Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 2007 Dodge Durango Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles Manufactured for the Mexican Market Are Eligible for Importation

Topics:  Dodge Durango, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Claude H. Harris
Federal Register
June 6, 2011

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 108 (Monday, June 6, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32391-32392]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-13888]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. DOT-NHTSA-2011-0061, Notice 1]


Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 
2007 Dodge Durango Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles Manufactured for the 
Mexican Market Are Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of 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 
2007 Dodge Durango multipurpose passenger vehicles (MPV) manufactured 
for the Mexican market (Mexican market 2007 Dodge Durango MPV), 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 2007 Dodge 
Durango MPV,) and they are capable of being readily altered to conform 
to the standards.

DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is July 6, 2011.

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. E.T., 
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

[[Page 32392]]

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: Coleman Sachs, Office of Vehicle 
Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202-366-3151).

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, Inc. of Houston, Texas 
(WETL) (Registered Importer 90-005) has petitioned NHTSA to decide 
whether nonconforming Mexican market 2007 Dodge Durango MPV's are 
eligible for importation into the United States. The vehicles which 
WETL believes are substantially similar are 2007 Dodge Durango MPV's 
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 carefully compared non-U.S. certified 
Mexican market 2007 Dodge Durango MPV's 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 Mexican market 2007 Dodge Durango 
MPV's, 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 Mexican 
market 2007 Dodge Durango MPV's 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, 106 Brake Hoses, 108 Lamps, 
Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment, 111 Rearview Mirrors, 113 
Hood Latch System, 114 Theft Protection, 116 Motor Vehicle Brake 
Fluids, 118 Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems, 
120 Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles Other than Passenger 
Cars, 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 Materials, 206 Door Locks and Door Retention 
Components, 207 Seating Systems, 208 Occupant Crash Protection 209 Seat 
Belt Assemblies, 210 Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages, 212 Windshield 
Mounting, 214 Side Impact Protection, 216 Roof Crush Resistance, 219 
Windshield Zone Intrusion, 301 Fuel System Integrity, and 302 
Flammability of Interior Materials.
    Petitioner also contends that the vehicle is capable of being 
readily altered to meet the following standards, in the manner 
indicated:
    Standard No. 101 Controls and Displays: inscription of the word 
``brake'' on the instrument cluster in place of the international ECE 
warning symbol.
    Standard No. 225 Child Restraint Anchorage Systems: inspection of 
all vehicles and installation of U.S.-model child restraint anchorage 
system components on vehicles not already so equipped to ensure that 
the child restraint anchorage system meets the requirements of this 
standard.
    The petitioner additionally states that a vehicle identification 
plate must be affixed to the vehicles near the left windshield post to 
meet the requirements of 49 CFR Part 565.
    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) and (b)(1); 49 CFR 593.8; 
delegations of authority at 49 CFR 1.50 and 501.8.

    Issued on: May 31, 2011.
Claude H. Harris,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2011-13888 Filed 6-3-11; 8:45 am]
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