02-10761. Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision that Nonconforming 1978 General Motors Blazer Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles Are Eligible for Importation

AGENCY:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION:

Notice of receipt of petition for decision that nonconforming 1978 General Motors Blazer multipurpose passenger vehicles are eligible for importation.

SUMMARY:

This document announces receipt by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 1978 General Motors Blazer multipurpose passenger vehicles 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 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 May 31, 2002.

ADDRESSES:

Comments should refer to the docket number and notice number, and be submitted to: Docket Management, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh St., SW., Washington, DC 20590. [Docket hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.].

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 (“WETL”) (Registered Importer 90-005) has petitioned NHTSA to decide whether 1978 General Motors Blazer multipurpose passenger vehicles, originally manufactured for sale in European and other foreign markets, are eligible for importation into the United States. The vehicles which WETL believes are substantially similar are 1978 General Motors Blazer multipurpose passenger vehicles that were manufactured for sale in the United States and certified by their manufacturer, General Motors Corporation, as conforming to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards.

The petitioner claims that it carefully compared non-U.S. certified 1978 General Motors Blazer multipurpose passenger vehicles 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.

WETL submitted information with its petition intended to demonstrate that non-U.S. certified 1978 General Motors Blazer multipurpose passenger vehicles, 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 1978 General Motors Blazer multipurpose passenger vehicles are identical to their U.S. certified counterparts with respect to compliance with Standard Nos. 101 Controls and Displays, 102 Transmission Shift Lever Sequence * * *, 103 Defrosting and Defogging Systems, 104 Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems, 106 Brake Hoses, 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment, 113 Hood Latch Systems, 116 Motor Vehicle Brake Fluids, 119 New Pneumatic Tires for Vehicles other than Passenger Cars, 124 Accelerator Control Systems, 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, 219 Windshield Zone Intrusion, 301 Fuel System Integrity, and 302 Flammability of Interior Materials.

Additionally, the petitioner states that non-U.S. certified 1978 General Motors Blazer multipurpose passenger vehicles comply with the Vehicle Identification Number plate requirement of 49 CFR part 565.

Petitioner further contends that the vehicles are capable of being readily altered to meet the following standards, in the manner indicated:

Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirror: Replacement of the passenger side rearview mirror, which is flat and has 1:1 magnification.

Standard No. 120 Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles other than Passenger Cars: Installation of a tire information placard.

Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: Installation of an audible safety belt warning system. The petitioner states that the vehicle is equipped with Type II seat belts in both front outboard seating positions and Type I seat belts in the rear outboard and center seating positions and that driver and front outboard passenger seating positions are not required to have air bags.

The petitioner also states that a certification label must be affixed to the driver's side door jamb to meet the requirements of 49 CFR part 567.

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on the petition described above. Comments should refer to the docket number and be submitted to: Docket Management, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh St., SW, Washington, DC 20590. [Docket hours are from 9 am to 5 pm]. 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: April 25, 2002.

Marilynne Jacobs,

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.