[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 80 (Thursday, April 26, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20915-20916]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-7936]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2007-27995]


Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 
1994 and; 1996 Left-Hand Drive and Right-Hand Drive Model Jeep Cherokee 
Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles Are Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for decision that nonconforming 
1994 and; 1996 left-hand drive and right-hand drive model Jeep Cherokee 
multipurpose passenger vehicles 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 
1994 and 1996 left-hand drive (LHD) and right-hand drive (RHD) model 
Jeep Cherokee multipurpose passenger vehicles 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 (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 May 29, 2007.

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]. 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

[[Page 20916]]

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.
    G&K Automotive Conversion, Inc. of Santa Ana, California (``G&K'') 
(Registered Importer 90-007) has petitioned NHTSA to decide whether 
nonconforming 1994 and 1996 LHD and RHD model Jeep Cherokee 
multipurpose passenger vehicles are eligible for importation into the 
United States. The vehicles which G&K believes are substantially 
similar are 1994 and 1996 LHD and RHD model Jeep Cherokee multipurpose 
passenger vehicles that were manufactured for sale in the United States 
and certified by their manufacturer as conforming to all applicable 
FMVSS.
    The petitioner claims that it carefully compared non-U.S. certified 
1994 & 1996 LHD and RHD model Jeep Cherokee multipurpose passenger 
vehicles to their U.S.-certified counterparts, and found the vehicles 
to be substantially similar with respect to compliance with most FMVSS.
    G&K submitted information with its petition intended to demonstrate 
that non-U.S. certified 1994 and; 1996 LHD and RHD model Jeep Cherokee 
multipurpose passenger vehicles as originally manufactured, conform to 
many 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 non-U.S. certified 1994 
and; 1996 LHD and RHD model Jeep Cherokee multipurpose passenger 
vehicles are identical to their U.S-certified counterparts with respect 
to compliance with 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, 105 Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems, 106 Brake Hoses, 
107, Reflecting Surfaces, 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, 124 Accelerator Control Systems, 201 Occupant 
Protection in Interior Impact, 202 Head Restraints, 203 Impact 
Protection for the Driver from Steering Control System, 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 
Disks, and Hub Caps, 212 Windshield Mounting, 214 Side Impact 
Protection, 216 Roof Crush Resistance, 219 Windshield Zone Intrusion, 
301 Fuel System Integrity, and 302 Flammability of Interior Materials.
    The 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) Inscription of the word 
``brake'' on the instrument cluster in place of the international ECE 
warning symbol; (b) replacement or conversion of the speedometer to 
read in miles per hour; and (c) inscription of warning symbols and 
lettering for the seat belt warning telltales that meet the 
requirements of this standard.
    Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated 
Equipment: installation, on vehicles that are not already so equipped, 
of U.S.-certified model (a) headlamps; (b) front and rear side-mounted 
marker lamps which incorporate reflex reflectors; and (c) tail lamps 
assemblies.
    Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirrors: installation of a U.S.-certified 
model passenger side rearview mirror, or inscription of the required 
warning statement on the face of the passenger side rearview mirror.
    Standard No. 115 Vehicle Identification: installation of a vehicle 
identification plate near the left windshield post to meet the 
requirements of this standard.
    Standard No. 120 Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles Other 
than Passenger Cars: installation of a tire information placard.
    Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: (a) Inspection of all 
vehicles and replacement of any non U.S.-certified model seat belt 
components on vehicles that are not already so equipped and; (b) 
installation of a supplemental seat belt warning buzzer system, to meet 
the requirements of this standard.
    The petitioner states that the occupant restraints used in these 
vehicles consist of combination lap and shoulder belts at the front and 
rear outboard seating positions and a lap belt at the rear center 
seating position.
    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: April 20, 2007.
Claude H. Harris,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
 [FR Doc. E7-7936 Filed 4-25-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P