[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 80 (Thursday, April 26, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20915-20916]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-7936]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-2007-27995]
Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming
1994 and; 1996 Left-Hand Drive and Right-Hand Drive Model Jeep Cherokee
Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles Are Eligible for Importation
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for decision that nonconforming
1994 and; 1996 left-hand drive and right-hand drive model Jeep Cherokee
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
1994 and 1996 left-hand drive (LHD) and right-hand drive (RHD) model
Jeep Cherokee multipurpose passenger vehicles that were not originally
manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety
standards (FMVSS), 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 May 29, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to the docket number and notice
number, and be submitted to: Docket Management, Room PL-401, 400
Seventh St., SW., Washington, DC 20590. [Docket hours are from 9 am to
5 pm]. Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments
received into any of our dockets by the 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
[[Page 20916]]
manufactured to conform to all applicable FMVSS 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 FMVSS.
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.
G&K Automotive Conversion, Inc. of Santa Ana, California (``G&K'')
(Registered Importer 90-007) has petitioned NHTSA to decide whether
nonconforming 1994 and 1996 LHD and RHD model Jeep Cherokee
multipurpose passenger vehicles are eligible for importation into the
United States. The vehicles which G&K believes are substantially
similar are 1994 and 1996 LHD and RHD model Jeep Cherokee multipurpose
passenger vehicles that were manufactured for sale in the United States
and certified by their manufacturer as conforming to all applicable
FMVSS.
The petitioner claims that it carefully compared non-U.S. certified
1994 & 1996 LHD and RHD model Jeep Cherokee multipurpose passenger
vehicles to their U.S.-certified counterparts, and found the vehicles
to be substantially similar with respect to compliance with most FMVSS.
G&K submitted information with its petition intended to demonstrate
that non-U.S. certified 1994 and; 1996 LHD and RHD model Jeep Cherokee
multipurpose passenger vehicles as originally manufactured, conform to
many FMVSS 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 1994
and; 1996 LHD and RHD model Jeep Cherokee 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, 106 Brake Hoses,
107, Reflecting Surfaces, 113 Hood Latch System, 114 Theft Protection,
116 Motor Vehicle Brake Fluids, 118 Power-Operated Window, Partition,
and Roof Panel Systems, 119 New Pneumatic Tires for Vehicles Other than
Passenger Cars, 124 Accelerator Control Systems, 201 Occupant
Protection in Interior Impact, 202 Head Restraints, 203 Impact
Protection for the Driver from Steering Control System, 204 Steering
Control Rearward Displacement, 205 Glazing Materials, 206 Door Locks
and Door Retention Components, 207 Seating Systems, 209 Seat Belt
Assemblies, 210 Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages, 211 Wheel Nuts, Wheel
Disks, and Hub Caps, 212 Windshield Mounting, 214 Side Impact
Protection, 216 Roof Crush Resistance, 219 Windshield Zone Intrusion,
301 Fuel System Integrity, 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: (a) Inscription of the word
``brake'' on the instrument cluster in place of the international ECE
warning symbol; (b) replacement or conversion of the speedometer to
read in miles per hour; and (c) inscription of warning symbols and
lettering for the seat belt warning telltales that meet the
requirements of this standard.
Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated
Equipment: installation, on vehicles that are not already so equipped,
of U.S.-certified model (a) headlamps; (b) front and rear side-mounted
marker lamps which incorporate reflex reflectors; and (c) tail lamps
assemblies.
Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirrors: installation of a U.S.-certified
model passenger side rearview mirror, or inscription of the required
warning statement on the face of the passenger side rearview mirror.
Standard No. 115 Vehicle Identification: installation of a vehicle
identification plate near the left windshield post to meet the
requirements of this standard.
Standard No. 120 Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles Other
than Passenger Cars: installation of a tire information placard.
Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: (a) Inspection of all
vehicles and replacement of any non U.S.-certified model seat belt
components on vehicles that are not already so equipped and; (b)
installation of a supplemental seat belt warning buzzer system, to meet
the requirements of this standard.
The petitioner states that the occupant restraints used in these
vehicles consist of combination lap and shoulder belts at the front and
rear outboard seating positions and a lap belt at the rear center
seating position.
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 St., SW.,
Washington, DC 20590. [Docket hours are from 9 am to 5 pm]. 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 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.
Issued on: April 20, 2007.
Claude H. Harris,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. E7-7936 Filed 4-25-07; 8:45 am]
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