Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming Model Year 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLK Class Passenger Cars Are Eligible for Importation |
|---|
Topics: Mercedes-Benz SLK Class
|
Jeffrey M. Giuseppe
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
16 February 2016
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 16, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7889-7891]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-02968]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-2015-0083; Notice 1]
Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming
Model Year 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLK Class Passenger Cars Are Eligible for
Importation
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Receipt of petition.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This document announces receipt by the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that
model year (MY) 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLK Class passenger cars (PC) that
were not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal
motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS), are eligible for importation
into the United States because 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 (the U.S.-certified version of the 2014 Mercedes-
Benz SLK Class PC) and they are capable of being readily altered to
conform to the standards.
DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is March 17, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to the docket and notice numbers above
and be submitted by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
[[Page 7890]]
online instructions for submitting comments.
Mail: Docket Management Facility: U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor,
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building Ground Floor, Room
W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Fax: 202-493-2251.
Instructions: Comments must be written in the English language, and
be no greater than 15 pages in length, although there is no limit to
the length of necessary attachments to the comments. If comments are
submitted in hard copy form, please ensure that two copies are
provided. If you wish to receive confirmation that your comments were
received, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard with the
comments. Note that all comments received will be posted without change
to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information
provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading below.
Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78).
How to Read Comments submitted to the Docket: You may read the
comments received by Docket Management at the address and times given
above. You may also view the documents from the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for accessing the
dockets. The docket ID number and title of this notice are shown at the
heading of this document notice. Please note that even after the
comment closing date, we will continue to file relevant information in
the Docket as it becomes available. Further, some people may submit
late comments. Accordingly, we recommend that you periodically search
the Docket for new material.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Stevens, Office of Vehicle
Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202-366-5308).
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 FMVSS 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 FMVSS.
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. Technologies LLC (JK) of Baltimore, Maryland (Registered
Importer R-90-006) has petitioned NHTSA to decide whether nonconforming
2014 Mercedes-Benz SLK Class PCs are eligible for importation into the
United States. The vehicles which JK believes are substantially similar
are MY 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLK Class PCs sold in the United States and
certified by their manufacturer as conforming to all applicable FMVSS.
The petitioner claims that it compared non-U.S. certified MY 2014
Mercedes-Benz SLK Class PCs to their U.S.-certified counterparts, and
found the vehicles to be substantially similar with respect to
compliance with most FMVSS.
JK submitted information with its petition intended to demonstrate
that non-U.S. certified MY 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLK Class PCs, as
originally manufactured, conform to many applicable FMVSS 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 MY
2014 Mercedes-Benz SLK Class PCs, as originally manufactured, conform
to: Standard Nos. 102 Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter
Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect, 103 Windshield Defrosting
and Defogging Systems, 104 Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems, 106
Brake Hoses, 113 Hood Latch System, 114 Theft Protection, 116 Motor
Vehicle Brake Fluids, 118 Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof
panel System, 124 Accelerator Control Systems, 126 Electronic Stability
Control Systems, 135 Light Vehicle Brake Systems, 139 New Pneumatic
Radial Tires for Light Vehicles, 201 Occupant Protection in Interior
Impact, 202a Head Restraints, 204 Steering Control Rearward
Displacement, 205 Glazing Materials, 206 Door Locks and Door Retention
Components, 207 Seating Systems, 210 Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages, 212
Windshield Mounting, 214 Side Impact Protection, 216 Roof Crush
Resistance, 219 Windshield Zone Intrusion, and 302 Flammability of
Interior Materials.
The petitioner also contends that the subject non-U.S certified
vehicles are capable of being readily altered to meet the following
standards, in the manner indicated:
Standard No. 101 Controls and Displays: replacement of the original
instrument cluster with the U.S.-model component and reprogramming the
associated software as described in the petition.
Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated
Equipment: replacement of the front and rear turn signal and side
marker lamps, headlamps, taillamps, stop lamps, backup lamps, and rear
and side mounted reflex reflectors with U.S.-conforming components;
reprogramming the vehicle software to activate the lamps such that they
conform to the standard.
Standard No. 110 Tire Selection and Rims: installation of the
required tire information placard.
Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirrors: inscription of the required
warning statement on the face of the passenger side mirror, or
replacement of that mirror with the U.S.-model component.
Standard No. 138 Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems: installation of
U.S.-model pressure sensor, tire valve kit and tire pressure monitor
module. The system must also be reprogrammed with the U.S.-model tire
pressure loss warning code pack before reprograming the CAN E and
changing the TPMS SA codes to ``installed.''
Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: replacement of;
passenger side seat cushion with the U.S.-model seat cushion and sensor
mat set, passenger side electrical wiring harness, passenger side seat
belt, instrument panel, glove box, wire harness for the dash board, and
airbag control module. Installation of U.S.-model driver's and
passenger's knee airbags and U.S.-model air bag warning labels is also
necessary.
In addition, documentation required as part of the owner's manual
or
[[Page 7891]]
supplemental documentation must be provided by the RI.
After the new components are installed and wired the diagnostic
programming/coding tool must be used to insure that the latest U.S.-
model code packs are installed and operational in all applicable
vehicle control modules, including the airbag control module.
Standard No. 209 Seat Belt Assemblies: replacement of the passenger
seat belt assembly with U.S.-model components.
Standard No. 225 Child Restraint Anchorage Systems: inspection of
all vehicles and replacement of any non U.S.-model child restraint
anchorage system components with U.S.-model components (this may
require seat replacement as part of modifications made to conform the
vehicle to FMVSS No. 208) as necessary to conform to the requirements
of the standard.
Standard No. 301 Fuel System Integrity: replacement of the
following fuel system components with U.S.-model components as
necessary to meet all applicable requirements of the standard:
Evaporative system, fuel tank, fuel level unit with check valve (fuel
tank pressure sensor), fuel filler cap, charcoal canister fuel shut off
valve, vapor lines, wire harness for fuel tank pressure sensor and
charcoal canister shut off valve.
After all replacements have been installed and wired the diagnostic
programming/coding tool must be used to reprogram the ECU to select the
ULE/LEV mode.
Standard No. 401 Interior Trunk Release: installation of all U.S.-
model interior trunk release components.
The petitioner additionally states that a vehicle identification
plate must be affixed to the vehicle near the left windshield pillar to
meet the requirements of 49 CFR part 565.
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 addresses 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), (a)(1)(B), and (b)(1); 49
CFR 593.7; delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.95 and 501.8.
Jeffrey M. Giuseppe,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2016-02968 Filed 2-12-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P