Interpretation ID: 2629y

Ms. Carol Zeitlow
Manager, Engineering Services
Oshkosh Truck Corporation
P.O.Box 2566
Oshkosh, WI 54903-2566

Dear Ms. Zeitlow:

This in reply to your letter of August 1, l990, to Taylor Vinson of this Office, with respect to Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. l08.

You ask for confirmation that "the hazard warning light should always over-ride the stop lamp" when they are "together on a vehicle." I am pleased to provide that confirmation. Under the relevant SAE materials on stop lamps that are incorporated by reference in Standard No. l08, when a stop signal is optically combined with the turn signal, the circuit shall be such that the stop signal cannot be turned on if the turn signal is flashing. Because the hazard warning system operates through the turn signal lamps, the stop signal cannot be turned on in an optically combined lamp if the hazard system is in use.

You have also noted that in your version of Standard No. l08, no reference is made to SAE Standard J1395. It was not until May l5 of this year that Standard No. l08 was amended to incorporate SAE J1395 (with an effective date of December 1, l990). I enclose a copy of that amendment for your information.

If you have any further questions, we shall be pleased to answer them.

Sincerely,

Paul Jackson Rice Chief Counsel Enclosure /ref:l08 d:8/27/90