(a) Every manufacturer or importer of new passenger vehicles for sale or lease in this state, shall affix to a window or the windshield of the vehicle a notice with either of the following statements, whichever is appropriate:
(1) “This vehicle is equipped with bumpers that can withstand an impact of 2.5 miles per hour with no damage to the vehicle’s body and safety systems, although the bumper and related components may sustain damage. The bumper system on this vehicle conforms to the current federal bumper standard of 2.5 miles per hour. ”
(2) “This vehicle is equipped with a front bumper of a type that has been tested at an impact speed of (here specify the appropriate number) miles per hour, and a rear bumper of a type that has been tested at an impact speed of (here specify the appropriate number) miles per hour, resulting in no damage to the vehicle’s body and safety systems and minimal damage to the bumper and attachment hardware. ‛Minimal damage to the bumper’ means minor cosmetic damage that can be repaired with the use of common repair materials and without replacing any parts. The stronger the bumper, the less likely the vehicle will require repair after a low-speed collision. This vehicle exceeds the current federal bumper standard of 2.5 miles per hour.”
(b) The impact speed required to be specified in the notice pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) is the maximum speed of impact upon the bumper of the vehicle at which the vehicle sustains no damage to the body and safety systems and only minimal damage to the bumper when subjected to the fixed barrier and pendulum impact tests, and when subjected to the corner impact test at not less than 60 percent of that maximum speed, conducted pursuant to Part 581 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(c) (1) A manufacturer who willfully fails to affix the notice required by subdivision (a), or willfully misstates any information in the notice, is guilty of a misdemeanor, which shall be punishable by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500). Each failure or misstatement is a separate offense.
(2) A person who willfully defaces, alters, or removes the notice required by subdivision (a) prior to the delivery of the vehicle, to which the notice is required to be affixed, to the registered owner or lessee is guilty of a misdemeanor, which shall be punishable by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500). Each willful defacement, alteration, or removal is a separate offense.
(d) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1) “Manufacturer” is any person engaged in the manufacture or assembly of new passenger vehicles for distribution or sale, and includes an importer of new passenger vehicles for distribution or sale and any person who acts for, or is under the control of, a manufacturer in connection with the distribution or sale of new passenger vehicles.
(2) “Passenger vehicle” means, notwithstanding Section 465, a motor vehicle subject to impact testing conducted pursuant to Part 581 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(3) “No damage” means that, when a passenger vehicle is subjected to impact testing, conducted pursuant to the conditions and test procedures of Sections 581.6 and 581.7 of Part 581 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the vehicle sustains no damage to the body and safety systems.
(4) For purposes of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) and subdivision (b), “minimal damage to the bumper and attachment hardware” means damage that can be repaired with the use of common repair materials and without replacing any parts. In addition, not later than 30 minutes after completion of each pendulum or barrier impact test, the bumper face bar shall have no permanent deviation greater than three-quarters of one inch from its original contour and position relative to the vehicle frame and no permanent deviation greater than three-eighths of one inch from its original contour on areas of contact with the barrier face or impact ridge of the pendulum test device, measured from a straight line connecting the bumper contours adjoining the contact area.
(e) The notice required by this section may be included in any notice or label required by federal law to be affixed to a window or windshield of the vehicle.
(Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 538, Sec. 662. Effective January 1, 2007.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018