National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Automobili Lamborghini SpA (Lamborghini), has determined that certain model year (MY) 2008-2014 Lamborghini Aventador, Gallardo and Muricielago Coupe, Roadster and Spyder model passenger cars do not fully comply with paragraph S4.4(c)(2), of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 138, Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems. Lamborghini has filed an appropriate report dated May 23, 2014, pursuant to 49 CFR part 573, Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports.

McLaren Automotive, Inc. ``McLaren'' has determined that certain MY 2012-2015 McLaren MP4 12-C Spider and Coupe passenger vehicles do not fully comply with paragraph S4.4(c)(2), of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 138, Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems. McLaren has filed an appropriate report dated February 18, 2014, pursuant to 49 CFR part 573, Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports.

Tireco, Inc., (Tireco) has determined that certain Tireco replacement tires do not fully comply with paragraph S6.5(b) of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 119, New Pneumatic Tires for Motor Vehicles with a GVWR of More than 4,536 Kilograms (10,000 pounds) and Motorcycles. Tireco has filed an appropriate report dated March 30, 2015, pursuant to 49 CFR part 573, Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports.

BMW of North America, LLC, (BMW) a subsidiary of BMW AG in Munich, Germany, has determined that certain model year (MY) 2013 BMW 5 Series sedan passenger vehicles do not fully comply with paragraph S8.1.11 of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment. BMW has filed an appropriate report dated March 26, 2015, pursuant to 49 CFR part 573, Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports.

In order to prioritize, organize, and phase multiple recalls to remedy defective Takata frontal air bag inflators, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (``NHTSA'') is opening proceedings, including a public docket..NHTSA is considering issuing one or more administrative orders that would coordinate remedy programs associated with defective Takata air bag inflators. Coordination of the remedy programs may include, among other things, ``acceleration,'' prioritization, organization, and/or phasing of some or all such air bag inflator remedy programs. It may further include coordination as to air bag inflator sourcing, production, allocation, delivery, installation, and adequacy of the remedy. This notice explains events leading to today's action and NHTSA's authority to open such a proceeding. It also describes some of the issues that the agency anticipates considering in the proceeding and information the agency requests from commenters as part of such a proceeding.

Graco Children's Products, Inc., (Graco) has determined that certain Graco child restraints do not fully comply with paragraph S5.5.2(g)(1)(iii) of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 213, Child Restraint Systems. Graco has filed an appropriate report dated March 13, 2015, pursuant to 49 CFR part 573, Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports.

This document announces receipt by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that nonconforming model year (MY) 1991 BMW M3 convertible passenger cars that were not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), are eligible for importation into the United States because they have safety features that comply with, or are capable of being altered to comply with, all such standards.

In order to organize and prioritize vehicle manufacturer's recall and remedy programs to address defective Takata frontal air bag inflators, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (``NHTSA'') is providing notice of NHTSA's intent to open proceedings pursuant to its authority under 49 U.S.C. 30120(c)(3) and other authority. NHTSA is considering implementing these remedy programs for all manufacturers and suppliers involved in the recalls of defective Takata air bag inflators. This notice explains NHTSA's authority to open such a proceeding and describes some of the issues that the agency would consider, and information the agency would request from commenters, as part of such a proceeding.

This document sets forth an interpretation of the definition of ``motor vehicle equipment'' in the United States Code, as amended by the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) Act, and requests comments on two proposed changes to the motorcycle helmet safety standard, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 218. Continued high levels of motorcycle related fatalities, the ongoing use of novelty helmets by motorcyclists and the poor performance of these helmets in tests and crashes have prompted the agency to clarify the status of such helmets under federal law to ensure that all relevant legal requirements are readily enforceable. All helmets that are sold to, and worn on the highway by, motorcyclists and that, based on their design and/or other factors, have the apparent purpose of protecting highway users are motorcycle helmets subject to the jurisdiction and standard of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (``NHTSA'' or ``agency''). NHTSA is simultaneously proposing to amend its helmet standard, FMVSS No. 218. First, NHTSA is proposing to add a definition of ``motorcycle helmet.'' Second, we are proposing to modify the existing performance requirements of the standard by adding a set of dimensional and compression requirements. These requirements and the associated test procedures would identify those helmets whose physical characteristics indicate that they likely cannot meet the existing performance requirements of the standard. Third, we are incorporating an optional alternative compliance process for manufacturers whose helmets do not comply with the proposed dimensional and compression requirements, but do comply with the performance requirements and all other aspects of FMVSS No. 218. NHTSA will publish a list of helmets that have complied with the alternative compliance process and can therefore be certified by their manufacturers. This document is the result of the agency's assessment of other actions that could be taken to increase further the percentage of motorcyclists who wear helmets that comply with the helmet standard.

This notice sets forth the reasons for denying a petition (DP14-003) submitted to NHTSA 49 U.S.C. 30162, 49 CFR part 552, requesting that the agency open ``an investigation into low-speed surging in the 2006-2010 Toyota Corolla [vehicles] with ETCS-i, in which the brakes fail to stop the vehicle in time to prevent a crash.''

This notice provides NHTSA's finding with respect to a request from the Connecticut Department of Transportation's Highway Safety Office (HSO) to waive the requirements of Buy America. NHTSA finds that a non-availability waiver is appropriate for HSO to purchase twenty- three foreign-made training motorcycles using Federal grant funds because there are no suitable motorcycles produced in the United States for safety training purposes.

