Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 2009 Dodge RAM 1500 Laramie Crew Cab Trucks Manufactured for the Mexican Market Are Eligible for Importation

Topics:  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Dodge Ram

Claude H. Harris
Federal Register
August 11, 2011

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 155 (Thursday, August 11, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49834-49835]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-20368]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. DOT-NHTSA-2011-0113, Notice 1]


Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 
2009 Dodge RAM 1500 Laramie Crew Cab Trucks 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 
2009 Dodge RAM 1500 Laramie Crew Cab trucks manufactured for the 
Mexican market (2009 Dodge RAM 1500 Mexican 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 2009 Dodge RAM 1500 
Laramie Crew Cab trucks) and they are capable of being readily altered 
to conform to the standards.

DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is September 12, 
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

[[Page 49835]]

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: 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 2009 Dodge RAM 1500 Mexican trucks are eligible 
for importation into the United States. The vehicles which WETL 
believes are substantially similar are 2009 Dodge RAM 1500 Laramie Crew 
Cab 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 carefully compared non-U.S. certified 
2009 Dodge RAM 1500 Mexican trucks 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 2009 Dodge RAM 1500 Mexican 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 2009 
Dodge RAM 1500 Mexican trucks are identical to their U.S.-certified 
counterparts with respect to compliance with Standard Nos. 101 Controls 
and Displays, 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, 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, 
225 Child Restraint Anchorage Systems, 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 standard, in the manner 
indicated:
    Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated 
Equipment: inspection of all vehicles and installation of U.S.-model 
lamps on vehicles not already so equipped to ensure that the vehicles 
meet 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: August 5, 2011.
 Claude H. Harris,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2011-20368 Filed 8-10-11; 8:45 am]
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