Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 179 / Tuesday, September 16, 1997 / Notices 48709

is inconsequential to motor vehicle

safety for the following reasons.

1. Vehicle Controllability—In the

unlikely event that all of the

prerequisites necessary for the

noncompliance occurred—that is, a

return spring was disconnected or

severed on a pedal assembly with

residual oil, and the vehicle soaked at

ambient temperatures below 32 degrees

C—the vehicle would continue to be

controllable both by the service brakes

and as a result of the Brake Torque

Management System.

2. Reliability of the Accelerator

Springs—The condition which is the

subject of GM’s noncompliance decision

can only occur if one of the return

springs is severed or disconnected. The

springs in the Corvette pedal assembly,

however, have extremely high reliability

and are not likely to fail in the real

world.

3. Condition Requires Extreme

Temperatures; Pedal Assembly Warms

Quickly—As mentioned above, the root

cause of the noncompliance condition is

the residual oil on the pedal assemblies

congealing below ¥32 degrees C.

Testing at temperatures above that level

resulted in full compliance with the

FMVSS No. 124 time limits for all pedal

assemblies tested. Therefore, the

ambient temperatures required for the

possibility of this noncompliance to

exist are severe. Even if a vehicle with

a disconnected return spring soaked

under the necessary harsh conditions

for a sufficient time to congeal the

residual oil, the potential for the

noncompliance to occur would exist for

only a short time, because the pedal

assembly would warm up quickly with

activation of the vehicle heating system.

4. Condition is Self-correcting—

Durability testing indicates that the

condition improves with wear. Bench

testing was conducted on five

production pedal assemblies with poor

return times. The pedals on these

assemblies were cycled at room

temperature. Since the vast majority of

driving is done with a only limited

pedal movement, each cycle consisted

of a 10% application of pedal travel.

Every 2,000 cycles the pedal return at

(¥40 degrees C) was checked. The

results, shown in Figure 5 [of the

application], indicate that most pedals

will return within the specified time

limit after 10,000 cycles, and all pedals

will easily meet the time limits after

15,000 cycles.

5. Warranty Data—GM has reviewed

recent warranty data for the 1997

Corvette, as well as complaint data. We

are unaware of any data suggesting the

subject condition is a real world safety

issue.

Interested persons are invited to

submit written data, views, and

arguments on the application of GM

described above. Comments should refer

to the docket number and be submitted

to: Docket Section, National Highway

Traffic Safety Administration, Room

5109, 400 Seventh Street, SW,

Washington, DC 20590. It is requested

but not required that six copies be

submitted.

All comments received before the

close of business on the closing date

indicated below will be considered. The

application and supporting materials,

and all comments received after the

closing date, will also be filed and will

be considered to the extent possible.

When the application is granted or

denied, the notice will be published in

the Federal Register pursuant to the

authority indicated below.

Comment closing date: October 16, 1997.

(49 U.S.C. 30118 and 30120; delegations of

authority at 49 CFR 1.50 and 501.8)

Issued on: September 9, 1997.

L. Robert Shelton,

Associate Administrator for Safety

Performance Standards.

[FR Doc. 97–24568 Filed 9–15–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

[Docket No. 97–60; Notice 1]

Notice of Receipt of Petition for

Decision that Nonconforming 1991

through 1996 Lexus SC300 and SC400

Passenger Cars Are Eligible for

Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for

decision that nonconforming 1991

through 1996 Lexus SC300 and SC400

passenger cars are eligible for

importation.

SUMMARY: This notice announces receipt

by the National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration (NHTSA) of a petition

for a decision that 1991 through 1996

Lexus SC300 and SC400 passenger cars

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 October 16, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to

the docket number and notice number,

and be submitted to: Docket Section,

Room 5109, National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, 400 Seventh St.,

SW., Washington, DC 20590. [Docket

hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.]

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

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.

