ID: 3194yy

mation is helpful. If you have any further questions,
please feel free to contact Marvin Shaw of my staff at this address or by
telephone at (202) 366-2992.

Sincerely,

Paul Jackson Rice Chief Counsel Enclosure /Ref: 302 d:l0/2l/9l

ID: aiam0734

Dear Mr. Strasmich: This is in reply to your letter of May 19, asking whether elasti fabric you manufacture must meet the requirements of Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 302, 'Flammability of Interior Materials' (49 CFR 571.302). You state that the fabric is under one inch wide, is tunneled and covered in automobile map pockets and similar accessories, and is not exposed in the finished product.; Paragraph S4.1 of Standard No. 302 (copy enclosed) lists the component of motor vehicles that must meet the burn rate requirements. Whether your elastic is required to meet these requirements depends upon whether it is incorporated into any of these enumerated components. We would consider, for example, a map pocket attached to the inside of a vehicle door to be part of a door 'trim panel,' and consequently subject to the standard. If your material is used in any component listed in S4.1, it would be required to meet the standard's requirements when tested as part of the component.; Yours truly, Richard B. Dyson, Assistant Chief Counsel

ID: aiam4628

"Dear Mr. Kahle: This responds to your letters to Mr. Jettner of ou Office of Vehicle Safety Standards asking about the application of Federal safety standards to your manufacture of an 'aftermarket' head restraint for light trucks. Your letters have been referred to my office for reply. I regret the delay in responding. You ask whether you need this agency's approval of your product. The answer is no. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is authorized by the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (copy enclosed) to issue Federal motor vehicle safety standards that set performance requirements for new motor vehicles and items of motor vehicle equipment. NHTSA is not authorized to certify or approve motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment for compliance with our Federal motor vehicle safety standards. Instead, under the Safety Act, each manufacturer of a motor vehicle or item of motor vehicle equipment is required to certify that its products meet all applicable safety standards. There is currently no Federal motor vehicle safety standard that is directly applicable to the product you wish to manufacture and sell. Our standard for head restraints (Standard No. 202) applies only to completed new passenger cars and not to a head restraints sold as an item of 'aftermarket' equipment for pickup trucks. However, there are other Federal laws that indirectly affect your manufacture and sale of the head restraint device. Under the Safety Act, your product is considered to be an item of motor vehicle equipment. As a manufacturer of motor vehicle equipment, you are subject to the requirements in sections 151-159 of the Safety Act concerning the recall and remedy of products with defects relating to motor vehicle safety. I have enclosed an information sheet that briefly describes those responsibilities. In the event that you or NHTSA determines that your head restraints contain a safety related defect, you would be responsible for notifying purchasers of the defective equipment and remedying the problem free of charge. A commercial business that installs your head restraint would be subject to provisions of the Safety Act that affect whether the business may install your product on a vehicle. Section 108(a)(2)(A) of the Act states: 'No manufacturer, distributor, dealer, or motor vehicle repair business shall knowingly render inoperative ... any device or element of design installed on or in a motor vehicle or item of motor vehicle equipment in compliance with an applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standard ...' This section requires manufacturers, distributors, dealers or motor vehicle repair businesses (i.e., any person holding him or herself out to the public as in the business of repairing motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment for compensation) installing your head restraint device on new or used vehicles to ensure that the addition of the apparatus would not negatively affect the compliance of any component or design on a vehicle with applicable Federal safety standards. For example, the commercial entity must ensure that the addition of the device does not degrade from the safety provided by flammable-resistant materials in the vehicle's interior compartment which have been installed in accordance with Standard No. 302, Flammability of Interior Materials (copy enclosed). Installation of rapidly burning materials could vitiate the compliance of the materials which were present in the vehicle at the time of its sale to the first consumer and were certified as meeting FMVSS No. 302. Section 109 of the Act specifies a civil penalty of up to $1,000 for each violation of /108. However, the prohibitions of /108(a)(2)(A) do not apply to the actions of a vehicle owner in adding to or otherwise modifying his or her vehicle. Thus, a vehicle owner would not violate the Safety Act by installing the head restraint, even if doing so would negatively affect some safety feature in his or her vehicle. You ask for a copy of an 'order' requiring head restraints on new pick-up trucks in 1991. Please note that NHTSA has thus far only proposed to require head restraints in new light trucks and vans (10,000 pounds or less gross vehicle weight rating), and has proposed a September 1, 1991 effective date for the requirement, if the proposed rule is adopted. I have enclosed a copy of the proposal for your information. We expect to announce the agency's next step in the rulemaking proceeding shortly. I hope this information is helpful. Please feel free to contact us if you have further questions. Sincerely, Stephen P. Wood Acting Chief Counsel Enclosures";

