DW_Gray
Well-known member
UPDATE BELOW! 5/22/14
I discovered this apparently little known federal law: 49 CFR 567.7 - REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONS WHO ALTER CERTIFIED VEHICLES.
What do you make of this? I have few questions for NHTSA and will be calling them this week for answers.
§ 567.7 Requirements for persons who alter certified vehicles.
(a) With respect to the vehicle alterations it performs, an alterer:
(1) Has a duty to determine continued conformity of the altered vehicle with applicable Federal motor vehicle safety, Bumper, and Theft Prevention standards, and
(2) Assumes legal responsibility for all duties and liabilities for certification under the Vehicle Safety Act.
(b) The vehicle manufacturer's certification label and any information labels shall remain affixed to the vehicle and the alterer shall affix to the vehicle an additional label in the manner and location specified in § 567.4, in a manner that does not obscure any previously applied labels, and containing the following information:
(1) The statement: “This vehicle was altered by (individual or corporate name) in (month and year in which alterations were completed) and as altered it conforms to all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety, Bumper and Theft Prevention Standards affected by the alteration and in effect in (month, year).” The second date shall be no earlier than the date of manufacture of the certified vehicle (as specified on the certification label), and no later than the date alterations were completed.
(2) If the gross vehicle weight rating or any of the gross axle weight ratings of the vehicle as altered are different from those shown on the original certification label, the modified values shall be provided in the form specified in § 567.4(g)(3) and (4).
(3) If the vehicle as altered has a different type classification from that shown on the original certification label, the type as modified shall be provided.
UPDATE! 5/22/14
I had a very good 19 minute conversation with John at NHTSA this morning. After doing additional research prior to talking to John, I kind-of knew what the answer was.
John confirmed that 49 CFR 567.7 – Requirements for Person Who Alter Certified Vehicles DOES NOT apply to the consumer or individual vehicle owner.
The law basically applies only to the manufacturer or an authorized vehicle "alterer" who must comply with very strict guidelines.
Legal definition: “Alterer means a person who alters by addition, substitution, or removal of components (other than readily attachable components) a certified vehicle before the first purchase of the vehicle other than for resale.”
As most of us have stated all along, we, the consumers, cannot do anything that would alter the federally mandated Certification Label on our vehicles and has now been confirmed by a representative of NHTSA.
John and I discussed the fact that vehicle owners do modify vehicles and there is no prohibition to do so. He also noted that there is no prevision for NHTSA to enforce compliance on consumers. But he did emphasize that those changes will not realize a legally binding rating change. He went on to say that consumers automatically assume legal responsibility for all modifications made to a vehicle and they must endure the risk.
I’ll be writing up a new article for FWS discussing this in full in the near future.
I discovered this apparently little known federal law: 49 CFR 567.7 - REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONS WHO ALTER CERTIFIED VEHICLES.
What do you make of this? I have few questions for NHTSA and will be calling them this week for answers.
§ 567.7 Requirements for persons who alter certified vehicles.
(a) With respect to the vehicle alterations it performs, an alterer:
(1) Has a duty to determine continued conformity of the altered vehicle with applicable Federal motor vehicle safety, Bumper, and Theft Prevention standards, and
(2) Assumes legal responsibility for all duties and liabilities for certification under the Vehicle Safety Act.
(b) The vehicle manufacturer's certification label and any information labels shall remain affixed to the vehicle and the alterer shall affix to the vehicle an additional label in the manner and location specified in § 567.4, in a manner that does not obscure any previously applied labels, and containing the following information:
(1) The statement: “This vehicle was altered by (individual or corporate name) in (month and year in which alterations were completed) and as altered it conforms to all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety, Bumper and Theft Prevention Standards affected by the alteration and in effect in (month, year).” The second date shall be no earlier than the date of manufacture of the certified vehicle (as specified on the certification label), and no later than the date alterations were completed.
(2) If the gross vehicle weight rating or any of the gross axle weight ratings of the vehicle as altered are different from those shown on the original certification label, the modified values shall be provided in the form specified in § 567.4(g)(3) and (4).
(3) If the vehicle as altered has a different type classification from that shown on the original certification label, the type as modified shall be provided.
UPDATE! 5/22/14
I had a very good 19 minute conversation with John at NHTSA this morning. After doing additional research prior to talking to John, I kind-of knew what the answer was.
John confirmed that 49 CFR 567.7 – Requirements for Person Who Alter Certified Vehicles DOES NOT apply to the consumer or individual vehicle owner.
The law basically applies only to the manufacturer or an authorized vehicle "alterer" who must comply with very strict guidelines.
Legal definition: “Alterer means a person who alters by addition, substitution, or removal of components (other than readily attachable components) a certified vehicle before the first purchase of the vehicle other than for resale.”
As most of us have stated all along, we, the consumers, cannot do anything that would alter the federally mandated Certification Label on our vehicles and has now been confirmed by a representative of NHTSA.
John and I discussed the fact that vehicle owners do modify vehicles and there is no prohibition to do so. He also noted that there is no prevision for NHTSA to enforce compliance on consumers. But he did emphasize that those changes will not realize a legally binding rating change. He went on to say that consumers automatically assume legal responsibility for all modifications made to a vehicle and they must endure the risk.
I’ll be writing up a new article for FWS discussing this in full in the near future.
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