[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 121 (Wednesday, June 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36404-36406]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-15426]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2014-0120; Notice 1]


Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 
2008 Cadillac Escalade Multipurpose Vehicles Are Eligible for 
Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 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 2008 Cadillac Escalade multipurpose passenger vehicles 
(MPV) 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

[[Page 36405]]

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 2008 Cadillac Escalade) and they are capable of being readily 
altered to conform to the standards.

DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is July 24, 2015.

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)(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.
    Wallace Environmental Testing Laboratories (``WETL''), Inc. of 
Houston, Texas (Registered Importer R-90-005) has petitioned NHTSA to 
decide whether nonconforming 2008 Cadillac Escalade MPV are eligible 
for importation into the United States. The vehicles which WETL 
believes are substantially similar are 2008 Cadillac Escalade 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 2008 
Cadillac Escalade MPV to their U.S.-certified counterparts, and found 
the vehicles to be substantially similar with respect to compliance 
with most FMVSS.
    WETL submitted information with its petition intended to 
demonstrate that non-U.S. certified 2008 Cadillac Escalade MPV, 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 2008 Cadillac Escalade MPV 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, 109 New Pneumatic Tires, 110 Tire Selection and Rims, 113 Hood 
Latch System, 114 Theft Protection, 116 Motor Vehicle Brake Fluids, 118 
Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof panel System, 124 
Accelerator Control Systems, 135 Light Vehicle Brake 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, 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 Anchorage Systems, 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: Modification of the brake 
warning telltale through replacement of the tachometer with the U.S.-
model component, which includes a compliant brake telltale, or by 
adding a brake telltale which complies with the requirements of the 
standard.
    Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated 
Equipment: Replacement of the headlamps and tail lamps with U.S.-model 
components.
    Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirrors: Inscription of the required 
warning statement on the face of the passenger mirror.
    Standard No. 138 Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems: Addition of 
U.S.-model tire pressure monitoring system components including, tire 
pressure sensors, transmitter, antenna, receiver, and software. In 
addition, verification that system functionality meets the requirements 
of the standard will be performed by testing each of the subject 
vehicles after installation of the U.S.-model components.
    Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: A U.S.-version of the 
owner's manual must be provided with

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the vehicle to meet the information requirements of the standard.
    Standard No. 301 Fuel System Integrity: Installation of a rollover 
valve in the fuel tank vent line between the fuel tank and the 
evaporative emissions collection canister to comply with the 
requirements of this standard.
    The petitioner additionally states that a vehicle identification 
plate must be affixed to the vehicle near the left windshield post to 
meet the requirements of 49 CFR part 565.
    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.

Jeffrey Giuseppe,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2015-15426 Filed 6-23-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-59-P