[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 7, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7266-7267]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-2913]
[[Page 7266]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. 95-006; Notice 1]
Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming
1993, 1994, and 1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT and 3000GT VR-4 Passenger Cars
Are Eligible for Importation
agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.
action: Notice of receipt of petition for decision that nonconforming
1993, 1994, and 1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT and 3000GT VR-4 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 1993,
1994, and 1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT and 3000GT VR-4 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 its 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 March 9, 1995.
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: Ted Bayler, Office of Vehicle Safety
Compliance, NHTSA (202-366-5306).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Under 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(A) (formerly section 108(c)(3)(A)(i)(I)
of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (the Act)), 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 (formerly section 114 of the Act), 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, Inc. of Kingsville, Maryland (``J.K.'') (Registered
Importer 90-006) has petitioned NHTSA to decide whether 1993, 1994, and
1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT and 3000GT VR-4 passenger cars are eligible for
importation into the United States. The vehicles that J.K. believes to
be substantially similar are the 1993, 1994, and 1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT
and 3000GT VR-4 passengers 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 the non-U.S.
certified 1993, 1994, and 1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT and 3000GT VR-4
passenger cars to their U.S. certified counterparts, and found those
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 the non-U.S. certified 1993, 1994, and 1995 Mitsubishi
3000GT and 3000GT VR-4 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 the non-U.S. certified
1993, 1994, and 1995 Mitsubishi 3000Gt and 3000GT VR-4 passenger cars
are identical to their U.S. certified counterparts with respect to
compliance with Standards Nos. 102 Transmission Shift Lever Sequence *
* *, 103 Defrosting and Defogging Systems, 104 Windshield Wiping and
Washing Systems, 105 Hydraulic Brake Systems. 106 Brake Hoses, 107
Reflecting Surfaces, 109 New Pneumatic Tires, 113 Hood Latch Systems,
116 Brake Fluid, 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, 211 Wheel Nuts, Wheel
Discs and Hubcaps, 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 the non-U.S. certified
1993, 1994, and 1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT and 3000GT VR-4 passenger cars
comply with the Bumper Standard found in 49 CFR Part 581.
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. (a) Substitution of a lens
marked ``Brake'' for a lens with an ECE symbol on the brake failure
indicator lamp; (b) recalibration of the speedometer/odometer from
kilometers to miles per hour.
Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated
Equipment. (a) Installation of U.S.-model headlamps and front
sidemarkers; (b) installation of U.S.-model taillamp assemblies which
incorporated rear sidemarkers; (c) installations of a high mounted stop
lamp.
Standard No. 110 Tire Selection and Rims. Installation of a tire
information placard.
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. 115 Vehicle Identification Number. Installation of 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.
Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection. (a) Installation of a
seat belt warning buzzer, wired to the seat belt latch; (b)
installation to knee bolsters to augment the vehicles' air bag based
passive restraint system. The petitioner states that the 1993 models
are equipped with a driver's side air bag, and that the 1994 and 1995
models are equipped with both driver's and passenger's side air bags,
all of which are identical to the air bags found on the vehicles' U.S.-
certified counterparts. [[Page 7267]] The petitioner further claims
that the vehicles are equipped with manual lap and shoulder belts that
have identical part numbers to those found on their U.S.-certified
counterparts.
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, S.W., 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 February 1, 1995.
William A. Boehly,
Associate Administrator for Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 95-2913 Filed 2-6-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-M
