[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 49, Volume 6]

[Revised as of October 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 49CFR571.102]



[Page 228-229]

 

                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION

 

                            OF TRANSPORTATION

 

PART 571_FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS--Table of Contents

 

            Subpart B_Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards

 

Sec. 571.102  Standard No. 102; Transmission shift lever sequence, 

starter interlock, and transmission braking effect.



    S1. Purpose and scope. This standard specifies the requirements for 

the transmission shift lever sequence, a starter interlock, and for a 

braking effect of automatic transmissions, to reduce the likelihood of 

shifting errors, starter engagement with vehicle in drive position, and 

to provide supplemental braking at speeds below 40 kilometers per hour.

    S2. Application. This standard applies to passenger cars, 

multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, and buses.

    S3. Requirements.

    S3.1 Automatic transmissions.

    S3.1.1 Location of transmission shift lever positions on passenger 

cars. A neutral position shall be located between forward drive and 

reverse drive positions. If a steering-column-mounted transmission shift 

lever is used, movement from neutral position to forward drive position 

shall be clockwise. If the transmission shift lever sequence includes a 

park position, it shall be located at the end, adjacent to the reverse 

drive position.

    S3.1.2 Transmission braking effect. In vehicles having more than one 

forward transmission gear ratio, one forward drive position shall 

provide a greater degree of engine braking than the highest speed 

transmission ratio at vehicle speeds below 40 kilometers per hour.

    S3.1.3 Starter interlock. The engine starter shall be inoperative 

when the transmission shift lever is in a forward or reverse drive 

position.

    S3.1.4 Identification of shift lever positions.

    S3.1.4.1 Except as specified in S3.1.4.3, if the transmission shift 

lever sequence includes a park position, identification of shift lever 

positions, including the positions in relation to each other and the 

position selected, shall be displayed in view of the driver whenever any 

of the following conditions exist:

    (a) The ignition is in a position where the transmission can be 

shifted.

    (b) The transmission is not in park.

    S3.1.4.2 Except as specified in S3.1.4.3, if the transmission shift 

lever sequence does not include a park position, identification of shift 

lever positions, including the positions in relation to each other and 

the position selected, shall be displayed in view of the driver whenever 

the ignition is in a position in which the engine is capable of 

operation.

    S3.1.4.3 Such information need not be displayed when the ignition is 

in a position that is used only to start the vehicle.

    S3.1.4.4 Effective September 23, 1991, all of the information 

required to be displayed by S3.1.4.1 or S3.1.4.2 shall be displayed in 

view of the driver in a single location. At the option of the 

manufacturer, redundant displays providing some or all of the 

information may be provided.

    S3.2 Manual transmissions. Identification of the shift lever pattern 

of manual transmissions, except three forward speed manual transmissions 

having the standard ``H'' pattern, shall be displayed in view of the 

driver at all times when a driver is present in the driver's seating 

position.



[36 FR 22902, Dec. 2, 1971, as amended at 54 FR 29045, July 11, 1989; 56 

FR 12471, Mar. 26, 1991; 60 FR 13642, March 14, 1995]



    Effective Date Note: At 70 FR 38051, July 1, 2005, Sec. 571.102 was 

revised, effective Dec. 28, 2005. For the convenience of the user, the 

revised text is set forth as follows:



Sec. 571.102  Standard No. 102; Transmission shift position sequence, 

          starter interlock, and transmission braking effect.



    S1. Purpose and scope. This standard specifies the requirements for 

the transmission shift position sequence, a starter interlock, and for a 

braking effect of automatic transmissions, to reduce the likelihood of 

shifting errors, to prevent starter engagement by the driver when the 

transmission is in any drive position, and to provide supplemental 

braking at speeds below 40 kilometers per hour (25 miles per hour).

    S2. Application. This standard applies to passenger cars, multi-

purpose passenger vehicles, trucks, and buses.

    S3. Requirements.

    S3.1 Automatic transmissions.

    S3.1.1 Location of transmission shift positions on passenger cars. A 

neutral position shall be located between forward drive and reverse 

drive positions.

    S3.1.1.1 Transmission shift levers. If a steering-column-mounted 

transmission shift lever is used, movement from neutral position to 

forward drive position shall be clockwise. If the transmission shift 

lever sequence includes a park position, it shall be located



[[Page 229]]



at the end, adjacent to the reverse drive position.

    S3.1.2 Transmission braking effect. In vehicles having more than one 

forward transmission gear ratio, one forward drive position shall 

provide a greater degree of engine braking than the highest speed 

transmission ratio at vehicle speeds below 40 kilometers per hour (25 

miles per hour).

    S3.1.3 Starter interlock. Except as provided in S3.1.3.1 through 

S3.1.3.3, the engine starter shall be inoperative when the transmission 

shift position is in a forward or reverse drive position.

    S3.1.3.1 After the driver has activated the vehicle's propulsion 

system:

    (a) The engine may stop and restart automatically when the 

transmission shift position is in any forward drive gear;

    (b) The engine may not automatically stop when the transmission is 

in reverse gear; and

    (c) The engine may automatically restart in reverse gear only if the 

vehicle satisfies (1) and (2):

    (1) When the engine is automatically stopped in a forward drive 

shift position and the driver selects Reverse, the engine restarts 

immediately whenever the service brake is applied.

    (2) When the engine is automatically stopped in a forward drive 

shift position and the driver selects Reverse, the engine does not start 

automatically if the service brake is not applied.

    S3.1.3.2 Notwithstanding S3.1.3.1, the engine may stop and start at 

any time after the driver has activated the vehicle's propulsion system 

if:

    (a) The vehicle's propulsion system can propel the vehicle in the 

normal travel mode in all forward and reverse drive gears without the 

engine operating, and

    (b) If the engine automatically starts while the vehicle is 

traveling at a steady speed and steady accelerator control setting, the 

engine does not cause the vehicle to accelerate.

    S3.1.3.3 If the transmission shift position is in Park, 

automatically stopping or restarting the engine shall not take the 

transmission out of Park.

    S3.1.4 Identification of shift positions and of shift position 

sequence.

    S3.1.4.1 Except as specified in S3.1.4.3, if the transmission shift 

position sequence includes a park position, identification of shift 

positions, including the positions in relation to each other and the 

position selected, shall be displayed in view of the driver whenever any 

of the following conditions exist:

    (a) The ignition is in a position where the transmission can be 

shifted; or

    (b) The transmission is not in park.

    S3.1.4.2 Except as specified in S3.1.4.3, if the transmission shift 

position sequence does not include a park position, identification of 

shift positions, including the positions in relation to each other and 

the position selected, shall be displayed in view of the driver whenever 

the ignition is in a position in which the engine is capable of 

operation.

    S3.1.4.3 Such information need not be displayed when the ignition is 

in a position that is used only to start the vehicle.

    S3.1.4.4 All of the information required to be displayed by S3.1.4.1 

or S3.1.4.2 shall be displayed in view of the driver in a single 

location. At the option of the manufacturer, redundant displays 

providing some or all of the information may be provided.

    S3.2 Manual transmissions. Identification of the shift lever pattern 

of manual transmissions, except three forward speed manual transmissions 

having the standard ``H'' pattern, shall be displayed in view of the 

driver at all times when a driver is present in the driver's seating 

position.