[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 17 (Monday, January 27, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3940-3941]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-1839]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. 97-03; Notice 1]
Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming
1987 and 1988 Toyota Van Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles Are Eligible
for Importation
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for decision that nonconforming
1987 and 1988 Toyota Van multipurpose passenger vehicles (MPVs) are
eligible for importation.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces receipt by the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 1987
and 1988 Toyota Van MPVs that were not originally manufactured to
comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards are
eligible for importation into the United States because (1) they are
substantially similar to vehicles that were originally manufactured for
importation into and 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 February 26,
1997.
ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to the docket number and notice
number, and be submitted to: Docket Section, Room 5109, National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh St., SW, Washington,
DC 20590. [Docket hours are from 9:30 am to 4 pm]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Entwistle, Office of Vehicle
Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202-366-5306).
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 Federal motor
vehicle safety standards 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
Federal motor vehicle safety standards.
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.
J.K. Motors of Kingsville, Maryland (``J.K.'') (Registered Importer
90-006) has petitioned NHTSA to decide whether 1987 and 1988 Toyota
Vans are eligible for importation into the United States. The vehicles
which J.K. believes are substantially similar are the 1987 and 1988
Toyota Vans that were manufactured for importation into, and sale in,
the United States and certified by their manufacturer, Toyota Motor
Corporation, as conforming to all applicable Federal motor vehicle
safety standards.
The petitioner claims that it carefully compared non-U.S. certified
1987 and 1988 Toyota Vans to their U.S. certified counterpart, and
found the vehicles to be substantially similar with respect to
compliance with most Federal motor vehicle safety standards.
J.K. submitted information with its petition intended to
demonstrate that non-U.S. certified 1987 and 1988 Toyota Vans, as
originally manufactured, conform to many Federal motor vehicle safety
standards 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 1987
and 1988 Toyota Vans are identical to their U.S. certified counterparts
with respect to compliance with Standard Nos. 102 Transmission Shift
Lever Sequence * * *, 103 Defrosting and Defogging Systems, 104
Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems, 105 Hydraulic Brake Systems,
106 Brake Hoses, 113 Hood Latch Systems, 116 Brake Fluid, 119 New
Pneumatic Tires, 124 Accelerator Control 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, 210 Seat Belt
Assembly Anchorages, 212 Windshield Retention, 214 Side Impact
Protection, 216 Roof Crush Resistance, 219 Windshield Zone Intrusion,
301 Fuel System Integrity, and 302 Flammability of Interior
Materials.
Petitioner also contends that non-U.S. certified 1987 and 1988
Toyota Vans are capable of being readily altered to meet the following
standards, in the manner indicated:
Standard No. 101 Controls and Displays: (a) Substitution of a lens
marked ``Brake'' for a lens with an ECE symbol on the brake failure
indicator lamp; (b) replacement of the speedometer/odometer with one
calibrated in miles per hour.
Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated
Equipment: (a) Installation of U.S.-model headlamps and front
sidemarker lights; (b) installation of U.S.-model taillamp assemblies
which incorporate rear sidemarker lights; (c) installation of a high
mounted stop lamp assembly.
Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirror: Replacement of the passenger
side rearview mirror with a U.S.-model component.
Standard No. 114 Theft Protection: Installation of a warning
buzzer microswitch and a warning buzzer in the steering lock assembly.
Standard No. 118 Power Window Systems: Installation of a relay in
the power window system so that the window transport is inoperative
when the ignition is switched off.
Standard No. 120 Tire Selection and Rims: Installation of a tire
information placard.
Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: Installation of a seat
belt warning buzzer, wired to the seat belt latch. The petitioner
states that the vehicles are equipped with lap and shoulder belts in
the front and rear outboard seating positions, and with a lap belt in
the rear center seating position.
The petitioner also states that a VIN plate must be installed on
the vehicles so that it can be read from outside the left windshield
pillar, and a VIN reference label must be installed on the edge of the
door or latch post nearest the driver to meet the requirements of 49
CFR part 565.
Interested persons are invited to submit comments on the petition
described above. Comments should refer to the docket number and be
submitted to: Docket Section, National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, Room 5109, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC
20590. It is requested
[[Page 3941]]
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: January 21, 1997.
Marilynne Jacobs,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 97-1839 Filed 1-24-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P
