[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 8 (Monday, January 13, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 1690-1691]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-757]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

49 CFR Part 541

[Docket No. 96-17; Notice 02]
RIN 2127-AG34


Final Listing of High-Theft Lines for 1997 Model Year; Motor 
Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Final rule; correction.

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SUMMARY: This document corrects errors in the final listing of high-
theft lines for the 1997 Model Year (MY), that was published on April 
8, 1996 (61 FR 15390) by incorporating information that manufacturers 
brought to the agency's attention subsequent to the final listing. In 
the amended list in this document, three footnote errors are corrected, 
errors in the names of three Honda lines, the Acura CLX, the Acura 
Legend, and the Acura Vigor are corrected; and two Chrysler lines, the 
Dodge Ramcharger (MPV) and the Dodge Ram Wagon/Van B-150, three General 
Motors' lines, the Buick Century, the GMC Sierra 1500 Pickup and the C-
1500 Pickup are removed; a Chrysler line, the Jeep Grand Cherokee 
(MPV), a Ford line, the Lincoln Town Car, a General Motors' line, the 
Geo Prizm, and a Mercedes-Benz model, the 560 SL are added to Appendix 
A; a Honda line, the Acura TL is removed from Appendix A and added to 
Appendix A-I, the Acura SLX is added to Appendix A-I; a General Motors' 
line, the Buick Regal is removed from Appendix A-I and the Buick Regal/
Century line is added; and, the Buick Park Avenue is removed from 
Appendix A-II and added to Appendix A-I.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The amendment made by this final rule is effective 
January 13, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Rosalind Proctor, Motor Vehicle 
Theft Group, Office of Planning and Consumer Programs, NHTSA, 400 
Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590. Ms. Proctor's telephone 
number is (202) 366-1740. Her fax number is (202) 493-2739.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NHTSA is correcting errors in the final list 
of high- theft vehicle lines for Model Year (MY) 1997, that appeared in 
the Federal Register on April 8, 1996 (61 FR 15390). This correction 
document incorporates updated information brought to NHTSA's attention 
subsequent to the publication of the final list for MY 1997. The 
following are corrections to Appendix A of 49 CFR Part 541, the Theft 
Prevention Standard:
    The second footnote ``1'' erroneously listed in Appendix A is 
correctly redesignated as footnote ``2''. Additionally, the Suzuki ``X-
90'' erroneously listed in Appendix A with a footnote reference of 
``1'' is corrected to indicate a footnote reference of ``2'', and the 
Toyota ``MR2'' erroneously listed with a footnote reference of ``2'' is 
correctly redesignated by removing the footnote reference.
    The Honda lines, erroneously listed as ``Acura CLX'', Acura 
Legend'', and ``Acura Vigor'' have been identified respectively, 
``Acura CL'', ``Acura RL'' and ``Acura TL''. The General Motors' line, 
erroneously listed as ``Buick Regal'' has been identified respectively, 
``Buick Regal/Century''.
    Comments were received from American Honda Motor Co., Inc., 
requesting that the ``Acura TL'' line which was erroneously listed in 
Appendix A, be deleted from the listing because it has received a full 
exemption from the parts-marking requirements based on the installation 
of a qualified antitheft device as standard equipment on the entire 
line. The Honda ``Acura TL'' which replaced the ``Acura Vigor'' will be 
deleted from Appendix A.
    Comments were received from the Chrysler Corporation, Automobiles 
Peugeot, and Jaguar Cars, each requesting that one vehicle line be 
deleted from the list because it is no longer being produced. Those 
lines are the Chrysler ``Dodge Ramcharger (MPV)'', the ``Peugeot 405'', 
and the ``Jaguar XJ40''. The Chrysler ``Dodge Ramcharger (MPV)'' will 
be deleted from Appendix A, since it was not covered prior to MY 1997 
and has not been manufactured for sale in the United States since MY 
1995. Additionally, the General Motors' ``Buick Century'' is removed 
from Appendix A because it was not covered by the Theft Prevention 
Standard prior to MY 1997 and will not be produced after the 1996 model 
year.
    The agency understands Peugeot's and Jaguar's reasons for 
requesting deletion of the ``405'' and ``XJ40'' from the list of 
vehicles subject to the parts-marking requirements of the Theft 
Prevention Standard. However, NHTSA cannot delete the ``Peugeot 405'' 
from the list because it has been covered by the Theft Prevention 
Standard since MY 1989, and the ``Jaguar XJ40'' has been covered since 
the 1987 model year. Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. Sec. 33104(d), a vehicle 
line on the list of lines subject to parts marking cannot be removed 
from that list unless the manufacturer has obtained an exemption from 
the parts-marking requirement based on the installation of a qualified 
antitheft device as standard equipment on the entire line.
    The Chrysler ``Dodge Ram Wagon/Van B-150'', the General Motors' 
``GMC Sierra 1500 Pickup'' and the ``Chevrolet C-1500 Pickup'' are 
removed from Appendix A, as they are rated at more than 6,000 pounds 
gross vehicle weight.
    The ``Jeep Grand Cherokee (MPV)'' is added to the Chrysler listing 
in Appendix A; and Ford's line, the ``Lincoln Town Car'', the General 
Motors' line, the ``Geo Prizm'', and the Mercedes-Benz model, ``560 
SL'' were inadvertently left out in the final list for

