Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 207 / Wednesday, October 25, 2000 / Notices 63911

Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirror:

Replacement of the passenger side

rearview mirror with a U.S.-model

component.

Standard No. 114 Theft Protection:

Installation of a warning buzzer

microswitch in the steering lock

assembly and a warning buzzer.

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. 206 Door Locks and

Door Retention Components:

Replacement of rear door locks and rear

door lock buttons with U.S.-model

components.

Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash

Protection: (a) Installation of a U.S.-

model seat belt in the driver’s seating

position or a belt webbing actuated

microswitch inside the driver’s seat belt

retractor; (b) installation of an ignition

switch actuated seat belt warning lamp

and buzzer; (c) replacement of the

driver’s and passenger’s side air bags

and knee bolsters with U.S.-model

components if the vehicle is not already

so equipped. The petitioner states that

the vehicles are equipped with

combination lap and shoulder restraints

which adjust by means of an automatic

retractor and release by means of a

single push button in both front

designated seating positions, with

combination lap and shoulder restraints

which release by means of a single push

button in both rear outboard designated

seating positions, and with a lap belt in

the rear center designated seating

position.

Standard No. 301 Fuel System

Integrity: Installation of a rollover valve

in the fuel tank vent line.

The petitioner also states that a

vehicle identification number plate

must be affixed to the vehicle 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, SW.,

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: October 18, 2000.

Marilynne Jacobs,

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.

[FR Doc. 00–27330 Filed 10–24–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA–2000–7964]

Notice of Receipt of Petition for

Decision That Nonconforming 2000

BMW 3 Series Passenger Cars Are

Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for

decision that nonconforming 2000 BMW

3 Series passenger cars are eligible for

importation.

SUMMARY: This document announces

receipt by the National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a

petition for a decision that 2000 BMW

3 Series 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 November 24, 2000.

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]

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.

Bayway Auto, Inc. of Elizabeth, New

Jersey (‘‘BWA’’) (Registered Importer

98–166) has petitioned NHTSA to

decide whether 2000 BMW 3 Series

passenger cars are eligible for

importation into the United States. The

vehicles which BWA believes are

substantially similar are 2000 BMW 3

Series passenger cars that were

manufactured for importation into, and

sale in, the United States and certified

by their manufacturer, Bayerische

Motoren Werke, A.G., as conforming to

all applicable Federal motor vehicle

safety standards.

The petitioner claims that it carefully

compared non-U.S. certified 2000 BMW

3 Series 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.

BWA submitted information with its

petition intended to demonstrate that

non-U.S. certified 2000 BMW 3 Series

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

non-U.S. certified 2000 BMW 3 Series

passenger cars are identical to their

U.S.-certified counterparts with respect

to compliance with Standard Nos. 102

Transmission Shift Lever Sequence * * *,

103 Defrosting and Defogging Systems,

104 Windshield Wiping and Washing

Systems, 105 Hydraulic Brake

63912 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 207 / Wednesday, October 25, 2000 / Notices

Systems, 106 Brake Hoses, 109 New

Pneumatic Tires, 113 Hood Latch

Systems, 116 Brake Fluid, 124

Accelerator Control Systems, 202 Head

Restraints, 204 Steering Control

Rearward Displacement, 205 Glazing

Materials, 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

non-U.S. certified 2000 BMW 3 Series

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 a

noncomplying symbol on the brake

failure indicator lamp; (b) installation of

a seat belt warning lamp that displays

the appropriate symbol; (c) recalibration

of the speedometer/odometer from

kilometers to miles per hour.

Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective

Devices and Associated Equipment: (a)

Installation of U.S.-model headlamp

assemblies which incorporate

headlamps with DOT markings; (b)

installation of U.S.-model front and rear

sidemarker/reflector assemblies; (c)

installation of U.S.-model tail-lamp

assemblies.

Standard No. 110 Tire Selection and

Rims: Installation of a tire information

placard.

Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirror:

Replacement of the passenger side

rearview mirror with a U.S.-model

component.

