Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 1992, 1993, and 1994 General Motors Suburban Multi-Purpose Passenger Vehicles Are Eligible for Importation

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. 95-70; Notice 1]

Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming

1992, 1993, and 1994 General Motors Suburban Multi-Purpose Passenger

Vehicles Are Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for decision that nonconforming

1992, 1993, and 1994 General Motors Suburban multi-purpose passenger

[[Page 41908]]

vehicles (MPVs) manufactured in Mexico are eligible for importation.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces receipt by the National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTS) of a petition for a decision that 1992,

1993, and 1994 General Motors Suburban MPVs manufactured in Mexico 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 September 13,

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:

George Entwistle, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202-366-

5306).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Under 40 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.

Wallace Environmental Testing Laboratories, Inc. of Houston, Texas

(``Wallace'') (Registered Importer 90-005) has petitioned NHTSA to

decide whether 1992, 1993, and 1994 General Motors Suburban MPVs are

eligible for importation into the United States. The vehicles that

Wallace believes are substantially similar are the 1992, 1993, and 1994

General Motors Suburban MPVs that were manufactured for sale in the

United States and certified as conforming to all applicable Federal

motor vehicle safety standards.

The petitioner claims that it carefully compared non-U.S. certified

1992, 1993, and 1994 General Motors Suburban MPVs 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 1992, 1993, and 1994 General Motors

Suburban MPVs, 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 1992,

1993, and 1994 General Motors Suburban MPVs 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 Windshiled Wiping and

Washing Systems, 105 Hydraulic Brake Systems, 106 Brake Hoses, 107

Reflecting Surfaces, 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated

Equipment, 109 New Pneumatic Tires, 111 Rearview Mirror, 113 Hood Latch

Systems, 114 Theft Protection, 115 Vehicle Identification Number, 116

Brake Fluid, 118 Power Window Systems, 124 Accelerator Control Systems,

201 Occupant Protection in Interior Impact, 202 Head Restraints, 203

Impact Protection for the Driver From the Steering Control System, 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 non-U.S. certified 1992,

1993, and 1994 General Motors Suburban MPVs 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. 120 Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles other

than Passenger Cars: installation of a tire information placard.

Standards No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: installation of Type 2

lap and shoulder belts at each outboard seating position and a Type 1

lap belt at the center seating position on the rear passenger seat. The

petitioner stated that the vehicles are equipped with Type 2 lap and

shoulder belts at each outboard seating position on the front and

middle passenger seats, and with a Type 1 lap belt in the center

seating position on the middle passenger seat.

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: August 9, 1995.

Marilynne Jacobs,

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.

[FR Doc. 95-20022 Filed 8-11-95; 8:45 am]

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