National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance
REGISTERED IMPORTER NEWSLETTER No. 9
June 18, 1996
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FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE As part of the President's Regulatory Reinvention Initiative to eliminate regulations, or make them easier to understand and to apply, FMVSS Nos. 107 and 211 have been revoked, effective as noted below. The requirements of FMVSS No. 115 have been combined with Part 565 to form a single regulation dealing with the VIN number, Part 565. This action (61 FR 29031 dated June 7, 1996) also effected Part 567 for imported vehicles. These standards should not be addressed in petitions or on statements of conformity. FMVSS 107 "Reflecting Surfaces", May 6, 1996 FMVSS 211 "Wheel Nuts, Wheel Discs, and Hub Caps", June 5, 1996 FMVSS 115 "Vehicle Identification Number", July 8, 1996 STATEMENT OF CONFORMITY Attached is a revised Statement of Conformity. Please note that FMVSS Nos. 107, 115 (requirements transferred to Part 565) and 211 have been deleted. Part 565, "VIN Requirements" and FMVSS Nos. 223 and 224 dealing with trailer underride (effective for trailers manufactured after January 26, 1998) have been added. There are also new requirements on the form: identifying the country for which the vehicle was originally certified or manufactured and the date of manufacture. A vehicle can be manufactured for several markets. The vehicle may comply with our standards in one market but not another. This is especially true for vehicles made for the Mid-East, European and South American marketplace. ELIGIBILITY LIST The annual list of nonconforming vehicles determined to be eligible for importation was published in federal register (61 FR 8097) on March 1, 1996. The list contains all vehicles which had been determined eligible as of January 22, 1996. CODE OF FEDERAL A new Code of Federal Regulations (49 CFR Parts 400-999), revised as of October 1, 1995, is now available from the Super-intendent of Documents by calling 202-512-1800. The cost is $40.00.
FEDERAL REGISTER The Federal Register is now online for 1994, 1995 and 1995 publications. The Internet address for 1995 and 1996 is as follows: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html The eligibility list mentioned above as well as vehicles determined eligible after January 22, 1996, can be viewed at this location. OFFICE OF SAFETY The office of Safety Assurance of which the Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance is a part is on the Internet. This site is currently under development. The Office of Defects Investigation currently has information on recalls and service bulletins. The address for the site is as follows: IMPORTING MEXICAN To import a vehicle manufactured for the Mexican market the vehicle must be on the list of vehicles determined eligible for importation. Currently there are only a few models on the list. If the make, model and year is not on the eligible list, the vehicle will require a petition and subsequent determination of eligible for importation as described at 49 CFR 593. Beware, vehicles have been imported which did not go through this process. Customs has seized a number of these vehicles. |
30 DAY HOLD PERIOD Reminder: 49 CFR 592.8 requires an RI to maintain custody of a motor vehicle that it has imported for 30 days after it certifies to NHTSA that the motor vehicle complies with all applicable FMVSS, unless the RI receives earlier notice from NHTSA. This is being enforced and an RI may be subject to penalties, or suspension or revocation of its registration. Don't take chances. SUBMISSION OF Section 592.6 requires that within 120 calendar days nonconforming vehicles imported on a permanent basis be brought into conformity with all applicable FMVSS and that the RI certify to NHTSA that the vehicle has been brought into conformance or the vehicle must be exported (at no cost to the U.S.) by the importer or the Secretary of the Treasury, or abandoned to the United States. Conformance packages have not been received within 120 days of importation in all cases. In the future this will be enforced.
FMVSS 208 AND CANADIAN This is a reminder that passenger cars manufactured for the Canadian market must meet FMVSS No. 208 and light trucks must meet FMVSS Nos. 202 and 208 to be imported using VSA-1. Passenger cars manufactured on or after 9-1-89 must be equipped with an automatic restraint system at both front outboard seating positions. Passenger cars manufactured between 9-1-89 and 9-1-93 can satisfy this requirement if the vehicle was equipped with a driver's side air bag and a manual belt on the passenger's side. After Sept 1, 1993, a passenger car must be equipped with either an air bag or automatic belt system at both front outboard seating positions to satisfy the requirement. Effective 9-1-97 vehicles under 10,000 pounds must have adjustable seats/seat belts to improve fit and comfort. TIME TO MODIFY The following attachments were included in the mailing and are available from George Entwistle, 202-366-5306. 1. 61 FR 29031, VIN Requirements 2. Revised Statement of Conformity JUST A REMINDER NHTSA has set up a special MAIL STOP for receiving import documents. Please address your mail, both overnight mail or other, to the following (includes mail for George Entwistle, David Coleman, Barbara Gray, John Lewis, Luke Loy, Dick Merritt and Roy Shannon): USDOT/NHTSA MAIL CODE: NSA-3202 400 7TH ST SW, Room 6115 WASHINGTON DC 20590 All questions concerning this newsletter should be directed to George Entwistle, 202-366-5306. |