[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 6]
[Revised as of October 1, 2006]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR571.102]

[Page 220]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
                   CHAPTER V--NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC
                    SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT
                            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: 1. At 70 FR 38051, July 1, 2005, Sec.  571.102 
was revised, effective Dec. 28, 2005. At 70 FR 75961, Dec. 22, 2005, the 
effective date was delayed until Sept. 1, 2007. For the convenience of 
the user, the revised text is set forth as follows:


[Page 220-221]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
                   CHAPTER V--NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC
                    SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT
                            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 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.

[[Page 221]]

    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 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.
    2. At 70 FR 75965, Dec. 22, 2005, Sec.  571.102 was amended by 
revising in S3.1.3.2, the introductory text and paragraph (a), effective 
Sept. 1, 2007. For the convenience of the user, the revised text is set 
forth as follows:


[Page 221]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
                   CHAPTER V--NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC
                    SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT
                            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 position sequence, 
          starter interlock, and transmission braking effect.

                                * * * * *

    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 the vehicle can meet the requirements specified in paragraphs (a) and 
(b):
    (a) For passenger cars, multi-purpose passenger vehicles, trucks and 
buses with a GVWR less than or equal to 4,536 kg (10,000 pounds), 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. For passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks 
and buses with a GVWR greater than 4,536 kg (10,000 pounds), the 
vehicle's propulsion system can propel the vehicle in the normal travel 
mode in Reverse and at least one forward drive gear without the engine 
operating.

                                * * * * *