[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 212 (Wednesday, November 3, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64129-64130]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-24549]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2004-19485]


Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 
2004 Jeep Liberty Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles Manufactured for the 
Mexican Market Are Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for decision that nonconforming 
2004 Jeep Liberty multipurpose passenger vehicles manufactured for the 
Mexican market 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 
2004 Jeep Liberty multipurpose passenger vehicles manufactured for the 
Mexican market 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 December 3, 
2004.

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 a.m. 
to 5 p.m.]. 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 (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages 19477-78) or you may visit 
http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Coleman Sachs, Office of Vehicle 
Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202-366-3151).

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 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.
    Wallace Environmental Testing Laboratories, Inc. (WETL) of Houston, 
TX (Registered Importer 90-005) has petitioned NHTSA to decide whether 
nonconforming 2004 Jeep Liberty multipurpose passenger vehicles 
manufactured for the Mexican market are eligible for importation into 
the United States. The vehicles which WETL believes are substantially 
similar are 2004 Jeep Liberty multipurpose passenger vehicles that were 
manufactured for 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 
2004 Jeep Liberty multipurpose passenger vehicles manufactured for the 
Mexican market to their U.S.-certified counterparts, and found the 
vehicles to be substantially similar with respect to compliance with 
all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards.
    WETL submitted information with its petition intended to 
demonstrate that non-U.S. certified 2004 Jeep Liberty multipurpose 
passenger vehicles manufactured for the Mexican market as originally 
manufactured, conform to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety 
standards in the same manner as their U.S. certified counterparts.
    Specifically, the petitioner claims that non-U.S. certified 2004 
Jeep Liberty multipurpose passenger vehicles manufactured for the 
Mexican market are identical to their U.S. certified counterparts with 
respect to compliance with Standard Nos. 101 Controls and Displays, 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, 108 Lamps, 
Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment, 111 Rearview Mirrors, 113 
Hood Latch System, 114 Theft Protection, 116 Motor Vehicle Brake 
Fluids, 118 Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems, 
119 New Pneumatic Tires for Vehicles Other than Passenger Cars, 120 
Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles Other than Passenger Cars, 
124 Accelerator Control Systems, 135 Passenger Car Brake 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, 208 Occupant 
Crash Protection, 209 Seat Belt Assemblies, 210 Seat Belt Assembly 
Anchorages, 212 Windshield Mounting, 214 Side Impact Protection, 216 
Roof Crush Resistance, 219 Windshield Zone Intrusion, 225 Child 
Restraint Anchorage Systems, 301 Fuel System Integrity, and 302 
Flammability of Interior Materials.
    The petitioner also states that a vehicle identification plate must 
be affixed to the vehicles near the left windshield post to meet the 
requirements of 49 CFR Part 565.
    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 Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20590. [Docket hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.]. 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

[[Page 64130]]

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.

Claude H. Harris,
Director, Office of Vehicle, Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 04-24549 Filed 11-2-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P