Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 20 / Monday, January 31, 2022 / Notices 4993 

of the prohibitions on the sale, offer for 

sale, or introduction or delivery for 

introduction into interstate commerce of 

the noncompliant vehicles under their 

control after MNA notified them that the 

subject noncompliance existed. 

(Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30118, 30120: 

Delegations of authority at 49 CFR 1.95 and 

501.8) 

Otto G. Matheke, III, 

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance. 

[FR Doc. 2022–01828 Filed 1–28–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration 

[Docket No. NHTSA–2021–0040; Notice 1] 

Toyota Motor North America, Inc., 

Receipt of Petitions for Decision of 

Inconsequential Noncompliance 

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic 

Safety Administration (NHTSA), 

Department of Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Receipt of petitions. 

SUMMARY: Toyota Motor North America, 

Inc. (TMNA) on behalf of Toyota Motor 

Corporation (TMC) (collectively referred 

to as ‘‘Toyota’’) has determined that 

certain replacement seat belt assemblies 

manufactured by Marutaka, Tokai Rika 

Japan, Autoliv, NSK, Joyson Safety 

Systems Acquisition, TRQSS, Key 

Safety Restraint Systems, Inc., Tokai 

Rika Czech, BMW Group Headquarters, 

Subaru Corporation, and Mazda North 

America Operations, and sold to Toyota 

dealerships as replacement equipment 

do not fully comply with Federal Motor 

Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 

209, Seat Belt Assemblies. Toyota filed 

three noncompliance reports, two dated 

April 20, 2021, and the other dated May 

4, 2021. Toyota subsequently submitted 

two petitions to NHTSA both dated May 

14, 2021, for a decision that the subject 

noncompliances are inconsequential as 

they relate to motor vehicle safety. This 

notice announces receipt of Toyota’s 

petitions. 

DATES: Send comments on or before 

March 2, 2022. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit written data, views, 

and arguments on this petition. 

Comments must refer to the docket and 

notice number cited in the title of this 

notice and submitted by any of the 

following methods: 

• Mail: Send comments by mail 

addressed to the U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: Deliver comments 

by hand to the U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

Washington, DC 20590. The Docket 

Section is open on weekdays from 10 

a.m. to 5 p.m. except for Federal 

holidays. 

• Electronically: Submit comments 

electronically by logging onto the 

Federal Docket Management System 

(FDMS) website at https://

www.regulations.gov/. Follow the online 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Comments may also be faxed to 

(202) 493–2251. 

Comments must be written in the 

English language, and be no greater than 

15 pages in length, although there is no 

limit to the length of necessary 

attachments to the comments. If 

comments are submitted in hard copy 

form, please ensure that two copies are 

provided. If you wish to receive 

confirmation that comments you have 

submitted by mail were received, please 

enclose a stamped, self-addressed 

postcard with the comments. Note that 

all comments received will be posted 

without change to https://

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information provided. 

All comments and supporting 

materials received before the close of 

business on the closing date indicated 

above will be filed in the docket and 

will be considered. All comments and 

supporting materials received after the 

closing date will also be filed and will 

be considered to the fullest extent 

possible. 

When the petitions are granted or 

denied, notice of the decisions will also 

be published in the Federal Register 

pursuant to the authority indicated at 

the end of this notice. 

All comments, background 

documentation, and supporting 

materials submitted to the docket may 

be viewed by anyone at the address and 

times given above. The documents may 

also be viewed on the internet at https:// 

www.regulations.gov by following the 

online instructions for accessing the 

docket. The docket ID number for this 

petition is shown in the heading of this 

notice. 

