§ 600.005 - Maintenance of records and rights of entry.

§ 600.005 Maintenance of records and rights of entry.

The provisions of this section are applicable to all fuel economy data vehicles. Certification vehicles are required to meet the provisions of § 86.1844 of this chapter.

(a) The manufacturer of any new motor vehicle subject to any of the standards or procedures prescribed in this part shall establish, maintain, and retain the following adequately organized and indexed records:

(1) General records.

(i) Identification and description of all vehicles for which data are submitted to meet the requirements of this part.

(ii) A description of all procedures used to test each vehicle.

(iii) A copy of the information required to be submitted under § 600.006 fulfills the requirements of paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section.

(2) Individual records. A brief history of each vehicle for which data are submitted to meet the requirements of this part, in the form of a separate booklet or other document for each separate vehicle, in which must be recorded:

(i) The steps taken to ensure that the vehicle with respect to its engine, drive train, fuel system, emission control system components, exhaust after treatment device, vehicle weight, or any other device or component, as applicable, will be representative of production vehicles. In the case of electric vehicles, the manufacturer should describe the steps taken to ensure that the vehicle with respect to its electric traction motor, motor controller, battery configuration, or any other device or component, as applicable, will be representative of production vehicles.

(ii) A complete record of all emission tests performed under part 86 of this chapter, all fuel economy tests performed under this part 600 (except tests actually performed by EPA personnel), and all electric vehicle tests performed according to procedures promulgated by DOE, including all individual worksheets and other documentation relating to each such test or exact copies thereof; the date, time, purpose, and location of each test; the number of miles accumulated on the vehicle when the tests began and ended; and the names of supervisory personnel responsible for the conduct of the tests.

(iii) A description of mileage accumulated since selection of buildup of such vehicles including the date and time of each mileage accumulation listing both the mileage accumulated and the name of each driver, or each operator of the automatic mileage accumulation device, if applicable. Additionally, a description of mileage accumulated prior to selection or buildup of such vehicle must be maintained in such detail as is available.

(iv) If used, the record of any devices employed to record the speed or mileage, or both, of the test vehicle in relationship to time.

(v) A record and description of all maintenance and other servicing performed, within 2,000 miles prior to fuel economy testing under this part, giving the date and time of the maintenance or service, the reason for it, the person authorizing it, and the names of supervisory personnel responsible for the conduct of the maintenance or service. A copy of the maintenance information to be submitted under § 600.006 fulfills the requirements of this paragraph (a)(2)(v).

(vi) A brief description of any significant events affecting the vehicle during any of the period covered by the history not described in an entry under one of the previous headings including such extraordinary events as vehicle accidents or driver speeding citations or warnings.

(3) Keeping records. The manufacturer shall retain all records required under this part for five years after the end of the model year to which they relate. Records may be retained as hard copy or some alternative storage medium, provided that in every case all the information contained in hard copy shall be retained.

(b)

(1) Any manufacturer who has supplied fuel economy data to meet the requirements of this part shall admit any EPA Enforcement Officer during operating hours upon presentation of credentials at any of the following:

(i) Any facility where any fuel economy tests from which data are submitted or any procedures or activities connected with these tests are performed.

(ii) Any facility where any new motor vehicle which is being, was, or is to be tested is present.

(iii) Any facility where any construction process used in the modification or buildup of a vehicle into a fuel economy data vehicle is taking place or has taken place.

(iv) Any facility where any record or other document relating to any of the above is located.

(2) Upon admission to any facility referred to in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the manufacturer shall allow any EPA Enforcement Officer:

(i) To inspect and monitor any part or aspect of procedures, activities, and testing facilities, including, but not limited to, monitoring vehicle preconditioning; emission and fuel economy tests and mileage accumulation; maintenance; vehicle soak and storage procedures; and to verify correlation of calibration of test equipment;

(ii) To inspect and make copies of any required records, designs, or other documents; and

(iii) To inspect and photograph any part or aspect of any fuel economy vehicle and any components to be used in the construction thereof.

(3) Any EPA Enforcement Officer will be furnished, by those in charge of facility being inspected, with such reasonable assistance as may be required to help discharge any function listed in this paragraph (b). Each manufacturer is required to have those in charge of the facility furnish such reasonable assistance without charge to EPA whether or not the manufacturer controls the facility.

(4) The duty to admit any EPA Enforcement Officer shall be applicable whether or not the manufacturer owns or controls the facility in question and is applicable to both domestic and foreign manufacturers and facilities. An EPA Enforcement Officer will not attempt to make any inspections which the officer has been informed are in contravention of any law. However, if local law makes it impossible for the EPA Enforcement Officer to verify or to ensure the accuracy of data generated at a facility such that no informed judgment can properly be made as to the accuracy or reliability of data generated by or obtained for the facility, then a vehicle or data from that vehicle shall not be accepted for use in subpart C or F of this part (unless the Administrator is otherwise convinced of the accuracy and reliability of such data).

(5) For purposes of this paragraph (b):

(i) “Presentation of credentials” means display of the document designating a person as an EPA Enforcement Officer.

(ii) Where vehicle, component, or engine storage areas or facilities are concerned, “operating hours” shall mean all times during which personnel other than custodial personnel are at work in the vicinity of the area or facility and have access to it.

(iii) For facilities or areas other than those covered by paragraph (b)(5)(ii) of this section, the term, “operating hours” will mean all times during which an assembly line is in operation or all times during which testing, maintenance, mileage accumulation, production or compilation of records, or any other procedure or activity related to fuel economy testing, or to vehicle manufacturer or assembly, is being carried out in a facility.

(iv) “Reasonable assistance” means providing timely and unobstructed access to and opportunity for the copying of any record, book, paper, or document required to be maintained under this section and providing timely and unobstructed access to any motor vehicle, testing facility, or testing equipment.

(v) Any entry without 24 hours prior written or oral notification to the affected manufacturer shall be authorized in writing by the Assistant Administrator for Enforcement.

[45 FR 49259, July 24, 1980, as amended at 64 FR 23973, May 4, 1999. Redesignated and amended at 76 FR 39524, 39527, July 6, 2011]