[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 119 (Thursday, June 20, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42103-42104]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-15499]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration


Denial of Motor Vehicle Defect Petition, DP02-004

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

ACTION: Denial of petition for a defect investigation.

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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 initiate an investigation to determine the existence of a defect 
related to motor vehicle safety. The petition is identified as DP02-
004.

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: Ms. Charlene Blake, Vienna, VA, submitted a 
petition to NHTSA by letter dated April 9, 2002, requesting that an 
investigation be initiated to determine whether to issue an order 
concerning a defect in Model Year 1997 to 2001 Toyota Camry, Solara, 
Sienna, Avalon, Celica and Highlander vehicles and Lexus ES 300 and RX 
300 vehicles. The petitioner alleges sudden engine seizure in certain 
aforementioned vehicles attributable to engine sludge-related problems.
    In February 2002, Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Incorporated (Toyota) 
initiated a Special Policy Adjustment (SPA) covering the aforementioned 
model vehicles. In April 2002, Toyota expanded the SPA to include 
certain model year 2002 production for the same models. Toyota's SPA 
program is designed to provide assistance to consumers who have 
experienced engine problems related to ``oil gelling'' or ``sludge.'' 
While aggravating to the owner, this problem appears to have limited 
safety implications within the meaning of NHTSA's authorizing statue. 
Moreover, given the actions taken by Toyota to address this problem, 
NHTSA does not believe that pursuing this matter would be an effective 
use of its resources.
    In view of the foregoing, it is unlikely that NHTSA would issue an 
order for the notification and remedy of an alleged safety-related 
defect as defined by the petitioner in the subject vehicles at the 
conclusion of the investigation requested in the petition. Therefore, 
in view of the need to allocate and

[[Page 42104]]

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 12, 2002.
Kenneth N. Weinstein,
Associate Administrator for Safety Assurance.
[FR Doc. 02-15499 Filed 6-16-02; 8:45 am]
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