§571.208. Standard No. 208; Occupant crash protection. — Inbound Citations

(ii) The employer must not operate, or allow any other person to operate, any employer-provided transportation that is required by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, including 49 CFR 571.208, to be manufactured with seat belts, unless all passengers and the driver are properly restrained by seat belts meeting standards established by the U.S. Department of Transportation, including 49 CFR 571.209 and 571.210.

(2) Every bus manufactured on or after July 1, 1971, must conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208 1 (§ 571.208) (relating to installation of seat belt assemblies) and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 210 1 (§ 571.210) (relating to installation of seat belt assembly anchorages).

This subpart establishes procedures for the submission and disposition of petitions filed by interested parties to initiate rulemaking to add a test procedure to 49 CFR 571.208, S28.

(c) Standard No. 208 means 49 CFR 571.208.

(a) Each vehicle subject to the requirements of S5, S14.5, S15, or S17 of 49 CFR 571.208, Occupant crash protection, must comply with the requirements in subpart (c) of this section when tested according to S8, S16, and S18 of 49 CFR 571.208.

(a) This section applies to passenger cars, trucks, multipurpose passenger vehicles, and buses manufactured on or after September 1, 2010. However, paragraph (b) of this section does not apply to trucks and multipurpose passenger vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 lbs, school buses, police vehicles as defined in S7 of Standard No. 208 (49 CFR 571.208), firefighting vehicles, ambulances, or motor homes. To determine the number of passenger seating positions in school buses, see S4.1 of Standard No. 222 (49 CFR 571.222).

(b) No other control, telltale, indicator, identifier or source of illumination appears between the identifier and the telltale, indicator, or control that the identifier identifies.

Common space means an area on which more than one telltale, indicator, identifier, or other message may be displayed, but not simultaneously.

Control means the hand-operated part of a device that enables the driver to change the state or functioning of the vehicle or a vehicle subsystem.

Indicator means a device that shows the magnitude of the physical characteristics that the instrument is designed to sense.

Identifier means a symbol, word, or words used to identify a control, telltale, or indicator.

Multi-function control means a control through which the driver may select, and affect the operation of, more than one vehicle function.

Multi-task display means a display on which more than one message can be shown simultaneously.

Telltale means an optical signal that, when illuminated, indicates the actuation of a device, a correct or improper functioning or condition, or a failure to function.

S5. Requirements. Each passenger car, multipurpose passenger vehicle, truck and bus that is fitted with a control, a telltale or an indicator listed in Table 1 or Table 2 must meet the requirements of this standard for the location, identification, color, and illumination of that control, telltale or indicator. However, the requirements for telltales and indicators do not apply to vehicles with GVWRs of 4,536 kg or greater if these specified vehicles are manufactured before September 1, 2013.

S5.1 Location

S5.1.1 The controls listed in Table 1 and in Table 2 must be located so they are operable by the driver under the conditions of S5.6.2.

S5.1.2 The telltales and indicators listed in Table 1 and Table 2 and their identification must be located so that, when activated, they are visible to a driver under the conditions of S5.6.1 and S5.6.2.

S5.1.3 Except as provided in S5.1.4, the identification for controls, telltales and indicators must be placed on or adjacent to the telltale, indicator or control that it identifies.

S5.1.4 The requirement of S5.1.3 does not apply to a multi-function control, provided the multi-function control is associated with a multi-task display that:

(b) A vehicle body or frame component, including trim, that incorporates an upper seat belt anchorage conforming to the requirements of S4.2.1 and S4.3.2 of 49 CFR 571.210, that is located forward of the rearmost outboard designated seating position, and that extends above a horizontal plane 460 mm above the SgRP of that seating position located rearward of the anchorage.

(1) Except as provided in S4.2.1(b)(2) of this section, when measured in accordance with S5.2.1(b)(1) of this section, the top of a head restraint located in an outboard designated seating position must have a height not less than 750 mm in any position of adjustment.

(2) The requirements of S4.2.1(b)(1) do not apply if the interior surface of the vehicle at the roofline or the interior surface of the backlight physically prevent a head restraint, located in the rear outboard designated seating position, from attaining the required height. In those instances in which this head restraint cannot attain the required height, when measured in accordance with S5.2.1(b)(2), the maximum vertical distance between the top of the head restraint and the interior surface of the vehicle at the roofline or the interior surface of the backlight must not exceed 50 mm for convertibles and 25 mm for all other vehicles.

S4.2.2 Width. When measured in accordance with S5.2.2 of this section, 65 ±3 mm below the top of the head restraint, the lateral width of a head restraint must be not less than 170 mm, except the lateral width of the head restraint for front outboard designated seating positions in a vehicle with a front center designated seating position, must be not less than 254 mm.