Continental Tire the Americas, LLC, (CTA), has determined that certain Continental Tire brand TKC80 motorcycle replacement tires do not fully comply with paragraph S6.5(c) of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 119, New Pneumatic Radial Tires for motor vehicles with a GVWR of more than 4,536 Kilograms (10,000 pounds) and Motorcycles. CTA has filed an appropriate report dated February 18, 2015, pursuant to 49 CFR part 573, Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. A Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting public comments on the following information collection was published on January 21, 2015 (80 FR 3010).

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and the expected burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period was published on January 21, 2015 (Federal Register/Vol. 80, No. 13/pp. 3008-3010).

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the nature of the information collections and their expected burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period was published on December 19, 2014 (79 FR 75859). No comments were received. This document describes a collection of information on nine Federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSSs) and one regulation, for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval. The information collection pertains to requirements that specify certain safety precautions regarding items of motor vehicle equipment must appear in the vehicle owner's manual.

This notice provides NHTSA's finding with respect to a request to waive the requirements of Buy America from the New York Governor's Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC). NHTSA finds that a non-availability waiver of the Buy America requirement is appropriate for the purchase of 205 Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Tablet packages using Federal highway traffic safety grant funds because there are no suitable products produced in the United States.

This notice provides NHTSA's finding that a non-availability waiver of the Buy America requirements is appropriate for the purchase of consumer-use motorcycle helmets by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), using Federal grant funds. NHTSA has determined that a waiver is appropriate because there are no suitable motorcycle helmets produced in the United States that are designed for consumer- use.

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, (MBUSA) on behalf of itself and its parent company Daimler AG (DAG), collectively referred to as ``Mercedes'' has determined that certain model year (MY) 2015 Mercedes- Benz C-Class (205 Platform) passenger vehicles do not fully comply with paragraph S10.18.4 of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment. Mercedes has filed an appropriate report dated February 9, 2015, pursuant to 49 CFR part 573, Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports.

This document grants in full the Maserati North America Inc.'s, (Maserati) petition for an exemption of the Ghibli vehicle line in accordance with 49 CFR part 543, Exemption from Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard. This petition is granted because the agency has determined that the antitheft device to be placed on the line as standard equipment is likely to be as effective in reducing and deterring motor vehicle theft as compliance with the parts-marking requirements of the 49 CFR part 541, Federal Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard (Theft Prevention Standard).

The tire identification number (TIN), which must appear on virtually all new and retreaded motor vehicle tires sold in the United States, plays an important role in identifying which tires are subject to recall and remedy campaigns for safety defects and noncompliances. This final rule makes two amendments to the TIN. First, because NHTSA has run out of two-symbol codes to identify new tire plants, NHTSA is expanding the first portion of the TIN, previously known as the manufacturer identifier, but more commonly referred to as a ``plant code,'' from two symbols to three for manufacturers of new tires. This amendment substantially increases the number of unique combinations of characters that can be used to identify individual manufacturers of new tires. Second, NHTSA is standardizing the length of the tire identification number to eliminate confusion that could arise from the variable length of tire identification numbers. This final rule standardizes the length of the TIN at 13 symbols for new tires and 7 symbols for retreaded tires, making it easier to identify a TIN from which a symbol is missing.

This document denies a July 7, 2014 petition from Mr. Brian Rosa of Union, NJ, requesting that the agency open an investigation into an alleged defect resulting in engine stall without warning after refueling in a model year (MY) 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan minivan. The petitioner's vehicle is a Chrysler RS platform minivan. The RS platform includes MY 2003 through 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan, Dodge Caravan, Chrysler Town and Country and Chrysler Voyager minivans. NHTSA evaluated the petition by analyzing consumer complaints submitted to the Agency, analyzing field data and reviewing technical information provided by Chrysler in response to an information request letter from the Agency, and testing an RS minivan that was the subject of a post- refuel engine stall complaint to NHTSA. After completing this evaluation, NHTSA has concluded that further investigation of the alleged defect in the subject vehicles is unlikely to result in a determination that a safety-related defect exists. The agency accordingly denies the petition.

This document announces a decision by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that certain 2012 McLaren MP4-12C passenger cars (PCs) that were not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) 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 that were certified by their manufacturer as complying with the safety standards (the U.S. certified version of the 2012 McLaren MP4-12C PC), and they are capable of being readily altered to conform to the standards.

Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed collections of information, including extensions and reinstatement of previously approved collections. This document describes one collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

This document grants in full the BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) petition for an exemption of the X1 multi-purpose vehicle line (MPV) in accordance with 49 CFR part 543, Exemption from the Theft Prevention Standard. This petition is granted because the agency has determined that the antitheft device to be placed on the line as standard equipment is likely to be as effective in reducing and deterring motor vehicle theft as compliance with the parts-marking requirements of 49 CFR part 541, Federal Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard (Theft Prevention Standard). BMW requested confidential treatment for specific information in its petition that the agency will address by separate letter.

The NHTSA announces a meeting of NEMSAC to be held in the Metropolitan Washington, DC, area. This notice announces the date, time, and location of the meeting, which will be open to the public, as well as opportunities for public input to the NEMSAC. The purpose of NEMSAC, a nationally recognized council of emergency medical services representatives and consumers, is to advise and consult with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Interagency Committee on EMS (FICEMS) on matters relating to emergency medical services (EMS). Pre-registration is required to attend.