[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 76 (Tuesday, April 20, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21186-21187]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-8929]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2004-17440; Notice 1]


Hyundai Motor Company, Receipt of Petition for Decision of 
Inconsequential Noncompliance

    Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) has determined that certain 
vehicles that it produced do not comply with S5.3.5(a) of Federal Motor 
Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 105, ``Hydraulic and electric brake 
systems''; and S5.5.5 of FMVSS No. 135, ``Passenger car brake 
systems''. Hyundai has filed an appropriate report pursuant to 49 CFR 
Part 573, ``Defect and Noncompliance Reports.''
    Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 30118(d) and 30120(h), Hyundai has petitioned 
for an exemption from the notification and remedy requirements of 49 
U.S.C. Chapter 301 on the basis that this noncompliance is 
inconsequential to motor vehicle safety.
    This notice of receipt of Hyundai's petition is published under 49 
U.S.C. 30118 and 30120 and does not represent any agency decision or 
other exercise of judgment concerning the merits of the petition.
    S5.3.5 of FMVSS No. 105 requires that ``Each indicator lamp shall 
display word, words or abbreviation * * * which shall have letters not 
less than 1/8-inch high.'' S5.5.5 of FMVSS No. 135 requires that ``Each 
visual indicator shall display a word or words * * * [which] shall have 
letters not less than 3.2 mm (1/8 inch) high.''
    Approximately 237,994 vehicles are affected. Approximately 142,667 
vehicles do not meet the letter height requirement for the abbreviation 
``ABS,'' where the letter height varies from 2.5 mm to 3.1 mm. These 
include MY 1998--2004 Accents, MY 1998--2004 Elantras, MY 2002--2004 
Tiburons, MY 1999--2004 Sonatas, MY 2001--2004 XGs, and MY 2001--2004 
Santa Fes. Approximately 95,327 vehicles do not meet the letter height 
requirements for the word ``brake,'' where the letter height varies 
from 2.9 mm to 3.1 mm. These include MY 1998--1999 Accents and MY 
1998--2001 Tiburons.
    Hyundai believes that the noncompliance is inconsequential to motor 
vehicle safety and that no corrective action is warranted. Hyundai 
states that the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 
symbol for the ABS and the ``ABS'' lettering are part of the same ABS 
warning indicator, and both are simultaneously illuminated in yellow by 
the same lighting source. Hyundai explains that both identifications 
illuminate simultaneously during the instrument cluster warning lamp 
operation check, and also if an ABS malfunction occurs. Hyundai further 
states that although the ABS lettering that appears within the ISO 
symbol is slightly smaller than 3.2 mm in height, the overall height of 
the ABS warning lamp word/symbol combination significantly exceeds the 
standard on each of the affected models.
    Hyundai says that on the two models where the ``brake'' lettering 
is slightly smaller than 3.2 mm in height, the ISO symbol for the brake 
system and the parking brake ISO symbol are part of the same brake 
warning indicator. Hyundai states that both the lettering and symbol 
identifications illuminate simultaneously in red during the instrument 
cluster warning lamp operation check, every time the parking brake is 
applied, and also if a brake system malfunction occurs. Hyundai further 
points out that although the ``brake'' lettering that appears below the 
ISO symbols is slightly smaller than 3.2 mm in height, the overall 
height of the ``brake'' warning lamp word and symbols combination 
exceeds the standard.
    Hyundai asserts that this noncompliance is inconsequential as it 
relates to motor vehicle safety for the following five reasons:
    1. The visual indicators in the vehicles are visible to the driver 
under all driving conditions and therefore meet the requirements of 
S5.3.4(a) of FMVSS No. 101, ``Controls and displays.''
    2. Unlike FMVSS Nos. 105 and 135, other FMVSSs do not have specific 
height dimensions for the display such as FMVSS No. 108, ``Lamps, 
reflective devices and associated equipment''; FMVSS No. 121, ``Air 
brake systems''; and FMVSS No. 208, ``Occupant crash protection.'' The 
requirement in these standards is that the indicator or telltale be 
clearly visible, recognizable, or discernible, or that the telltale is 
an indicator to the driver. Hyundai states that the visual indicators 
in the subject Hyundai vehicles are in full compliance with these 
requirements.
    3. NHTSA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on September 
23, 2003, to update and expand FMVSS No. 101. In this NPRM, NHTSA 
proposed a new definition of ``telltale,'' as well as specific 
requirements for such telltales. Specifically, the telltale must be 
visible to the driver under certain conditions, must have certain 
illumination characteristics, must have certain color characteristics, 
and must be located in a specific place. The subject vehicles have 
visual indicators (telltales) that are in full compliance with these 
proposed requirements.
    4. The owner's manual for each model contain graphic depictions of 
the indicators, both lettering and ISO symbols, as they appear in the 
vehicles with descriptions of their operations.
    5. Hyundai is not aware of any consumer complaints, crashes, or 
injuries associated with the size or visibility of the affected visual 
indicators in the subject vehicles.
    Hyundai asserts that the measure of inconsequentiality is whether 
there is any effect of the noncompliance on operational safety, and 
given the above five factors, Hyundai states the subject

[[Page 21187]]

noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety.
    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and 
arguments on the petition described above. Comments must refer to the 
docket and notice number cited at the beginning of this notice and be 
submitted by any of the following methods. Mail: Docket Management 
Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, Nassif Building, Room PL-
401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. Hand Delivery: 
Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh 
Street, SW., Washington, DC. It is requested, but not required, that 
two copies of the comments be provided. The Docket Section is open on 
weekdays from 10 am to 5 pm except Federal Holidays. Comments may be 
submitted electronically by logging onto the Docket Management System 
Web site at http://dms.dot.gov. Click on ``Help'' to obtain 
instructions for filing the document electronically. Comments may be 
faxed to 1-202-493-2251, or may be submitted to the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal: go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
    The petition, supporting materials, and all comments received 
before the close of business on the closing date indicated below will 
be filed and will be considered. All comments and supporting materials 
received after the closing date will also be filed and will be 
considered to the extent possible. When the petition is granted or 
denied, notice of the decision will be published in the Federal 
Register pursuant to the authority indicated below.
    Comment closing date: May 20, 2004.

(Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30118, 30120: delegations of authority at CFR 
1.50 and 501.8)

    Issued on: April 14, 2004.
Kenneth N. Weinstein,
Associate Administrator for Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 04-8929 Filed 4-19-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P