ID: nht75-6.41

DATE: MAY 09, 1975

FROM: RICHARD B. DYSON -- ASSISTANT CHIEF COUNSEL, NHTSA

TO: MR. SICKS -- FACHNORMENAUSSCHUSS KRAFTFAHRZEUGE - FAKRA

COPYEE: F. W. SCHWARTZ

TITLE: NONE

ATTACHMT: LETTER DATED 4-16-75 TO NHTSA DOCKET SECTION FROM MR. PETZOLDT AND MR. SICKS, FACHNORMENAUSSCHUSS KRAFTFAHRZEUGE

TEXT: This is in response to your Petition for Reconsideration of the amendments to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 302 promulgated in the Federal Register on March 31, 1975.

We shall advise you of our decision in this matter after reviewing your petition.

ID: nht88-3.13

TYPE: INTERPRETATION-NHTSA

DATE: 08/19/88

FROM: RANDY BLACKMAN -- PER LUX INC

TO: NHTSA

TITLE: NONE

ATTACHMT: ATTACHED TO LETTER DATED 08/07/89 FROM STEPHEN P. WOOD -- NHTSA TO RANDY BLACKMAN; REDBOOK A34 [4]; STANDARD 202; STANDARD 302

TEXT: Dear Sir or Madam:

Per-Lux is a manufacture of automotive driving and safety lights and other automotive products. An inventor has proposed to us the possibility of manufacturing and distributing a head restraint device for pick-up trucks.

Will you please advise me which, if any, Federal Safety standards would directly or indirectly apply to this product.

I have enclosed a sketch of the proposed product for your information.

Sincerely,

ID: nht92-7.43

DATE: April 13, 1992

FROM: L.J. Sharman

TO: NHTSA

TITLE: None

ATTACHMT: Attached to letter dated 8/12/92 from Paul J. Rice to L.J. Sharman (Redbook (2); VSA 108(b)(2))

TEXT:

Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 302 details the procedure to be followed when testing the flammability of interior materials or cars etc. The Standard further states how to calculate the burn rate of the material under test. The Standard does not however indicate what information is to be recorded and how long the records must be kept. I am writing to enquire if NHTSA has published any such requirements or has any recommendations on what records are to be kept and for how long.

Thank you for your assistance with this matter.

ID: 10754

Mr. Truman J. Lothen
1340 42nd Ave. NE
Minneapolis, MN 55421

Dear Mr. Lothen:

This responds to your letter of February 6, 1995, requesting information on requirements applicable to a "van seat/bed for aftermarket installation." Your questions and our response to each follows.

Does your department have safety standards that must (should) be designed into aftermarket vehicles seats?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is authorized to issue Federal motor vehicle safety standards applicable to new motor vehicles and new items of motor vehicle equipment. Federal law prohibits any person from manufacturing, introducing into commerce, selling, or importing any new motor vehicle or item of motor vehicle equipment unless the vehicle or equipment item is in conformity with all applicable safety standards. NHTSA, however, does not approve motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment, nor do we endorse any commercial products. Instead, each manufacturer is required to "self-certify" that its products meet all applicable safety standards.

There are five safety standards that are relevant to your inquiry: Standard No. 207, Seating Systems, Standard No. 208, Occupant Crash Protection, Standard No. 209, Seat Belt Assemblies, Standard No. 210, Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages, and Standard No. 302, Flammability of Interior Materials.

Standard No. 209 sets forth strength, elongation, webbing width, durability, and other requirements for seat belt assemblies. This standard applies to all seat belt assemblies for use in motor vehicles, regardless of whether the belts are installed as original equipment in a motor vehicle or sold as replacements. Hence, any seat belts installed on the aftermarket seat have to be certified as complying with Standard No. 209.

The remaining four standards apply only to new vehicles. If the aftermarket seat were installed before the vehicle's first purchase for purposes other than resale, the vehicle would have to be certified as complying with all applicable standards, including these four, with the aftermarket

seat installed. Standard No. 207 establishes strength and other performance requirements for vehicle seats. Standard No. 208 sets forth requirements for occupant protection at the various seating positions in vehicles. Standard No. 210 establishes strength and location requirements for seat belt anchorages. Finally, Standard No. 302 specifies burn resistance requirements for materials used in motor vehicles, specifically including seat cushions, seat backs, and seat belts. While aftermarket seats, as items of equipment, are not required to meet these requirements, you may wish to use these standards as design guidelines.

