[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 67 (Friday, April 7, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17952-17953]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-5124]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2006-24324; Notice 1]


American Honda Motor Company, Inc., Receipt of Petition for 
Decision of Inconsequential Noncompliance

    American Honda Motor Company, Inc. (Honda) has determined that 
certain

[[Page 17953]]

vehicles that it produced in 2005 and 2006 do not comply with S3.1.4.1 
of 49 CFR 571.102, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 
102, ``Transmission shift position sequence, starter interlock, and 
transmission braking effect.'' Honda 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), Honda 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 Honda'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.
    Affected are a total of approximately 2,641 model year 2006 Honda 
Ridgeline vehicles. S3.1.4.1 of FMVSS No. 102 requires,

    [I]f the transmission shift position sequence includes a park 
position, identification of shift positions, including the positions 
in relation to each other and the position selected, shall be 
displayed in view of the driver whenever any of the following 
conditions exist: (1) The ignition is in a position where the 
transmission can be shifted; or (b) The transmission is not in park.

    Honda explains the noncompliance as follows:

    * * * American Honda offered, as an optional part, through its 
dealers, a wiring harness as part of a trailer towing kit. The 
wiring harness included a circuit to provide for back-up lights, if 
present on a trailer, to illuminate when the transmission was 
shifted into reverse gear. The Ridgeline utilizes an electronic 
display in the instrument panel to indicate transmission gear 
position. When the wiring harness in question has been installed, 
and the ignition key is turned to the accessory position, the 
electronic display indicates not only the actual position of the 
selected gear, but also illuminates the reverse position indicator 
in the display, such that there are two indicator lights lighted at 
the same time, unless the reverse position is the gear selected, in 
which case only the reverse position indicator will be lighted.

    Honda has corrected the problem that caused these errors so that 
they will not be repeated in future production.
    Honda believes that the noncompliance is inconsequential to motor 
vehicle safety and that no corrective action is warranted. Honda states 
that neither the actual function of the transmission nor the 
transmission lockout will be affected. Honda states that there is no 
possibility of danger from the noncompliant display while the key is in 
the accessory position. Honda states:

    The key cannot be removed, the vehicle cannot start, and the 
actual gear position would be illuminated, as well as the reverse 
position. There are two possible scenarios to consider.
    In the first and most common scenario, if the key had been 
removed, upon initial insertion of the key, the vehicle would have 
had to be in ``PARK,'' and turning the key to the accessory position 
will illuminate both the ``PARK'' and ``REVERSE'' indications, but 
not allow the vehicle to be shifted from the ``PARK'' position. 
Then, when the key was turned to the ``on'' position, allowing the 
vehicle to be shifted from the ``PARK'' position, the gear position 
indicator would function properly.
    In the second scenario, if the key has been left in the ignition 
while in a gear other than ``PARK,'' when the operator turns the key 
to the accessory position, the electronic display will indicate the 
correct gear, as well as reverse. This would be a highly unusual 
circumstance, and the vehicle would not start unless the key was 
turned to the ``on'' position, in which case the gear position 
indicator would function properly. Nor could the key be removed 
until the shift lever was placed in the ``PARK'' position. Even if 
this highly unlikely situation were to occur, movement of the shift 
lever would indicate the correct gear, as well as the illumination 
of the reverse gear. It would become readily apparent to the 
operator that the illumination of the reverse gear would be 
inappropriate and not indicative of the actual gear being engaged. 
Again, once the ignition is turned to the ``ON'' position, the 
gearshift indicator would function completely normally. At no time 
would the engine operate while in the ``ACCESSORY'' position.

    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and 
arguments on this petition. 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 a.m. to 5 p.m. 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 8, 2006.

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

    Issued on: April 4, 2006.
Daniel C. Smith,
Associate Administrator for Enforcement.
[FR Doc. E6-5124 Filed 4-6-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P