Interpretation ID: nht75-3.30

DATE: 06/06/75

FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; Richard B. Dyson; NHTSA

TO: Mr. John M. Burlake

TITLE: FMVSR INTERPRETATION

TEXT: This is in response to your letter of April 8, 1975, requesting information concerning the compliance of the seat belt assembly of a 1972 BMW sedan.

Manufacturers of motor vehicles are required by section 114 of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Pub. L. 89-563) to affix permanently to their vehicles a certification label that confirms each vehicle's compliance with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards. 49 CFR Parts 567 and 568 detail the procedure for satisfying the certification requirement. Manufacturers are not required to furnish the Department with a certification statement.

There are three motor vehicle safety standards that relate to the seat belt assembly. Depending upon the date of manufacture of the BMW in question, it should have been certified as complying with the standards that were in effect at that time.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Office of Defects Investigation maintains a log of reported defects in motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment. Therefore, if you wish to ascertain whether or not there have been similar reports of seat belt assembly defects in certain 1972 BMW models, I suggest you write to that office enclosing full information on the nature of the alleged defect and the vehicle model. You may also be interested in obtaining information pursuant to the procedure described in the enclosed Federal Register notice.