[[Page 1691]]

MY 1997, and are added in this document.
    In addition, the Honda line, the ``Acura SLX'', which is certified 
by Isuzu, is added to the Appendix A-I listing, the General Motors'' 
line, the ``Buick Park Avenue'' is removed from the Appendix A-II 
listing and added to the listing in Appendix A-I because each of these 
lines have been granted full exemptions from the parts-marking 
requirements beginning with the 1997 model year. Additionally, the 
``Buick Regal'' is removed from the Appendix A-I listing and the 
``Buick Regal/Century'' line is added because the parts-marking 
exemption granted for the ``Buick Regal'' has been extended by the 
agency to include the new ``Buick Century'' model added to the ``Buick 
Regal'' line beginning with the 1997 model year.
    Since the corrections made by this document only inform the public 
of previous agency actions, and do not impose any additional 
obligations on any party, NHTSA finds for good cause that the revisions 
made by this notice should be effective as soon as it is published in 
the Federal Register.

List of Subjects in 49 CFR Part 541

    Administrative practice and procedure, Labeling, Motor vehicles, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    In consideration of the foregoing, 49 CFR Part 541 is amended as 
follows:

PART 541--[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for Part 541 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2021-2024, and 2026; delegation of 
authority at 49 CFR 1.50.

Appendix A--[Amended]

    2. Appendix A is amended as follows:

    a. In the entry for ``Chrysler'', ``Dodge Ramcharger (MPV) \2\'' 
and ``Dodge Ram Wagon/Van B-150 \2\'' are removed; ``Jeep Grand 
Cherokee (MPV) \2\'' is added after ``Jeep Cherokee (MPV) \2\''.
    b. In the entry for ``Ford'', ``Lincoln Town Car'' is added after 
``Lincoln Mark''.
    c. In the entry for ``General Motors'', ``Buick Century \2\'', 
``GMC Sierra 1500 Pickup \2\'', and ``Chevrolet C-1500 Pickup \2\'' is 
removed; ``Geo Prizm'' is added after ``Geo Tracker (MPV) \2\''.
    d. In the entry for ``Honda'', ``TL'' is removed.
    e. In the entry for ``Mercedes-Benz'' ``560 SL'' is added after 
``560 SEC''.
    f. In the entry for ``Suzuki'', ``X-90 \1\'' is revised to read 
``Suzuki'' ``X-90 \2\''.
    g. In the entry for ``Toyota'', ``MR \2\'' is revised to read 
``Toyota'' ``MR2''.
    h. In the table in Appendix A, the second footnote ``1'' at the end 
of the table is correctly redesignated as footnote ``2''.

Appendix A-I--[Amended]

    3. Appendix A-I is amended as follows:

    a. In the entry for ``General Motors'', ``Buick Park Avenue \2\'' 
is added before ``Buick Regal''.
    b. In the entry for ``General Motors'', ``Buick Regal'' is removed.
    c. In the entry for ``General Motors'', ``Buick Regal/Century \2\'' 
is added before ``Buick Riviera''.
    d. In the entry for ``Honda'', ``Acura CLX \2\'' is revised to read 
``Acura CL \2\''.
    e. In the entry for ``Honda'', ``Acura RL'' is added after ``Acura 
NS-X''.
    f. In the entry for ``Honda'', ``Acura TL'' is added before ``Acura 
Vigor''.
    g. In the entry for ``Honda'', ``Acura SLX'' is added after newly 
added ``Acura RL''.

Appendix A-II--[Amended]

    4. Appendix A-II is amended as follows:

    In the entry for ``General Motors'', ``Buick Park Avenue'' is 
removed.

    Issued on: December 18, 1996.
L. Robert Shelton,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 97-757 Filed 1-10-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P