[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 20, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 10948]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-4097]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2001-8842; Notice 1]


General Motors Corporation; Receipt of Application for Decision 
of Inconsequential Noncompliance

    General Motors Corporation (GM) of Warren, Michigan, has determined 
that it has manufactured approximately 33,916 vehicles that fail to 
comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 225, 
``Child Restraint Anchorage Systems,'' and has filed an appropriate 
report pursuant to 49 CFR Part 573, ``Defects and Noncompliance 
Reports.'' GM has also applied to be exempted from the notification and 
remedy requirements of 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301--``Motor Vehicle Safety'' 
on the basis that the noncompliance is inconsequential to motor vehicle 
safety.
    This notice of receipt of an application is published under 49 
U.S.C. 30118 and 30120 and does not represent any agency decision or 
other exercise of judgement concerning the merits of the petition.
    FMVSS No. 225 establishes requirements for child restraint 
anchorage systems to ensure their proper location and strength for the 
effective securing of child restraints, to reduce the likelihood of the 
anchorage systems' failure, and to increase the likelihood that child 
restraints are properly secured and thus more fully achieve their 
potential effectiveness in motor vehicles. S15.1.2 of the standard 
prescribes the dimensions and location of the anchorages. Specifically, 
S15.1.2.1(a) requires that the lower anchorages be 6 mm <plus-minus> 
0.1 mm in diameter.
    GM has determined that certain vehicles it has manufactured have 
lower anchorages that do not meet the requirements of S15.1.2.1(a). The 
vehicles containing the noncompliance are certain 2001 Model Year 
Chevrolet Venture, Oldsmobile Silhouette, Pontiac Montana and Aztek 
model vehicles. Approximately 17,377 Pontiac Aztecs and 5,215 Pontiac 
Montanas, 8,370 Chevrolet Ventures, and 2,954 Oldsmobile Silhouette (U-
vans) were built with lower anchorage bars whose diameter are either 
above or below the required 6.0 <plus-minus> 0.1 mm.

    GM supports its application for inconsequential noncompliance 
with the following:
    In the case of the Aztek, this condition was caused by the 
inadvertent release of component drawings that allowed the lower 
anchorage bar material to be supplied out of compliance. For the U 
vans and Azteks, it was not originally known that the coating 
process for the lower anchorage bar was not capable of holding the 
required tolerance. As a result, some of the lower anchorages of the 
subject vehicles do not meet the diameter specification.
    These lower anchorages do, however, meet all of the location, 
strength and marking requirements of FMVSS 225. In the static 
strength test, the lower anchor bars are the first structural parts 
to deform. The static strength performance requirements of the 
standard are met even though anchor bars that meet the diameter 
specification fully deform in the static strength test. Based on 
analysis, the smallest diameter bars will not deform any more than 
those that meet the diameter requirement and, therefore, the static 
strength performance requirements for the lower anchorages will 
still be met. The ultimate load potential of the seat/vehicle system 
is not affected by the smaller diameter anchor bars because the bars 
are not the load limiting component.
    The purpose of the diameter specification is to ensure 
compatibility with child restraints that contain the new LATCH 
attachment mechanisms. Child restraint manufacturers currently offer 
to U.S. customers two child seats with LATCH attachment mechanisms: 
the Fisher Price Safe Embrace and the Cosco Triad. Both of these 
child seats use a hook mechanism to attach to the lower anchorage 
bars. This hook mechanism has the same configuration and geometry as 
the top tether hook specified in Figure 11 of FMVSS 213. Based on 
our examination of these hooks, the integrity and performance of the 
attachment will not be materially affected by the small deviations 
from the specification for the diameter of the lower anchor. 
Consistent with our observations about the compatibility of the 
lower anchors with the available child seats, GM has received no 
warranty claims or customer complaints about these anchors.
    GM personnel have seen other proposed child seats using the 
LATCH attachment mechanism that may be offered in the United States. 
GM is not aware of any proposed U.S. child seat latch mechanism that 
would not be compatible with the anchors on the subject vehicles. 
Furthermore, all child seats, in addition to the requirements for a 
latch mechanism, must also be designed to work with the vehicle seat 
belt system. Therefore, each child seat, whether LATCH compatible or 
not, will be able to be safely secured to each of these vehicles. We 
cannot rule out the possibility of an incompatible attachment 
mechanism in the future. While we do not think it is likely, it is 
possible that a slotted attachment could be designed and that the 
slot might be too small to accept some of these anchors that exceed 
6.1 mm. To address this situation, GM plans to send a letter to 
owners to advise them on how to handle such a situation. We do not 
forsee any problem with future designs and the anchors that are 
below 5.9 mm.
    GM believes that all LATCH equipped child restraints today and 
those expected in the near future will successfully attach to the 
lower anchorage bars on these vehicles. The letter will address 
future issues, if they should occur. As a result, GM believes that 
this noncompliance with S15.1.2.1 of FMVSS 225 is inconsequential to 
motor vehicle safety, and therefore, requests the affected vehicles 
be exempted from the notification, recall and remedy provisions of 
Section 30120 of the Safety Act.

    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: U.S. Department of 
Transportation Docket Management, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW, 
Washington, DC 20590. It is requested, but not required, that two 
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: March 22, 2001.

(49 U.S.C. 30118 and 30120; delegations of authority at 49 CFR 1.50 
and 501.8)


    Issued on: February 13, 2001.
Stephen R. Kratzke,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 01-4097 Filed 2-16-01; 8:45 am]
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