[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 56 (Monday, March 24, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16098-16099]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-06370]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2013-0106; Notice 1]


Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 
2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles Manufactured 
for Sale in the Mexican Market Are Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.

ACTION: 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 
nonconforming 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander multipurpose passenger vehicles 
manufactured for sale in the Mexican market 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 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 (the U.S.-
certified version of the same 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Multipurpose 
passenger vehicles) and they are capable of being readily altered to 
conform to the standards.

DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is April 23, 2014.

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.

[[Page 16099]]

     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)(A), a motor vehicle that was not 
originally 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.
    Mesa Auto Wholesalers of Chandler, Arizona (Registered Importer 94-
018) has petitioned NHTSA to decide whether nonconforming 2011 
Mitsubishi Outlander multipurpose passenger vehicles (MPV) manufactured 
for sale in the Mexican market are eligible for importation into the 
United States. The vehicles which Mesa Auto Wholesalers believes are 
substantially similar are 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander MPV 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 compared non-U.S. certified 2011 
Mitsubishi Outlander MPV manufactured for sale in the Mexican market to 
their U.S.-certified counterparts, and found the vehicles to be 
substantially similar with respect to compliance with most FMVSS.
    Mesa Auto Wholesalers submitted information with its petition 
intended to demonstrate that non-U.S. certified 2011 Mitsubishi 
Outlander MPV manufactured for sale in the Mexican market, 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 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Multipurpose 
Passenger Vehicles manufactured for sale in the Mexican market 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, 106 Brake Hoses, 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated 
Equipment, 111 Rearview Mirrors, 113 Hood Latch System, 114 Theft 
Protection, 116 Motor Vehicle Brake Fluids, 118 Power-Operated Window, 
Partition, and Roof Panel Systems, 124 Accelerator Control Systems, 126 
Electronic Stability Control Systems, 135 Light Vehicle Brake Systems, 
138 Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems, 201 Occupant Protection in 
Interior Impact, 202 Head Restraints, 204 Steering Control Rearward 
Displacement, 205 Glazing Materials, 206 Door Locks and Door Retention 
Components, 207 Seating Systems, 208 Occupant Crash Protection, 209 
Seat Belt Assemblies, 210 Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages, 212 Windshield 
Mounting, 214 Side Impact Protection, 216 Roof Crush Resistance, 219 
Windshield Zone Intrusion, 225 Child Restraint Anchorages, 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: replacement of the 
instrument cluster with the U.S.-model component.
    Standard No. 120 Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles Other 
Than Passenger Cars: installation of a placard with required tire 
information printed in the English language.
    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), (a)(1)(B), and (b)(1); 49 
CFR 593.7; delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.95 and 501.8.

    Issued on: March 18, 2014.
Jeffrey Giuseppe,
Acting Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2014-06370 Filed 3-21-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P