After a vehicle's first purchase for purposes other than resale; i.e., the first retail sale of the vehicle, the only provision in Federal law that affects a vehicle's continuing compliance with an applicable safety standard is set forth in 49 U.S.C. 30122(b). That section provides that:

A manufacturer, distributor, dealer, or motor vehicle repair business may not knowingly make inoperative any part of a device or element of design installed on or in a motor vehicle ... in compliance with an applicable motor vehicle safety standard.

Any violation of this "make inoperative" prohibition would subject the violator to a potential civil penalty of up to $1,000 for each violation. Please note that the "make inoperative" provision prohibits those entities from performing aftermarket modifications that they know or should know will degrade the safety of the vehicle as it was before the modification.

Please note also that the "make inoperative" prohibition does not apply to modifications vehicle owners make to their own vehicles. Thus, Federal law would not apply in situations where vehicle owners install your seat in their own vehicles, even if the installation were to result in the vehicle no longer complying with the safety standards. However, individual States have the authority to regulate modifications that individual vehicle owners may make to their own vehicles.

Finally, as a manufacturer, you would be subject to federal requirements concerning the recall and remedy of products with defects related to motor vehicle safety (49 U.S.C. 30118-30121). I have enclosed a sheet for new manufacturers that discusses the basic requirements of our standards and regulations, including the provisions relating to manufacturers' responsibilities to ensure that their products are free of safety-related defects.

This seat would be provided with a lap seat belt and shoulder belt with one end attached to the seat frame and the other to the vehicle structure similar to what's currently used in automobiles. What safety design standards must be incorporated into this restraint system?

As explained above, the seat belt would have to comply with Standard No. 209. If you install seat belts manufactured by another company, that company should have certified compliance with that standard.

Would this seat require compliance testing to meet safety requirements?

As noted above, if these seats are installed in a vehicle prior to the vehicle's first sale for purposes other than resale, the vehicle must be certified as complying with all applicable safety standards with the seat installed. NHTSA's position on what steps manufacturers must take before certifying that their vehicles or equipment comply with applicable safety standards has been often stated and applies with equal force in your situation.

Our position is as follows. The compliance test procedures set forth in the safety standards must be followed by this agency during our compliance testing. With respect to your company's seats, this means that NHTSA's compliance testing for the vehicle would be conducted using the test procedures set forth in the relevant safety standard or standards. Manufacturers certifying compliance with the safety standards are not required to follow exactly the compliance test procedures set forth in the applicable standard. In fact, manufacturers are not required to conduct any actual testing before certifying that their products comply with applicable safety standards. However, to avoid liability for civil penalties if the vehicle were determined not to comply with a safety standard, the certifying manufacturer is required to exercise "reasonable care" to assure compliance and in making its certification. It may be simplest for the manufacturer to establish that it exercised "reasonable care" if the manufacturer has conducted testing that strictly followed the compliance test procedures set forth in the standard. However, "reasonable care" might also be shown by using modified test procedures, engineering analyses, computer simulations, and the like. Thus, the entity that installs your seat in a vehicle prior to the vehicle's first sale will have to decide for itself, in the first instance, what information it needs to make its certification in the exercise of "reasonable care."

As noted above, if the seat were installed after the first purchase of the vehicle in good faith for purposes other than resale, any manufacturer, distributor, dealer, or repair shop that performed the installation would have to ensure that the installation did not "make inoperative" compliance with any applicable safety standard. Your company should carefully examine your product and the proposed installation instructions and compare those with the requirements of the safety standards, to determine if installing your product in accordance with your instructions would result in the vehicle no longer complying with the standards.

I hope you find this information helpful. I have enclosed information on how to get copies of those standards and regulations. If you have any other questions, please contact Mary Versailles of my staff at this address or by phone at (202) 366-2992.

