Interpretation ID: aiam2839
Chief
Lighting and Optic Laboratory
Fiat- SA-GVF
Sperimentazione-Comp. Gruppi
C. Agnelli 200
10135 Torino
Italy;
Dear Mr. Bertella: This responds to your letter of May 8, 1978, to Mr. Vinson of thi office concerning the version of SAE J567, *Bulb Sockets*, applicable as a subreferenced standard to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108.; The SAE standards which are specified in Standard No. 108 are cited b a number and letter to indicate the applicable version. These directly referenced SAE standards often subreference other SAE standards by inclusion of such terms as 'reference is made to SAE J* *' or 'reference SAE J* *' in which case, unless otherwise specified in Standard No. 108, the subreferenced standard is the version contained in the 1970 SAE Handbook (see paragraph S5.1 of Standard No. 108).; The subreferenced SAE standard closest in subject matter to J567 i J573d, *Lamp Bulbs and Sealed Units*', December 1968. By NHTSA interpretation J573 is not exclusive, and other bulb designs including tubular type bulbs are permitted which are not included in SAE J573. There is no subreferenced notation to SAE J567 contained in SAE J573d. Further, although the agency issued an interpretation in 1968 indicating that SAE Standard J575d, *Tests for Motor Vehicle Lighting Devices and Components*, August 1967, referenced J567, that statement was incorrect and J575d contains no such reference. Therefore SAE J567 is not a subreferenced standard in Standard No. 108. When an SAE Standard is not referenced or subreferenced by a Federal Standard, compliance with it is voluntary, and you may therefore use (or not use) SAE J567 or any version thereof as you choose, as long as the assembled lamp complies with Standard No. 108.; Sincerely, Joseph J. Levin, Jr., Chief Counsel