DOT’s complete Privacy Act 

Statement is available for review in a 

Federal Register notice published on 

April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477–78). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack 

Chern, Office of Vehicle Safety 

Compliance, the National Highway 

Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 

telephone (202) 366–0661. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Overview 

Toyota has determined that certain 

replacement seat belt assemblies 

manufactured by Marutaka, Tokai Rika 

Japan, Autoliv, NSK, Joyson Safety 

Systems Acquisition, TRQSS, Key 

Safety Restraint Systems, Inc., Tokai 

Rika Czech, BMW Group Headquarters, 

Subaru Corporation, and Mazda North 

America Operations, and sold to Toyota 

dealerships as replacement equipment 

do not fully comply with the 

requirements of paragraph S4.1(k) and 

(l) of FMVSS No. 209, Seat Belt 

Assemblies (49 CFR 571.209). Toyota 

filed three noncompliance reports, two 

dated April 20, 2021, and the other 

dated May 4, 2021, pursuant to 49 CFR 

part 573, Defect and Noncompliance 

Responsibility and Reports. Toyota 

subsequently submitted two petitions to 

NHTSA both dated May 14, 2021, for an 

exemption from the notification and 

remedy requirements of 49 U.S.C. 

Chapter 301 on the basis that this 

noncompliance is inconsequential as it 

relates to motor vehicle safety, pursuant 

to 49 U.S.C. 30118(d) and 30120(h) and 

49 CFR part 556, Exemption for 

Inconsequential Defect or 

Noncompliance. 

This notice of receipt of Toyota’s 

petitions is published under 49 U.S.C. 

30118 and 30120 and does not represent 

any Agency decision or other exercise of 

judgment concerning the merits of the 

petition. 

II. Equipment Involved 

Potentially involved seat belt 

assemblies are as follows: 

1. Approximately 33,000 replacement 

seat belt assemblies manufactured by 

Marutaka and Tokai Rika Japan between 

November 1, 1995, and February 28, 

2021; 

2. approximately 1,400,000 

replacement seat belt assemblies 

manufactured by Marutaka, Tokai Rika 

Japan, Autoliv, NSK, Joyson Safety 

Systems Acquisition, TRQSS, Key 

Safety Restraint Systems, Inc., and 

Tokai Rika Czech between October 1, 

1994, and February 28, 2021; and 

3. approximately 6,160 replacement 

seat belt assemblies manufactured by 

BMW Group Headquarters, Subaru 

Corporation, Mazda North America 

Operations between March 1, 2012, and 

April 30, 2021. 

III. Noncompliance 

Toyota explains that the 

noncompliance involves replacement 

seat belt assemblies manufactured by 

Marutaka, Tokai Rika Japan, Autoliv, 

NSK, Joyson Safety Systems 


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4994 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 20 / Monday, January 31, 2022 / Notices 

Acquisition, TRQSS, Key Safety 

Restraint Systems, Inc., Tokai Rika 

Czech, BMW Group Headquarters, 

Subaru Corporation, and Mazda North 

America Operations, and sourced to 

Toyota dealerships for use or 

subsequent resale to dealership 

customers as replacement equipment do 

not fully comply with all applicable 

requirements specified in paragraph 

S4.1(k) and (l) of FMVSS No. 209. 

Specifically, the items of 

noncompliant equipment involved are: 

(1) Certain replacement seat belt 

assemblies, manufactured by Marutaka 

and Tokai Rika Japan, were packaged 

with an instruction sheet that was 

missing the following required 

statement: ‘‘This seat belt assembly is 

for use only in [insert specific seating 

position(s), e.g., ‘‘front right’’] in [insert 

specific vehicle make(s) and model(s)],’’ 

or packaged with an instruction sheet 

that specified the wrong seating 

position; 

(2) certain replacement seat belt 

assemblies, manufactured by Marutaka, 

Tokai Rika Japan, Autoliv, NSK, Joyson 

Safety Systems Acquisition, TRQSS, 

Key Safety Restraint Systems, Inc., and 

Tokai Rika Czech, were packaged with 

an instruction sheet that was missing 

the aforementioned seating position(s) 

statement; and 

(3) certain replacement seat belt 

assemblies, manufactured by BMW 

Group Headquarters, Subaru 

Corporation, and Mazda North America 

Operations, were packaged with an 

instruction sheet that was also missing 

the required seating position(s) 

statement, or packaged without the 

required usage and maintenance 

instructions. 

