less than the 4 to 8 second 
time required. Upon such occurrence, the signal would not fully comply 
with the audible signal portion of the S7.3 seat belt warning provision 
of FMVSS No. 208. GM has submitted a 49 CFR 573.5 noncompliance 
notification to the agency which details the affected vehicles. 
Pursuant to section 30118(d) and 30120(h) of Chapter 301 and 49 CFR 
part 556, and for reasons set forth, GM requested exemption from the 
notification, and remedy provisions of 49 U.S.C. 30118 and 30120 on the 
basis that the noncompliance is inconsequential to motor vehicle 
safety.
    ``A total of 461,851 1996-99 MY Chevrolet Astro and GMC Safari vans 
were built with an audible driver seat belt warning system that may, in 
a random manner (1) operate properly, (2) terminate the audible signal 
in less than the minimum 4 second requirement, or (3) not operate at 
all. The possibility of a random noncompliance results from a transient 
signal being generated at the seat belt switch input to the audible 
signal module when the ignition switch is turned to start and the belt 
latch mechanism is not fastened. The module may interpret this 
transient signal input as the seat belt latch mechanism being fastened 
and thereby terminate the audible tone. The condition is caused by a 
ground voltage difference between the seat belt switch and the signal 
module creating a transient signal that the module was not designed to 
filter. At the time the subject module and associated wiring harness 
were developed, GM truck engineering did not have a formal requirement 
for electrical grounding and module input filtering.''
    ``A new module and wiring harness were implemented at the assembly 
plant in January 1999, that changed this condition. To prevent this 
issue in the future, electrical grounding rules that define specific 
requirements for modules and their inputs have been implemented to 
evaluate all electrical ground designs during the design review 
process. This condition is not present in other GM vehicles with the 
same signal module because the respective component ground is 
compatible with the module design in other GM products. GM also has 
reviewed its warranty is information regarding the subject vehicle's 
audible signal. There has been no change in the

[[Page 34249]]

occurrences of customer warranty claims regarding the seat belt audible 
signal for the 1995 vehicles, produced prior to this issue, and the 
warranty claim made on the vehicles involved.''

Supporting Information Submitted by General Motors

    It is GM's understanding that the purpose of the seat belt warning 
requirement is to provide a reminder to the vehicle's driver to wear a 
seat belt. Section 7.3 of FMVSS 208 currently allows a manufacturer two 
alternatives for complying with the seat belt warning requirements. As 
Option 1, S7.3(a)(1) essentially requires (1) an audible signal of 4 to 
8 seconds, and (2) a minimum 60 second telltale light when the driver 
seat belt is unbuckled and the ignition is moved to the ``on'' or 
``start'' position. If the driver seat belt is buckled, neither the 
audible signal nor the telltale light should be activated when the 
ignition is turned to the ``on'' or ``start'' position. As Option 2, 
S7.3 (a)(2) essentially requires (1) an audible signal of 4 to 8 
seconds when the driver seat belt is unlocked and the ignition is moved 
to the ``on'' or ``start'' position, and (2) a 4 to 8 second telltale 
light whenever the ignition is moved to the ``on'' or ``start'' 
position, whether or not the driver seat belt is buckled.
    The subject vehicles were designed to Option 1 and comply with the 
portion of the requirements to activate a continuous or flashing 
warning light for a minimum of 60 seconds if the ignition is turned to 
the ``on'' or ``start'' position and the driver seat belt is not 
buckled, thus notifying a driver that he/she is not buckled up. 
Specifically, the subject vehicles comply with this portion of the 
requirement by displaying a continuous warning light for approximately 
the first 20 seconds and then a flashing light for approximately 55 
seconds if the driver belt is not buckled. The subject vehicles, 
therefore, provide a visual warning signal that exceeds the 60 second 
duration requirement of Option 2. Furthermore, the design duration of 
75 seconds for the visual signal provides a considerable enhancement 
over the 4 to 8 second duration requirement allowed by Option 2.
    GM believes that the subject vehicles provide an enhanced visual 
seat belt warning indicator to remind the driver to wear a seat belt. 
Under these particular conditions, GM believes that the noncompliance 
to S7.3 f FMVSS 208 is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle 
safety, and therefore, requests the affected vehicles exempted from the 
notification, recall and remedy provisions of Section 30120 of the 
Safety Act.
    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views and 
arguments on the petition of GM, described above. Comments should refer 
to the Docket Number and be submitted to: Docket Management, National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Room PL 401, 400 7th Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20590. It is requested that two copies be 
submitted.
    All comments received before the close of business on the closing 
date indicated below will be considered. The application and supporting 
materials, and all comments received after the closing date will also 
be filed and will be considered to the extent practicable. When the 
application is granted or denied, a Notice will be published in the 
Federal Register pursuant to the authority indicated below.
    Comment closing date: June 26, 2000.

(49 U.S.C. 30118, 30120; delegations of authority at 49 CFR 1.50 and 
49 CFR 501.8)
    Issued on: May 22, 2000.
Stephen R. Kratzke,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 00-13272 Filed 5-25-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P