G&K Automotive Conversion, Inc. of

Santa Ana, California (‘‘G&K’’)

(Registered Importer 90–007) has

petitioned NHTSA to decide whether

1991 through 1996 Lexus SC300 and

SC400 passenger cars are eligible for

importation into the United States. The

vehicles which G&K believes are

substantially similar are the 1991

through 1996 Lexus SC300 and SC400

passenger cars that were manufactured

for importation into, and sale in, the

United States and certified by their

manufacturer, Toyota Motor

Corporation, as conforming to all

applicable Federal motor vehicle safety

standards.
48710 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 179 / Tuesday, September 16, 1997 / Notices

The petitioner claims that it carefully

compared the non-U.S. certified 1991–

1996 Lexus SC300 and SC400 passenger

cars 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.

G&K submitted information with its

petition intended to demonstrate that

the non-U.S. certified 1991–1996 Lexus

SC300 and SC400 passenger cars, 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

the non-U.S. certified 1991–1996 Lexus

SC300 and SC400 passenger cars are

identical to their U.S. certified

counterparts with respect to compliance

with Standards Nos. 102 Transmission

Shift Lever Sequence . . ., 103

Defrosting and Defogging Systems, 104

Windshield Wiping and Washing

Systems, 105 Hydraulic Brake Systems,

106 Brake Hoses, 108 Lamps, Reflective

Devices and Associated Equipment, 109

New Pneumatic Tires, 111 Rearview

Mirrors, 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, 214 Side Impact Protection,

216 Roof Crush Resistance, 219

Windshield Zone Intrusion, and 302

Flammability of Interior Materials.

Additionally, the petitioner states that

the non-U.S. certified 1991–1996 Lexus

SC300 and SC400 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 an ECE

symbol on the brake failure indicator

lamp; (b) recalibration of the

speedometer/odometer from kilometers

to miles per hour.

Standard No. 110 Tire Selection and

Rims: installation of a tire information

placard.

Standard No. 114 Theft Protection:

installation of a warning buzzer

microswitch and a warning buzzer in

the steering lock assembly.

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. 203 Impact Protection

for the Driver From the Steering Control

System: installation of a driver’s side air

bag and knee bolster identical to those

installed on the vehicles’ U.S.-certified

counterparts.

Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash

Protection: installation of a seat belt

warning buzzer. Installation of a driver’s

side air bag and knee bolster on 1991–

1993 models, and installation of both a

driver’s and a passenger’s side air bag

and knee bolster on 1994–1996 models.

The petitioner states that all air bags and

knee bolsters installed will be identical

to those found on the vehicles’ U.S.-

certified counterparts. The petitioner

further states that the vehicles are

equipped with Type 2 seat belts in both

front and rear outboard designated

seating positions.

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 also states that a

vehicle identification number (VIN)

plate will be installed in the vehicles 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 Section, National Highway

Traffic Safety Administration, Room

5109, 400 Seventh Street, S.W.,

Washington, DC 20590. 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: September 9, 1997.

Marilynne Jacobs,

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.

[FR Doc. 97–24427 Filed 9–15–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

[Docket No. 97–039; Notice 2]

Decision that Nonconforming 1990–

1996 Toyota Landcruiser MultiPurpose Passenger Vehicles are

Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of decision by NHTSA

that nonconforming 1990–1996 Toyota

Landcruisers multi-purpose passenger

vehicles (MPVs) are eligible for

importation.

SUMMARY: This notice announces the

decision by NHTSA that 1990–1996

Toyota Landcruiser MPVs not originally

manufactured to comply with all

applicable Federal motor vehicle safety

standards are eligible for importation

into the United States because they are

substantially similar to vehicles

originally manufactured for importation

into and sale in the United States and

certified by their manufacturer as

complying with the safety standards

(the U.S.-certified version of the 1990–

1996 Toyota Landcruiser), and they are

capable of being readily altered to

conform to the standards.

DATES: This decision is effective as of

September 16, 1997.

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

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