Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 1992-1999 Honda Accord Passenger Cars Are Eligible for Importation

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-99-6353]

Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming

1992-1999 Honda Accord Passenger Cars Are Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for decision that nonconforming

1992-1999 Honda Accord passenger cars are eligible for importation.

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SUMMARY: This document announces receipt by the National Highway

Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that

1992-1999 Honda Accords 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 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 November 22,

1999.

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 am to 5

pm].

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

[[Page 56834]]

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.

Champagne Imports of Lansdale, Pennsylvania (``Champagne'')

(Registered Importer 90-009) has petitioned NHTSA to decide whether

non-U.S. certified 1992-1999 Honda Accords are eligible for importation

into the United States. The vehicles which Champagne believes are

substantially similar are 1992-1999 Honda Accords 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 non-U.S. certified

1992-1999 Honda Accords 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.

Champagne submitted information with its petition intended to

demonstrate that non-U.S. certified 1992-1999 Honda Accords, 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-

1999 Honda Accords are identical to their U.S.-certified counterparts

with respect to compliance with Standard Nos. 102 Transmission Shift

Lever Sequence * * *, 103 Defrosting and Defogging Systems, 104

Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems, 105 Hydraulic Brake Systems, 106

Brake Hoses, 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, 212 Windshield Retention, 216 Roof Crush

Resistance, 219 Windshield Zone Intrusion, and 302 Flammability of

Interior Materials.

Additionally, the petitioner states that non-U.S. certified 1992-

1999 Honda Accord 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 a noncomplying symbol on the brake

failure indicator lamp; (b) Installation of a seat belt warning lamp

that displays the appropriate symbol; (c) 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 headlamp assemblies that

incorporate headlamps with DOT markings; (b) installation of U.S.-model

front and rear sidemarker/reflector assemblies; (c) installation of

U.S.-model taillamp assemblies.

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 in the steering lock assembly and a warning buzzer.

Standard No. 118 Power Window Systems: rewiring of the power window

system so that the window transport is inoperative when the ignition is

switched off.

Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: (a) installation of a

U.S.-model seat belt in the driver's position, or a belt webbing-

actuated microswitch inside the driver's seat belt retractor; (b)

installation of an ignition switch-actuated seat belt warning lamp and

buzzer; (c) replacement of the driver's side air bags and knee bolsters

on 1992 and 1993 models and the driver's and passenger's side air bags

and knee bolsters on 1994 through 1999 models with U.S.-model

components if the vehicle is not already so equipped. The petitioner

states that the vehicles are equipped with combination lap and shoulder

restraints that adjust by means of an automatic retractor and release

by means of a single push button at both front designated seating

positions, with combination lap and shoulder restraints that release by

means of a single push button at both rear outboard designated seating

positions, and with a lap belt at the rear center designated seating

position.

Standard No. 214 Side Impact Protection: installation of

reinforcing beams if the vehicle is not already so equipped.

Standard No. 301 Fuel System Integrity: installation of a rollover

valve in the fuel tank vent line between the fuel tank and the

evaporative emissions collection canister.

The petitioner states that a vehicle identification number plate

must be affixed to all non-U.S. certified 1992-1999 Honda Accord

passenger cars to meet the requirements of 49 CFR Part 565.

The petitioner additionally states that all vehicles will be

inspected prior to importation to assure compliance with the Theft

Prevention Standard at 49 CFR Part 541, and that vehicles will be

modified if necessary to comply with that standard.

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: October 15, 1999.

Marilynne Jacobs,

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.

[FR Doc. 99-27508 Filed 10-20-99; 8:45 am]

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