Interpretation ID: morr.jeg
Corboy & Demetrio
33 N. Dearborn
Chicago, IL 60602
Dear Ms. Morrissey:
This responds to your faxed letter concerning air bag regulations. I apologize for the delay in our response.
You asked what specific governmental regulations were in effect regarding air bags in a 1994 Plymouth Voyager. You also asked whether the Voyager is considered a car or light truck.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's regulations related to air bags are included in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, Occupant Crash Protection. The safety standards that apply to a vehicle depend on its date of manufacture. I am enclosing a copy of Standard No. 208 revised as of October 1, 1993. This corresponds to the early part of the 1994 model year.
For purposes of our safety standards, the Plymouth Voyager was classified as a multipurpose passenger vehicle. I note that the term "light truck" is commonly used to refer to trucks, buses, and multipurpose passenger vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less.
For further information about air bags and related rulemakings, you may wish to visit our web site at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov and select the term "Air bags" under the Popular Information column.
Sincerely,
John Womack
Acting Chief Counsel
Enclosure
ref:208
d.6/16/97