[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 215 (Tuesday, November 5, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56998-56999]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-28352]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
[Docket No. 96-111; Notice 1]
Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming
1994, 1995, and 1996 Jaguar XJS Passenger Cars Are Eligible for
Importation
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for decision that nonconforming
1994, 1995, and 1996 Jaguar XJS passenger cars 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 1994,
1995, and 1996 Jaguar XJS passenger cars 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 December 5,
1996.
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.
Wallace Environmental Testing Laboratories, Inc. of Houston, Texas
(``Wallace'') (Registered Importer 90-005) has petitioned NHTSA to
decide whether 1994, 1995, and 1996 Jaguar XJS passenger cars are
eligible for importation into the United States. The vehicles which
Wallace believes are substantially similar are the 1994, 1995, and 1996
Jaguar XJS passenger cars that were manufactured for importation into,
and sale in, the United States and certified by their manufacturer as
conforming to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards.
The petitioner claims that it carefully compared non-U.S. certified
1994, 1995, and 1996 Jaguar XJS passenger cars to their U.S. certified
counterparts, and found the vehicles to be substantially similar with
respect to compliance with most Federal motor vehicle safety standards.
Wallace submitted information with its petition intended to
demonstrate that non-U.S. certified 1994, 1995, and 1996 Jaguar XJS
passenger cars, 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 1994,
1995, and 1996 Jaguar XJS passenger cars 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, 109 New Pneumatic Tires, 113
Hood Latch Systems, 116 Brake Fluid, 118 Power Window Systems, 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, 209 Seat Belt Assemblies, 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.
Additionally, the petitioner states that non-U.S. certified 1994,
1995, and 1996 Jaguar XJS passenger cars comply with the Bumper
Standard found in 49 CFR Part 581.
Petitioner also contends that non-U.S. certified 1994, 1995, and
1996 Jaguar XJS passenger cars 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
[[Page 56999]]
lamp; (b) replacement of the speedometer/odometer with one calibrated
in miles per hour.
Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated
Equipment: Installation of U.S.-model headlight assemblies and front
sidemarkers.
The petitioner states that non-U.S. certified 1994, 1995, and 1996
Jaguar XJS passenger cars are already equipped with conforming high
mounted stop lamps.
Standard No. 110 Tire Selection and Rims: Installation of a tire
information placard.
Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirror: Permanent etching of the required
warning statement onto the surface of the passenger side rearview
mirror.
Standard No. 114 Theft Protection: Installation of a warning buzzer
in the steering lock assembly.
Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: Installation of a seat
belt warning buzzer. The petitioner states that the vehicles are
equipped with driver's and passenger's side air bags that are identical
to those found on the vehicles' U.S.- certified counterparts. The
petitioner also states that the vehicles are equipped with Type 2 seat
belts in all front and rear outboard designated seating positions, and
notes that there are no center seating positions in the vehicles.
The petitioner also states that as required under NHTSA regulations
on vehicle identification numbers at 49 CFR Part 565, non-U.S.
certified 1994, 1995, and 1996 Jaguar XJS passenger cars will have
installed a VIN plate that can be read from outside the left windshield
pillar, and a VIN reference label on the edge of the door or latch post
nearest the driver.
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 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: October 30, 1996.
Marilynne Jacobs,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 96-28352 Filed 11-4-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P
