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

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]

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