Interpretation ID: 1985-04.33

TYPE: INTERPRETATION-NHTSA

DATE: 11/19/85

FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; Erika Z. Jones; NHTSA

TO: Mr. Karl-Heinz Faber -- Vice President, Mercedes-Benz of North America, Inc.

TITLE: FMVSS INTERPRETATION

TEXT:

Mr. Karl-Heinz Faber Vice President Mercedes-Benz of North America, Inc. One Mercedes Drive P.O. Box 350 Montvale, New Jersey 07645

Thank you for you letter of August 12, 1985, to Administrator Steed, telling us of your plans to identify Mercedes-Benz vehicles which are equipped with your Supplemental Restraint System. You stated that, beginning with model year 1986, you plan to use the vehicle identification number (VIN) plate location for this purpose. The attachments to your letter depict a VIN plate which indicates whether the vehicle is equipped with an air bag for the driver or for both front seating positions. As long as the requirements of Standard No. 115, Vehicle Identification Number--Basic Requirements, and Part 565, Vehicle Identification Number--Content Requirements, are met, we believe your plan to use the VIN plate location to identify an air-bag equipped car in this manner should be useful. We agree that it should enable service departments, dismantlers, or recyclers to quickly and easily note that a vehicle is equipped with an air bag. Sincerely, Original Signed By Erika Z. Jones Acting Chief Council