Sincerely,

Philip R. Recht Chief Counsel Enclosure ref: 207 d:3/31/95

ID: aiam3713

Dear Mr. Cowen: This is in reply to your letter of May 26, 1983, petitioning for determination that a noncompliance with Standard No. 302 existing in truck sleeper berths that you manufacture is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety.; We do not believe that Able Body has the legal responsibility to file petition of this nature. Your description of the company as a manufacturer of 'sleeper berths for over-the-road trucks' indicates that Able Body is a supplier of original equipment which is installed in trucks rather than the manufacturer of the truck itself. While Able Body may have a contractual obligation with truck manufacturers to provide them with evidence of compliance with Standard No. 302, the truck manufacturer itself assumes ultimate responsibility under the National Traffic and Motor Safety Act for compliance with that standard by affixing a label to each truck certifying compliance with all applicable standards. This means that the truck manufacturer has the legal responsibility to notify purchasers and remedy noncompliances in its products involving Standard No. 302, even though the component concerned was produced by another company. As the obligation to notify and remedy rests upon the truck manufacturer, only that party may petition for an inconsequentiality determination.; When noncompliances occur, they must be reported to the agency pursuan to 49 CFR 573 *Defect and Noncompliance Reports*. Under this regulation either a component or a vehicle manufacturer may report a noncompliance to NHTSA if the noncompliance exists only in original equipment of a single vehicle manufacturer. However, if the noncomplying component has been used in the vehicles of more than one manufacturer, the manufacturer of the component and all vehicle manufacturers must file individual noncompliance reports. We have no record that Able Body has filed a Part 573 report on this matter. I enclose a copy of Part 573 for your information.; We would appreciate prompt filing of a Part 573 report by Able Bod and/or relevant truck manufacturer(s). You may advise your customers of their right to file an inconsequentiality petition.; Sincerely, Frank Berndt, Chief Counsel

ID: aiam3645

Dear Mr. Cowen: This is in reply to your letter of May 26, 1983, petitioning for determination that a noncompliance with Standard No. 302 existing in truck sleeper berths that you manufacture is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety.; We do not believe that Able Body has the legal responsibility to file petition of this nature. Your description of the company as a manufacturer of 'sleeper berths for over-the-road trucks' indicates that Able Body is a supplier of original equipment which is installed in trucks rather than the manufacturer of the truck itself. While Able Body may have a contractual obligation with truck manufacturers to provide them with evidence of compliance with Standard No. 302, the truck manufacturer itself assumes ultimate responsibility under the National Traffic and Motor Safety Act for compliance with that standard by affixing a label to each truck certifying compliance with all applicable standards. This means that the truck manufacturer has the legal responsibility to notify purchasers and remedy noncompliances in its products involving Standard No. 302, even though the component concerned was produced by another company. As the obligation to notify and remedy rests upon the truck manufacturer, only that party may petition for an inconsequentiality determination.; When noncompliances occur, they must be reported to the agency pursuan to 49 CFR 573 *Defect and Noncompliance Reports*. Under this regulation either a component or a vehicle manufacturer may report a noncompliance to NHTSA if the noncompliance exists only in original equipment of a single vehicle manufacturer. However, if the noncomplying component has been used in the vehicles or more than one manufacturer, the manufacturer of the component and all vehicle manufacturers must file individual noncompliance reports. We have no record that Able Body has filed a Part 573 report on this matter. I enclose a copy of Part 573 for your information.; We would appreciate prompt filing of a Part 573 report by Able Bod and/or relevant truck manufacturer(s). You may advise your customers of their right to file an inconsequentiality petition.; Sincerely, Frank Berndt, Chief Counsel

ID: aiam3646

Dear Mr. Cowen: This is in reply to your letter of May 26, 1983, petitioning for determination that a noncompliance with Standard No. 302 existing in truck sleeper berths that you manufacture is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety.; We do not believe that Able Body has the legal responsibility to file petition of this nature. Your description of the company as a manufacturer of 'sleeper berths for over-the-road trucks' indicates that Able Body is a supplier of original equipment which is installed in trucks rather than the manufacturer of the truck itself. While Able Body may have a contractual obligation with truck manufacturers to provide them with evidence of compliance with Standard No. 302, the truck manufacturer itself assumes ultimate responsibility under the National Traffic and Motor Safety Act for compliance with that standard by affixing a label to each truck certifying compliance with all applicable standards. This means that the truck manufacturer has the legal responsibility to notify purchasers and remedy noncompliances in its products involving Standard No. 302, even though the component concerned was produced by another company. As the obligation to notify and remedy rests upon the truck manufacturer, only that party may petition for an inconsequentiality determination.; When noncompliances occur, they must be reported to the agency pursuan to 49 CFR 573 *Defect and Noncompliance Reports*. Under this regulation either a component or a vehicle manufacturer may report a noncompliance to NHTSA if the noncompliance exists only in original equipment of a single vehicle manufacturer. However, if the noncomplying component has been used in the vehicles or more than one manufacturer, the manufacturer of the component and all vehicle manufacturers must file individual noncompliance reports. We have no record that Able Body has filed a Part 573 report on this matter. I enclose a copy of Part 573 for your information.; We would appreciate prompt filing of a Part 573 report by Able Bod and/or relevant truck manufacturer(s). You may advise your customers of their right to file an inconsequentiality petition.; Sincerely, Frank Berndt, Chief Counsel