[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 58 (Monday, March 26, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17567-17568]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-7097]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2012-0031, Notice 1]


Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 
Right-Hand Drive 2000-2003 Jeep Wrangler Multi-Purpose Passenger 
Vehicles Are Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition.

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SUMMARY: This document announces receipt by the National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 
right-hand drive (RHD) 2000-2003 Jeep Wrangler multi-purpose passenger 
vehicles (MPVs) 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 they have 
safety features that comply with, or are capable of being altered to 
comply with, all such standards.

DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is April 25, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to the docket and notice numbers above 
and be submitted by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility: U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building Ground Floor, Room 
W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
    Instructions: Comments must be written in the English language, and 
be no greater than 15 pages in length, although there is no limit to 
the length of necessary attachments to the comments. If comments are 
submitted in hard copy form, please ensure that two copies are 
provided. If you wish to receive confirmation that your comments were 
received, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard with the 
comments. Note that all comments received will be posted without change 
to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading below.
    Privacy Act: 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 (65 FR 19477-78).
    How to Read Comments submitted to the Docket: You may read the 
comments received by Docket Management at the address and times given 
above. You may also view the documents from the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov.
    Follow the online instructions for accessing the dockets. The 
docket ID number and title of this notice are shown at the heading of 
this document notice. Please note that even after the comment closing 
date, we will continue to file relevant information in the Docket as it 
becomes available. Further, some people may submit late comments. 
Accordingly, we recommend that you periodically search the Docket for 
new material.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Stevens, Office of Vehicle 
Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202-366-5308).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Under 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(B), a motor vehicle that was not 
originally manufactured to conform to all applicable FMVSS, and has no 
substantially similar U.S.-certified counterpart, shall be refused 
admission into the United States unless NHTSA has decided that the 
motor vehicle has safety features that comply with, or are capable of 
being altered to comply with, all applicable FMVSS based on destructive 
test data or such other evidence as NHTSA decides to be adequate.
    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 notices 
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 Havre de Grace, Maryland (Registered Importer 03-321) 
has petitioned NHTSA to decide

[[Page 17568]]

whether nonconforming RHD 2000-2003 Jeep Wrangler MPVs are eligible for 
importation into the United States. US SPECS believes these vehicles 
are capable of being modified to meet all applicable FMVSS.
    In its petition, US SPECS notes that Chrysler Corporation certified 
an RHD 2003 Jeep Wrangler MPV to all applicable FMVSS and offered that 
vehicle for sale in the United States. US SPECS contends that the non-
U.S certified RHD 2000-2003 Jeep Wrangler MPV shares the same platform 
with the U.S.-certified RHD 2003 model, and on that basis compares the 
non-U.S. certified models to that vehicle to establish their conformity 
with many applicable FMVSS. Because there is no U.S.-certified 
counterpart for the RHD 2000, 2001, and 2002 Jeep Wrangler MPV, the 
petitioner acknowledged that it could not base its petition on the 
substantial similarity of those vehicles to the U.S.-certified RHD 2003 
Jeep Wrangler MPV in light of the petitioning requirements of 49 U.S.C. 
30141(a)(1)(A), as set forth in 49 CFR Part 593. Instead, the 
petitioner chose to establish import eligibility on the basis that the 
vehicles have safety features that comply with, or are capable of being 
modified to comply with, the FMVSS based on destructive test data or 
such other evidence that NHTSA decides to be adequate as set forth in 
49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(B). Nevertheless, the petitioner contends that 
the non-U.S. certified RHD 2000-2003 Jeep Wrangler MPV utilizes the 
same components as the U.S.- certified RHD 2003 Jeep Wrangler MPV in 
virtually all of the systems subject to the applicable FMVSS.
    US SPECS submitted information with its petition intended to 
demonstrate that non-U.S. certified RHD 2000-2003 Jeep Wrangler MPVs 
conform to many FMVSS and are capable of being altered to comply with 
all other standards to which they were not originally manufactured to 
conform.
    Specifically, the petitioner claims that non-U.S. certified RHD 
Jeep Wrangler MPVs, as originally manufactured, conform to: 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, 106 Brake Hoses, 
113 Hood Latch System, 116 Motor Vehicle Brake Fluids, 119 New 
Pneumatic Tires, 124 Accelerator Control Systems, 135 Light Vehicle 
Brake Standard, 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 
altered to meet the following standards, in the manner indicated:
    Standard No. 101 Controls and Displays: replacement of the 
speedometer with a unit calibrated in miles per hour if the vehicle is 
not already so equipped.
    Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated 
Equipment: if the vehicle is not already so equipped, installation of 
U.S.-model: (a) Headlamps and front side marker lamps; (b) tail lamp 
assemblies that incorporate rear side marker lamps; (c) center high-
mounted stop lamp; and (d) 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 that mirror, if the vehicle is not already so 
equipped.
    Standard No. 114 Theft Protection: installation of a warning buzzer 
if the vehicle is not already so equipped.
    Standard No. 118 Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel 
Systems: inspection of each vehicle and reprogramming or rewiring of 
the power operated window system if the vehicle is not already equipped 
with a compliant system.
    Standard No. 120 Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles Other 
than Passenger Cars: installation of a tire and rim information 
placard.
    Standard No. 201 Occupant Protection in Interior Impact: inspection 
of each vehicle and replacement of components if necessary to ensure 
compliance with the standard.
    Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: inspection of each 
vehicle to confirm that U.S.-model airbags, control unit, sensors, seat 
belts, and knee bolsters have been installed. The petitioner states 
that the vehicles are equipped with a seat belt and audible warning 
buzzer that are identical to those found on U.S.-certified models. In 
addition, the petitioner states that the vehicles are equipped with 
dual front airbags and knee bolsters, and combination lap and shoulder 
belts at the front and rear outboard seating positions that are self-
tensioning and are released by means of a single red push button.
    Standard No. 209 Seat Belt Assemblies: Replacement of the passenger 
side seat belt with a U.S. model component on vehicles that are not 
already so equipped.
    Standard No. 225 Child Restraint Anchorage Systems: inspection of 
each vehicle and installation of a U.S. model anchorage on all vehicles 
that are not already so equipped.
    Standard No. 301 Fuel System Integrity: inspection of each vehicle 
and installation of U.S.-conforming components on all vehicles not 
already so equipped to ensure that the fuel system meets the 
requirements of this standard.
    In addition, the petitioner states that a vehicle identification 
number plate must be installed in the area of the left windshield post 
to meet the requirements of 49 CFR Part 565 if the vehicle is not 
already so equipped.
    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 addresses 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: March 19, 2012.
Claude H. Harris,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2012-7097 Filed 3-23-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P