Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming Model Year 2009 Ford F-150 Trucks Are Eligible for Importation

Topics:  Ford F-150

Jeffrey M. Giuseppe
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
November 5, 2015

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 214 (Thursday, November 5, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68603-68604]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-28129]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2015-0016; Notice 1]


Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 
Model Year 2009 Ford F-150 Trucks Are Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Receipt of petition.

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SUMMARY: This document announces receipt by the National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 
nonconforming model year (MY) 2009 Ford F-150 trucks 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 that 
were originally manufactured for sale in the United States and that 
were certified by their manufacturer as complying with the safety 
standards (the U.S.-certified version of the MY 2009 Ford F-150 truck) 
and they are capable of being readily altered to conform to the 
standards.

DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is December 7, 
2015.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to the docket and notice numbers above 
and be submitted by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility: U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building Ground Floor, Room 
W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
    Instructions: 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 your comments were 
received, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard with the 
comments. Note that all comments received will be posted without change 
to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading below.
    Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all 
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on 
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78).
    How To Read Comments Submitted to the Docket: You may read the 
comments received by Docket Management at the address and times given 
above. You may also view the documents from the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for accessing the 
dockets. The docket ID number and title of this notice are shown at the 
heading of this document notice. Please note that even after the 
comment closing date, we will continue to file relevant information in 
the Docket as it becomes available. Further, some people may submit 
late comments. Accordingly, we recommend that you periodically search 
the Docket for new material.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Stevens, Office of Vehicle 
Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202-366-5308).

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 FMVSS 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 FMVSS.
    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.
    Wallace Environmental Testing Laboratories (WETL), Inc. of Houston, 
Texas (Registered Importer R-90-005) has petitioned NHTSA to decide 
whether nonconforming MY 2009 Ford F-150 trucks are eligible for 
importation into the United States. The vehicles which WETL believes 
are substantially similar are MY 2009 Ford F-150 trucks that were 
manufactured for sale in the United States and certified by their 
manufacturer as conforming to all applicable FMVSS.
    The petitioner claims that it compared non-U.S. certified MY 2009 
Ford F-150 truck to their U.S.-certified counterparts, and found the 
vehicles to be substantially similar with respect to compliance with 
most FMVSS.
    WETL submitted information with its petition intended to 
demonstrate that non-U.S. certified MY 2009 Ford F-150 trucks, as 
originally manufactured, conform to many FMVSS 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 MY 2009 Ford F-150 trucks are identical 
to their U.S.-certified counterparts with respect to compliance with 
Standard Nos. 102 Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, 
and Transmission Braking Effect, 103 Windshield Defrosting and 
Defogging Systems, 104 Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems, 105 
Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems, 106 Brake Hoses, 108 Lamps, 
Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment, 110 Tire selection and 
rims and motor home/recreation vehicle trailer load carrying capacity 
information for motor vehicles with a GVWR of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 
pounds) or less, 111 Rearview Mirrors, 113 Hood Latch System, 114 Theft 
Protection, 116 Motor Vehicle Brake Fluids, 118 Power-Operated Window, 
Partition, and Roof panel System, 119 New Pneumatic Tires, 124 
Accelerator Control Systems, 135 Light Vehicle Brake Systems, 138 Tire 
Pressure Monitoring Systems, 201 Occupant Protection in Interior 
Impact, 202 Head Restraints, 204 Steering Control Rearward 
Displacement, 205 Glazing

[[Page 68604]]

Materials, 206 Door Locks and Door Retention Components, 207 Seating 
Systems, 209 Seat Belt Assemblies, 210 Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages, 
212 Windshield Mounting, 214 Side Impact Protection, 216 Roof Crush 
Resistance, 219 Windshield Zone Intrusion, 225 Child Restraint 
Anchorage Systems, 301 Fuel System Integrity, and 302 Flammability of 
Interior Materials.
    The 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: Replacement of the 
speedometer with the U.S.-model part, which includes the BRAKE 
telltale, and reprogramming of the speedometer.
    Standard No. 138 Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems: Verification 
that programming matches U.S.-model programming.
    Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: A U.S.-version of the 
owner's manual must be provided with the vehicle to meet the 
information requirements of the standard. Verification will be 
performed that programming of automatic restraint systems matches U.S.-
model programming.
    The petitioner additionally states that a vehicle identification 
plate must be affixed to the vehicle near the left windshield post to 
meet the requirements of 49 CFR part 565. The petitioner also states 
that each vehicle will be inspected prior to importation for compliance 
with 49 CFR part 541 and modified if necessary.
    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 addresses 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), (a)(1)(B), and (b)(1); 49 
CFR 593.7; delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.95 and 501.8.

Jeffrey M. Giuseppe,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2015-28129 Filed 11-4-15; 8:45 am]
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