IV. Rule Requirements 

Paragraphs S4.1(k) and (l) of FMVSS 

No. 209 include the requirements 

relevant to this petition. Paragraph 

S4.1(k) requires that a seat belt 

assembly, other than a seat belt 

assembly installed in a motor vehicle by 

an automobile manufacturer, shall be 

accompanied by an instruction sheet 

providing sufficient information for 

installing the assembly in a motor 

vehicle. If the assembly is for use only 

in specifically stated motor vehicles, the 

assembly shall either be permanently 

and legibly marked or labeled with the 

following statement, or the instruction 

sheet shall include the following 

statement: 

This seat belt assembly is for use only 

in [insert specific seating position(s), 

e.g., ‘‘front right’’] in [insert specific 

vehicle make(s) and model(s)]. 

Paragraph S4.1(l) requires that a seat 

belt assembly or retractor shall be 

accompanied by written instructions for 

the proper use of the assembly, stressing 

particularly the importance of wearing 

the assembly snugly and properly 

located on the body, and on the 

maintenance of the assembly and 

periodic inspection of all components. 

V. Summary of Toyota’s Petition 

The following views and arguments 

presented in this section, ‘‘V. Summary 

of Toyota’s Petition,’’ are the views and 

arguments provided by Toyota. They 

have not been evaluated by the Agency 

and do not reflect the views of the 

Agency. Toyota described the subject 

noncompliance and stated their belief 

that the noncompliance is 

inconsequential as it relates to motor 

vehicle safety. 

In support of its petition, Toyota 

submitted the following reasoning: 

1. The subject seat belt assemblies 

were sold only by Toyota dealerships. 

Due to the dealerships’ replacement 

parts ordering system and the parts 

packaging, improper replacement seat 

belt assembly selection would not likely 

occur. 

Toyota states that it is unlikely that 

the subject replacement seat belt 

assemblies would be selected for an 

incorrect model and seating position as 

a result of this issue. The subject 

assemblies were only sold by Toyota 

dealerships. The parts ordering system 

clearly indicates the part and enables 

identification of the appropriate model 

vehicle and seating position for which 

the assembly is intended to be installed. 

When selecting a replacement part, the 

dealerships can search by Vehicle 

Identification Number, part number, 

and vehicle model. They can also see a 

diagram of the part location via the 

Electronic Parts Catalog. In addition, the 

part can be identified by the label on the 

packaging and the old part can be 

compared to the new part. The label on 

the packaging in which the replacement 

seat belt is packaged specifies the part 

number and part description. 

Toyota says that because of the Toyota 

dealerships’ robust part ordering system 

and the additional label on the 

packaging, it is unlikely that an 

incorrect seat belt would be provided or 

used as a replacement part. The missing 

instruction sheet, missing seating 

position, or incorrect seat position on 

the instruction sheet has no effect on a 

dealership’s ability to provide the 

correct replacement part ordered or on 

the installer’s ability to correctly 

identify the appropriate replacement 

part. 

2. The improper installation of the 

seat belt assembly is unlikely. 

Dealership technicians and third-party 

installers can access Toyota’s electronic 

repair manual and other aftermarket 

manuals and the subject assemblies 

themselves have characteristics that 

discourage incorrect installation. 

Toyota contends that it is unlikely 

that an improper installation of a 

replacement seat belt would occur as a 

result of a missing instruction sheet or 

an instruction sheet that does not 

indicate the specific seating position 

information. 

First, after identifying that the part 

does not have an installation instruction 

sheet, does not specify the specific 

seating position, or specifies the wrong 

seating position for which the part was 

purchased, the installer could return the 

part to the dealer, request the 

installation instruction from the dealer, 

or consult other sources of installation 

instructions that are readily available. 