S4.2.3 Front Outboard Designated Seating Position Backset. When measured in accordance with S5.2.3 of this section, the backset must not be more than 55 mm, when the seat is adjusted in accordance with S5.1. For adjustable restraints, the requirements of this section must be met with the top of the head restraint in any height position of adjustment between 750 mm and 800 mm, inclusive. If the top of the head restraint, in its lowest position of adjustment, is above 800 mm, the requirements of this section must be met at that position. If the head restraint position is independent of the seat back inclination position, the head restraint must not be adjusted such that backset is more than 55 mm when the seat back inclination is positioned closer to vertical than the position specified in S5.1.

S4.2.4 Gaps.

All head restraints must meet limits for gaps in the head restraint specified in S4.2.4.1. For gaps between the seat and head restraint, adjustable head restraints must meet either the limits specified in S4.2.4.1 or S4.2.4.2.

S4.2.4.1 Gaps within the head restraint and between the head restraint and seat using a 165 mm sphere. When measured in accordance with S5.2.4.1 of this section using the head form specified in that paragraph, there must not be any gap greater than 60 mm within or between the anterior surface of the head restraint and anterior surface of the seat, with the head restraint adjusted to its lowest height position and any backset position, except as allowed by S4.4.

S4.2.4.2 Gaps between the head restraint and seat using a 25 mm cylinder. The following option is only available to head restraints that can move with respect to the seat. When measured in accordance with S5.2.4.2 of this section using the 25 mm cylinder specified in that paragraph, there must not be any gap greater than 25 mm between the anterior surface of the head restraint and anterior surface of the seat, with the head restraint adjusted to its lowest height position and any backset position, except as allowed by S4.4.

S4.2.5 Energy absorption. When the anterior surface of the head restraint is impacted in accordance with S5.2.5 of this section by the head form specified in that paragraph at any velocity up to and including 24.1 km/h, the deceleration of the head form must not exceed 785 m/s 2 (80 g) continuously for more than 3 milliseconds.

S4.2.6 Height retention. When tested in accordance with S5.2.6 of this section, the cylindrical test device specified in S5.2.6(b) must return to within 13 mm of its initial reference position after application of at least a 500 N load and subsequent reduction of the load to 50 N ±1 N. During application of the initial 50 N reference load, as specified in S5.2.6(b)(2) of this section, the cylindrical test device must not move downward more than 25 mm.

S4.2.7 Backset retention, displacement, and strength.

S1. Purpose and scope. This standard specifies requirements for steering control systems that will minimize chest, neck, and facial injuries to the driver as a result of impact.

S1. Purpose and scope. This standard specifies requirements limiting the rearward displacement of the steering control into the passenger compartment to reduce the likelihood of chest, neck, or head injury.

(8) The difference between the measurements recorded under S7.1.1.5(c) (6) and (2) shall be 3 inches or more.

S7.1.1.6 Passenger seats, other than any outboard designated seating position not rearward of the driver's seating position, in buses with a GVWR of more than 11,793 kg (26,000 lb) manufactured on or after November 28, 2016. The lap belt of any seat belt assembly on any passenger seat in each bus with a GVWR of more than 11,793 kg (26,000 lb), except a perimeter-seating bus, prison bus, school bus, or transit bus, shall adjust by means of any emergency-locking retractor that conforms to 49 CFR 571.209 to fit persons whose dimensions range from those of a 50th percentile 6-year-old child to those of a 95th percentile adult male and the upper torso restraint shall adjust by means of an emergency-locking retractor that conforms to 49 CFR 571.209 to fit persons whose dimensions range from those of a 5th percentile adult female to those of a 95th percentile adult male, with the seat in any position, the seat back in the manufacturer's nominal design riding position, and any adjustable anchorages adjusted to the manufacturer's nominal design position for a 50th percentile adult male occupant.

S7.1.2 Except as provided in S7.1.2.1, S7.1.2.2, and S7.1.2.3, for each Type 2 seat belt assembly which is required by Standard No. 208 (49 CFR 571.208), the upper anchorage, or the lower anchorage nearest the intersection of the torso belt and the lap belt, shall include a movable component which has a minimum of two adjustment positions. The distance between the geometric center of the movable component at the two extreme adjustment positions shall be not less than five centimeters, measured linearly. If the component required by this paragraph must be manually moved between adjustment positions, information shall be provided in the owner's manual to explain how to adjust the seat belt and warn that misadjustment could reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash.

