[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 23, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14749-14751]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-5649]


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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

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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