Technicians at Toyota dealerships have 

access to Toyota’s electronic repair 

manual. Third-party installers have 

access to various aftermarket repair 

manuals and can obtain access to 

Toyota’s electronic repair manual. The 

installer can also request a copy of the 

installation instructions from Toyota, 

and the instructions would be provided 

free of charge. 

Second, the subject assemblies 

themselves have characteristics that 

discourage incorrect installation. These 

characteristics include the appearance 

being visually different, an inability to 

connect the wire harness, the warning 

indicator becoming illuminated, or the 

seat belt being unable to buckle. 

Because the subject seat belts are not 

universal type seat belts, they are 

intended to be used to replace specific 

seat belts in specific seating positions. It 

is unlikely that these replacement 

assemblies would be installed 

incorrectly. 

Third, the torque value for 

structurally mounting the seat belt 

assemblies is a standard value and is 

correct regardless of which instruction 

sheet is used (42Nm). Because these 

torque values are common, even if the 

technician uses the torque values from 

the incorrect installation instruction 

sheet, the torque value will still be 

correct. 

For these reasons, Toyota believes it 

is unlikely that the subject seat belt 

assemblies would be improperly 

installed. 

Toyota notes that the investigation 

leading to the submission of the part 

573 reports subject of this petition was 

prompted by a report from a dealer 

technician who found a seat belt 

assembly with an incorrect instruction 

sheet. While records covering the entire 

scope of the seat belt assemblies 


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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 20 / Monday, January 31, 2022 / Notices 4995 

involved are not available, Toyota 

believes this to be the only report of an 

instruction sheet concern. This further 

tends to confirm that improper 

installation of a seat belt assembly is 

unlikely as a result of the missing 

installation information, and dealer 

technicians or third-party installers are 

able to easily obtain the installation 

information, if needed, from the other 

sources noted above free of charge. 

3. The replacement seat belt 

assemblies are intended to replace the 

original equipment seat belts. The 

owner’s manual for each vehicle 

contains the seat belt usage and 

maintenance instructions. 

Toyota states that it is unlikely that 

improper use or maintenance of a 

replacement seat belt would occur 

because of the missing usage and 

maintenance instructions. The affected 

seat belt assemblies are designed to 

replace the originally equipped seat 

belts in specific Toyota vehicles. All of 

the vehicle models for which these 

replacement seat assemblies were 

designed were originally equipped with 

an owner’s manual that contains usage 

and maintenance instructions for these 

seat belt assemblies. Thus, the vehicle 

owner has access to the usage and 

maintenance instructions and would not 

need to refer to the instruction sheet for 

this information. In addition, the seat 

belts packaged with sheets that are only 

missing the specific seating position 

information have the correct usage and 

maintenance instructions. 

4. The seat belts comply with all other 

requirements of FMVSS No. 209. 

Toyota says the lack of information on 

the instruction sheets has no bearing on 

the materials or performance of the 

replacement seat belt assembly itself. 

Thus, the assemblies continue to meet 

the other performance requirements 

specified in FMVSS No. 209. There is 

no impact to performance, functionality, 

or occupant safety. 

5. In similar situations, NHTSA has 

granted petitions for inconsequential 

noncompliance relating to the subject 

requirement of FMVSS No. 209. 

Toyota states that NHTSA has 

previously granted at least seven similar 

inconsequentiality petitions for 

noncompliances that it contends are 

similar to the subject noncompliance. 

These include: FCA US LLC (84 FR 

20948, May 3, 2019); Mitsubishi Motors 

North America, Inc., (77 FR 24762, 

April 25, 2012); Bentley Motors, Inc. (76 

FR 58343, September 20, 2011); 

Hyundai Motor Company (74 FR 9125, 

March 2, 2009); Ford Motor Company, 

(73 FR 11462, March 3, 2008); Mazda 

North American Operations (73 FR 

11464, March 3, 2008); and Subaru of 

America, Inc. (65 FR 67471, November 

9, 2000). 

