49 USC 32302 - Passenger Motor Vehicle Information

(a) Information Program.—The Secretary of Transportation shall maintain a program for developing the following information on passenger motor vehicles:

(1) damage susceptibility.

(2) crashworthiness, crash avoidance, and any other areas the Secretary determines will improve the safety of passenger motor vehicles.

(3) the degree of difficulty of diagnosis and repair of damage to, or failure of, mechanical and electrical systems.

(b) Motor Vehicle Information.—To assist a consumer in buying a passenger motor vehicle, the Secretary shall provide to the public information developed under subsection (a) of this section. The information shall be in a simple and understandable form that allows comparison of the characteristics referred to in subsection (a)(1)–(3) of this section among the makes and models of passenger motor vehicles. The Secretary may require passenger motor vehicle dealers to distribute the information to prospective buyers. The Secretary, after providing an opportunity for public comment, shall study and report to Congress the most useful data, format, and method for providing simple and understandable damage susceptibility information to consumers.

[(c) Repealed. Pub. L. 112–252, §1, Jan. 10, 2013, 126 Stat. 2406.]

(d) Motor Vehicle Defect Reporting Information.—

(1) Rulemaking required.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Motor Vehicle and Highway Safety Improvement Act of 2012, the Secretary shall prescribe regulations that require passenger motor vehicle manufacturers—

(A) to affix, in the glove compartment or in another readily accessible location on the vehicle, a sticker, decal, or other device that provides, in simple and understandable language, information about how to submit a safety-related motor vehicle defect complaint to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration;

(B) to prominently print the information described in subparagraph (A) within the owner's manual; and

(C) to not place such information on the label required under section 3 of the Automobile Information Disclosure Act (15 U.S.C. 1232).

(2) Application.—The requirements under paragraph (1) shall apply to passenger motor vehicles manufactured in any model year beginning more than 1 year after the date on which a final rule is published under paragraph (1).

(Pub. L. 103–272, §1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1035; Pub. L. 112–141, div. C, title I, §§31305(b), 31306, July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 765; Pub. L. 112–252, §§1, 2(a), Jan. 10, 2013, 126 Stat. 2406.)

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised Section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
32302(a)	15:1941(c) (19th–60th words).	Oct. 20, 1972, Pub. L. 92–513, §201(c), (e), 86 Stat. 956.
	15:1941(d) (1st–13th words).	Oct. 20, 1972, Pub. L. 92–513, §201(d), 86 Stat. 956; July 14, 1976, Pub. L. 94–364, §201, 90 Stat. 981.
32302(b)	15:1941(c) (1st–18th and 61st–last words), (d) (14th–last words).
32302(c)	15:1941(e).

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Last modified: October 26, 2015