Federal Register
Thursday, December 2, 1976
Washington, D.C.
Volume 41, Number 233
Pages 52857-52975

[Docket No. IP76-12; Notice 1]

SEBRING VANGUARD, INC.

Petition for Exemption From Notice and Recall for Inconsequential Noncompliance

Sebring Vanguard, Inc. from its national sales office at Columbia, Maryland, has petitioned to be exempted from the notification and remedy requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.) for an apparent noncompliance with 49 CFR 571.208, Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, Occupant Crash Protection, on the basis that it is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety.

Standard No. 208 requires seat belt assemblies to adjust by means of an emergency-locking or automatic-locking retractor. Petitioner has reported that it manufactured 1,576 CitiCar passenger cars between January 24, 1975, and August 7, 1976, with seat belt assemblies lacking the required retractors. In support of its petition Sebring Vanguard cites “the small number of vehicles in use by the public” and the adverse financial impact upon the company that a notification and remedy campaign would entail. Conforming assemblies, however, are available and will be used in future production. Finally, the company believes that it is making a contribution to the development of a practical alternative to the internal combustion engine by marketing its electric vehicle.

This notice of receipt of a petition is published under section 157 of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 1417) and does not represent any agency decision or other exercise of judgment concerning the merits of the petition.

Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views and arguments on the petition of Sebring Vanguard, Inc., described above. Comments should refer to the docket number and be submitted to: Docket Section, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Room 5108, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, D.C. 20590. It is requested but not required that five copies be submitted.

All comments received before the close of business on the comment closing date indicated below will be considered. The application and supporting materials, and all comments received after the closing date will also be filed and will be considered to the extent possible. When the petition is granted or denied, notice will be published in the Federal Register pursuant to the authority indicated below.

Comment closing date: January 3,1977.

(Sec. 102, Pub. L. 93-492, 88 Stat. 1470 (15 U.S.C. 1417); delegations of authority at 49 CFR 1.50 and 49 CFR 501.8.)

Issued on November 24,1976.

Robert L. Carter,
Associate Administrator,
Motor Vehicle Programs.

[FR Doc.73-35233 Filed 12-l-76;8:45 am]