S7.1.2.1 As an alternative to meeting the requirement of S7.1.2, a Type 2 seat belt assembly shall provide a means of automatically moving the webbing in relation to either the upper anchorage, or the lower anchorage nearest the intersection of the torso belt and the lap belt. The distance between the midpoint of the webbing at the contact point of the webbing and the anchorage at the extreme adjustment positions shall be not less than five centimeters, measured linearly.

S7.1.2.2 The requirements of S7.1.2 do not apply the anchorages of a Type 2 seat belt assembly installed:

(1) Attachment hardware of a seat belt assembly after being subjected to the conditions specified in S5.2(a) shall be free of ferrous corrosion on significant surfaces except for permissible ferrous corrosion at peripheral edges or edges of holes on underfloor reinforcing plates and washers. Alternatively, such hardware at or near the floor shall be protected against corrosion by at least an electrodeposited coating of nickel, or copper and nickel with at least a service condition number of SC2, and other attachment hardware shall be protected by an electrodeposited coating of nickel, or copper and nickel with a service condition number of SC1, in accordance with ASTM B456-79 (incorporated by reference, see § 571.5), but such hardware shall not be racked for electroplating in locations subjected to maximum stress.

S1. Purpose and scope. This standard establishes requirements for seat belt assembly anchorages to insure their proper location for effective occupant restraint and to reduce the likelihood of their failure.

(b) Each child restraint system manufactured for use in motor vehicles shall meet the requirements in this section when, as specified, tested in accordance with S6.1 and this paragraph. Each add-on system shall meet the requirements at each of the restraint's seat back angle adjustment positions and restraint belt routing positions, when the restraint is oriented in the direction recommended by the manufacturer (e.g., forward, rearward or laterally) pursuant to S5.6, and tested with the test dummy specified in S7.

(1) Each child restraint system manufactured for use in motor vehicles shall meet the requirements in this section when, as specified, tested in accordance with S6.1 and this paragraph. Each add-on system shall meet the requirements at each of the restraint's seat back angle adjustment positions and restraint belt routing positions, when the restraint is oriented in the direction recommended by the manufacturer (e.g., forward, rearward or laterally) pursuant to S5.6, and tested with the test dummy specified in S7.

(2) Each add-on child restraint system manufactured for use in motor vehicles, that is recommended for children in a weight range that includes weights less than 18 kilograms (40 pounds) regardless of height, or for children in a height range that includes heights less than 1100 millimeters (mm) regardless of weight, shall meet the requirements in this standard and the applicable side impact protection requirements in Standard No. 213a (§ 571.213a).

(2) Vehicles that conform to the rollover test requirements (S5.3) of Standard No. 208 (§ 571.208) by means that require no action by vehicle occupants;

(1) S4.4.3.2 of Standard No. 208 (49 CFR 571.208);

(b) Except as specified in S7.1.1, a multipurpose passenger vehicle, truck, or bus with a GVWR of 4,536 kg or less is loaded to its unloaded vehicle weight, plus the necessary test dummies as specified in S6, plus 136 kg or its rated cargo and luggage capacity weight, whichever is less, secured in the load carrying area and distributed as nearly as possible in proportion to its GAWR. For the purpose of this standard, unloaded vehicle weight does not include the weight of work-performing accessories. Each dummy is restrained only by means that are installed in the vehicle for protection at its seating position.

(c) A schoolbus with a GVWR greater than 10,000 pounds, whose fuel system is filled as specified in S7.1.1 and S7.1.2, is loaded to its unloaded vehicle weight, plus 54.4 kg. (120 lb.) of unsecured weight at each designated seating position.

S7.1.7 The ambient temperature is not to vary more than 5.6 °C (10 °F) during the course of the test.

S7.1.8 The pressure drop measurement specified in S5.2 is to be made using a location on the high pressure side of the fuel system in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation.

S7.2 Lateral moving barrier crash test conditions. The lateral moving barrier crash test conditions are those specified in S8.2 of Standard No. 208, 49 CFR 571.208.

S7.3 Rear moving barrier test conditions. The rear moving barrier test conditions are those specified in S8.2 of Standard No. 208, 49 CFR 571.208, except for the positioning of the barrier and the vehicle. The barrier and test vehicle are positioned so that at impact—

(29) ASTM E8-89, “Standard Test Methods of Tension Testing of Metallic Materials,” approved May 15, 1989, into § 571.221.

(c) The structural properties of the dummy are such that the dummy must conform to Subpart S in every respect and Subpart N as applicable, before use in any test similar to those specified in Standard 208, “Occupant Crash Protection” (49 CFR 571.208), and Standard 213, “Child Restraint Systems” (49 CFR 571.213).

(e) The structural properties of the dummy are such that the dummy conforms to this part in every respect both before and after being used in vehicle test specified in Standard No. 208 of this chapter (§ 571.208).

