The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's statute at 49 U.S.C. 30118, Notification of Defects and Noncompliance, and 49 U.S.C. 30120, Remedies for Defects and Noncompliance, generally requires manufacturers of motor vehicles and items of replacement equipment to conduct a notification and remedy campaign (recall) when their products are determined to contain a safety-related defect or a noncompliance with a Federal motor vehicle safety standard (FMVSS). Those sections require a manufacturer of motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment to notify distributors, dealers, and purchasers if any of the manufacturer's products are determined to either contain a safety-related defect or fail to comply with an applicable FMVSS. The manufacturer is under a concomitant obligation to remedy such defect or noncompliance. Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 30118(d) and 30120(h), Exemptions, a manufacturer may seek an exemption from these notification and remedy requirements on the basis that the defect or noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety. NHTSA exercised this statutory authority to excuse inconsequential defects or noncompliances when it promulgated 49 CFR part 556, Exemption for Inconsequential Defect or Noncompliance. This regulation establishes the procedures for manufacturers to submit exemption petitions to the agency and the procedures the agency will use in evaluating those petitions. Part 556 allows the agency to ensure that inconsequentiality petitions are both properly substantiated and efficiently processed.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.