Standard No. 114 Theft Protection:

Installation of a warning buzzer

microswitch in the steering lock

assembly and a warning buzzer.

Standard No. 118 Power Window

Systems: Rewiring of the power window

system so that the window transport

mechanism is inoperative when the

ignition is switched off.

Standard No. 201 Occupant

Protection in Interior Impact: Inspection

of all components subject to the upper

interior head impact requirements and

replacements of those that are not

identical to components found on U.S.-

certified models.

Standard No. 206 Door Locks and

Door Retention Components:

Replacement of the rear door locks and

rear door lock buttons with U.S.-model

components.

Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash

Protection: (a) Installation of a U.S.-

model seat belt in the driver’s seating

position or a belt webbing actuated

microswitch inside the driver’s seat belt

retractor; (b) installation of an ignition

switch actuated seat belt warning lamp

and buzzer; (c) replacement of the

driver’s and passenger’s side air bags

and knee bolsters with U.S.-model

components if the vehicle is not already

so equipped. The petitioner states that

the vehicles are equipped with

combination lap and shoulder restraints

which adjust by means of an automatic

retractor and release by means of a

single push button in both front

designated seating positions, with

combination lap and shoulder restraints

which release by means of a single push

button in both rear outboard designated

seating positions, and with a lap belt in

the rear center designated seating

position.

Standard No. 301 Fuel System

Integrity: Installation of a rollover valve

in the fuel tank vent line.

The petitioner also states that a

vehicle identification number plate

must be affixed to the vehicle to meet

the requirements of 49 CFR part 565.

Additionally, the petitioner states that

non-U.S. certified 2000 BMW 3 Series

passenger cars will be inspected prior to

importation to ensure that they are

equipped to comply with the Theft

Prevention Standard found in 49 CFR

part 541 and that a U.S.-model anti-theft

device will be installed on vehicles that

are not already so equipped.

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. 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: October 18, 2000.

Marilynne Jacobs,

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.

[FR Doc. 00–27331 Filed 10–24–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA 2000–8090; Notice 1]

Honda Motor Company, Ltd.; Receipt

of Application for Temporary

Exemption From Federal Motor Vehicle

Safety Standard No. 122

American Honda Motor Co., Inc., of

Torrance, California (‘‘Honda’’), on

behalf of Honda Motor Company, Ltd.,

of Japan, has applied for a temporary

exemption from the fade and water

recovery requirements of Federal Motor

Vehicle Safety Standard No. 122

Motorcycle Brake Systems. The basis of

the application is that an exemption

would make easier the development or

field evaluation of a new motor vehicle

safety feature providing a safety level at

least equal to the safety level of the

standard.

This notice of receipt of an

application is published in accordance

with the requirements of 49 U.S.C.

30113(b)(2) and does not represent any

judgment of the agency on the merits of

the application.

Honda seeks an exemption of one year

for its 2001 CBR1100XX motorcycle

‘‘from the requirement of the minimum

hand-lever force of five pounds in the

base line check for the fade and water

recovery tests.’’ Honda has previously

received exemptions totaling three years

from this requirement for the 1998–2000

model year CBR1100XX (See Docket No.

93–47). The brake system of the 2001

model is said to be identical to the

system on vehicles previously

exempted. In 1997, Honda filed a

petition for rulemaking to amend

Standard No. 122 to accommodate the

braking system of the CBR1100XX.

NHTSA granted the petition and

published a Notice of Proposed

Rulemaking on November 17, 1999 (64

FR 62622); however, a final rule had not

been issued as of September 1, 2000,

when its exemption expired.

Honda has been evaluating the

marketability of a motorcycle brake

system setting which is currently

applied to the model sold in Europe,

and has sold 3,600 exempted

motorcycles as of the date of its

application. The difference in setting is

limited to a softer master cylinder return

spring in the European version. As

Honda said in its initial application in

1997, using the softer spring results in

a ‘‘more predictable (linear) feeling

during initial brake lever application.’’

Although ‘‘the change allows a more

predictable rise in brake gain, the on-set

of braking occurs at lever forces slightly