(2) Seat the dummy without back and arm supports on a surface as shown in Figure 23, and set the angle of the pelvic bone at 13 degrees plus or minus 2 degrees, using the procedure described in S11.4.3.2 of Standard No. 208 (§ 571.208 of this chapter).

(ii) When the rollover warning label required by paragraph (d)(1)(i) of this section and the air bag warning label required by paragraph S4.5.1(b) of 49 CFR 571.208 are affixed to the same side of the driver side sun visor, either:

(A) The rollover warning label must be affixed to the right (as viewed from the driver's seat) of the air bag warning label and the labels may not be contiguous; or

(B) The pictogram of the air bag warning label must be separated from the pictograms of the rollover warning label by text, and

(1) The labels must be located such that the shortest distance from any of the lettering or graphics on the rollover warning label to any of the lettering or graphics on the air bag warning label is not less than 3 cm, or

(2) If the rollover warning and air bag warning labels are each completely surrounded by a continuous solid-lined border, the shortest distance from the border of the rollover warning label to the border of the air bag warning label is not less than 1 cm.

This part establishes requirements for manufacturers of passenger cars, and of trucks, buses and multipurpose passenger vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 3,856 kilograms (kg) (8,500 pounds (lb)) or less, to submit a report, and maintain records related to the report, concerning the number of such vehicles that are certified as complying with S19, S21, and S23 of FMVSS No. 208 (49 CFR 571.208) when using the child restraint systems specified in Appendix A-1 of this standard.

At any time during the production year ending August 31, 2026, each manufacturer shall, upon request from the Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance, provide information identifying the vehicles (by make, model and vehicle identification number) that have been certified as complying with the requirements of Standard No. 208 when using the child restraint systems specified in appendix A-1 of that standard (49 CFR 571.208). The manufacturer's designation of a vehicle as a certified vehicle is irrevocable.

(a) Within 60 days after the end of the production year ending August 31, 2026, each manufacturer shall submit a report to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration concerning its compliance with requirements of Standard No. 208 when using the child restraint systems specified in appendix A-1 of that standard (49 CFR 571.208) for its vehicles produced in that year. Each report shall provide the information specified in paragraph (b) of this section and in § 585.2.

(i) The on-off switch shall be separate from the ignition switch for the vehicle, so that the driver must take some action other than inserting the ignition key or turning the ignition key in the ignition switch to turn off the air bag. Once turned off, the air bag shall remain off until it is turned back on by means of the device. If a single on-off switch is installed for both air bags, the on-off switch shall allow each air bag to be turned off without turning off the other air bag. The readiness indicator required by S4.5.2 of § 571.208 of this chapter shall continue to monitor the readiness of the air bags even when one or both air bags has been turned off. The readiness indicator light shall not be illuminated solely because an air bag has been deactivated by means of an on-off switch.

(14) S4.1.5.1(a)(1), S4.1.5.1(a)(3), S4.2.6.2, S5, S7.1, S7.2, S7.4, S14, S15, S16, S17, S18, S19, S20, S21, S22, S23, S24, S25, S26 and S27 of 49 CFR 571.208 for the designated seating position modified, provided Type 2 or Type 2A seat belts meeting the requirements of 49 CFR 571.209 and 571.210 are installed at that position.

(1) 49 CFR 571.208, in the case of the disablement of a knee bolster air bag to allow the installation of hand controls.

(b) Notwithstanding any language to the contrary, any vehicle manufactured after March 19, 1997, and before September 1, 2006, that is subject to a dynamic crash test requirement conducted with unbelted dummies may meet the requirements specified in S5.1.2(a)(1), S5.1.2(a)(2), or S13 instead of the applicable unbelted requirement, unless the vehicle is certified to meet the requirements specified in S14.5, S15, S17, S19, S21, S23, and S25.

(b) Notwithstanding any language to the contrary, any vehicle manufactured after March 19, 1997, and before September 1, 2006, that is subject to a dynamic crash test requirement conducted with unbelted dummies may meet the requirements specified in S5.1.2(a)(1), S5.1.2(a)(2), or S13 instead of the applicable unbelted requirement, unless the vehicle is certified to meet the requirements specified in S14.5, S15, S17, S19, S21, S23, and S25.

(b) Notwithstanding any language to the contrary, any vehicle manufactured after March 19, 1997, and before September 1, 2006, that is subject to a dynamic crash test requirement conducted with unbelted dummies may meet the requirements specified in S5.1.2(a)(1), S5.1.2(a)(2), or S13 instead of the applicable unbelted requirement, unless the vehicle is certified to meet the requirements specified in S14.5, S15, S17, S19, S21, S23, and S25.