[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 81 (Wednesday, April 28, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 22897]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10495]
[[Page 22897]]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-99-5461; Notice 1]
General Motors Corporation; Application for Determination of
Inconsequential Noncompliance With Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard 108--Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment
General Motors Corporation (GM) determined that some of the GM 1997
EV1 electric passenger cars fail to meet the turn signal requirements
found in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108--Lamps,
Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment. In accordance with 49 CFR
556.4(b)(6), GM submitted a 49 CFR Part 573.5 noncompliance
notification to the agency. Pursuant to 49 U. S. C., sections 30118 and
30120, GM petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) for a decision that the noncompliance is inconsequential to
motor vehicle safety.
GM states that the EV1 is equipped with an electronic turn signal
module that controls turn signal operation. A subset of the module
population can be affected by random inputs that cause the internal
timing of the electronic circuit to become un-synchronized. If this
occurs, it can cause the left turn signal circuit on affected vehicles
to operate improperly and not in compliance with FMVSS No. 108. The
left front turn signal lamp may flash at a rapid rate while the left
rear turn signal lamp illuminates but does not flash. These conditions
can continue after the turn signal lever automatically returns to the
off position, but stop if the driver manually cancels the turn signal
or turns the car off. The right turn signal is not affected.
GM believes that this noncompliance is inconsequential to motor
vehicle safety for these reasons:
The potential for this condition is confined to a very
small population of vehicles, 558.
The condition is not found on every vehicle. Only a subset
of vehicles are affected, based on the build variation of the turn
signal module.
GM knows of only eight customers who have reported the
condition. The turn signal module in these vehicles has been replaced.
While it has not been able to determine the exact
percentage of affected vehicles (the anomaly is not readily repeatable
in the laboratory, and the small production run has severely limited
the number of parts available for testing), the likelihood of
experiencing the condition is extremely rare. The worst case part,
found in laboratory testing, exhibited the anomaly 16 times in 40,000
cycles (0.0004 times per cycle). Other tested parts did not exhibit the
condition as often, or at all.
The left turn signal does not fail completely. An oncoming
driver would see the front turn signal flashing at a rapid rate. A
following driver would see the left turn signal lamp on, although it
would not be flashing. Both of these results are similar to a vehicle
that has a burned out turn signal lamp.
Like a vehicle with a burned out lamp, a driver
experiencing this condition is alerted that the turn signal system is
not functioning properly because the turn signal indicator light does
not flash.
A turn signal with this condition does not self-cancel,
but it can easily be canceled manually.
GM knows of no accidents or injuries associated with this
condition.
Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and
arguments on the application described above. Comments should refer to
the docket number and be submitted to: Docket Management, Room PL-401
Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590. It is requested but not
required that two copies be submitted. Docket hours are 10:00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m.
All comments received before the close of business on the closing
date indicated below will be considered. The application and supporting
materials, and all comments received after the closing date, will also
be filed and will be considered to the extend possible. When the
application is granted or denied, the notice will be published in the
Federal Register pursuant to the authority indicated below.
Comment closing date: May 28, 1999.
(49 U.S.C. 30118 and 30120; delegations of authority at 49 CFR 1.50 and
501.8)
Issued on: April 21, 1999.
L. Robert Shelton,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 99-10495 Filed 4-26-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P