In these cases, Toyota argues, NHTSA 

determined that the noncompliance was 

inconsequential to motor vehicle safety 

for reasons that included the following: 

(1) The dealer ordering system would 

make it unlikely that an inappropriate 

seat belt assembly would be sold for a 

specific seating position; (2) installers 

would be able to locate installation 

instructions from other sources; (3) the 

usage and maintenance instructions are 

available in the vehicles owner’s 

manual; and (4) the seat belts are 

intended to be replacement parts for 

original equipment designed for specific 

seating positions. These reasons also 

apply to the subject Toyota replacement 

seat belt assemblies. 

Toyota’s complete petition and all 

supporting documents are available by 

logging onto the Federal Docket 

Management System (FDMS) website at 

https://www.regulations.gov and by 

following the online search instructions 

to locate the docket number as listed in 

the title of this notice. 

Toyota concluded that the subject 

noncompliance is inconsequential as it 

relates to motor vehicle safety and that 

its petition to be exempted from 

providing notification of the 

noncompliance, as required by 49 

U.S.C. 30118, and a remedy for the 

noncompliance, as required by 49 

U.S.C. 30120, should be granted. 

NHTSA notes that the statutory 

provisions (49 U.S.C. 30118(d) and 

30120(h)) that permit manufacturers to 

file petitions for a determination of 

inconsequentiality allow NHTSA to 

exempt manufacturers only from the 

duties found in sections 30118 and 

30120, respectively, to notify owners, 

purchasers, and dealers of a defect or 

noncompliance and to remedy the 

defect or noncompliance. Therefore, any 

decision on this petition only applies to 

the equipment that Toyota no longer 

controlled at the time it determined that 

the noncompliance existed. However, 

any decision on this petition does not 

relieve equipment distributors and 

dealers of the prohibitions on the sale, 

offer for sale, or introduction or delivery 

for introduction into interstate 

commerce of the noncompliant 

replacement seat belt assemblies under 

their control after Toyota notified them 

that the subject noncompliance existed. 

(Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30118, 30120: 

delegations of authority at 49 CFR 1.95 and 

501.8) 

Otto G. Matheke, III, 

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance. 

[FR Doc. 2022–01827 Filed 1–28–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 

Office of Foreign Assets Control 

Notice of OFAC Sanctions Actions 

AGENCY: Office of Foreign Assets 

Control, Treasury. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of the 

Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets 

Control (OFAC) is publishing the names 

of one or more persons that have been 

placed on OFAC’s Specially Designated 

Nationals and Blocked Persons List 

based on OFAC’s determination that one 

or more applicable legal criteria were 

satisfied. All property and interests in 

property subject to U.S. jurisdiction of 

persons are blocked, and U.S. persons 

are generally prohibited from engaging 

in transactions with them. 

DATES: See Supplementary Information 

section for applicable date(s). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

OFAC: Andrea M. Gacki, Director, tel.: 

202–622–2490; Associate Director for 

Global Targeting, tel.: 202–622–2420; 

Assistant Director for Licensing, tel.: 

202–622–2480; Assistant Director for 

Regulatory Affairs, tel. 202–622–4855; 

or the Assistant Director for Sanctions 

Compliance & Evaluation, tel.: 202–622– 

2490. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Electronic Availability 

The Specially Designated Nationals 

and Blocked Persons List and additional 

information concerning OFAC sanctions 

programs are available on OFAC’s 

website (www.treas.gov/ofac). 

Notice of OFAC Actions 

On January 20, 2022, OFAC 

determined that the property and 

interests in property subject to U.S. 

jurisdiction of the following persons are 

blocked under the relevant sanctions 

authority listed below. 


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