Vehicle: 2008 B200Turbo Red + HID & 1999 ML320 Azure Blue + Class III Hitch
Location: Minnesota, US
Posts: 8
FMVSS vs CMVSS...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Tee
I think it might be fruitful for you to print off a copy of the CMVSS and compare it, line for line, with the FMVSS of your country. You could then send a copy of the CMVSS to the Homeland Security boys and make your case. Get your elected federal representative involved to speed things up.
The CMVSS was in large part based upon the FMVSS. There are some exceptions though; the CMVSS allows for E-Code headlamps (but the CDN B-Class has USDOT headlights), for example.
The worst-kept secret in M-B land is that the B-Class was designed for the US market in the first place, so perhaps a letter to Doctor Zee's technical gurus in Stuttgart/Bad Cannstatt would give you some joy.
Mike,
After lengthy discussions with MB-Canada, NHTSA, and a RI (JK Technologies), the only way to get a 2008+MY B-class in the states now is to go through a RI who will submit a petition to the US NHSTA for the vehicle under the NHTSA "VCP" option which is for import vehicles which do not have a US equivalent but their crash test results indicate that the vehicle complies or can be modified to comply with FMVSS.
I can not imagine that the B does not meet the required US FMVSS standards for its manufacture date. My B's manufacture date puts it the NHTSA VSA-80e catagory. If you are looking for a 2009MY then it would be NHTSA VSA-80f. The FMVSS numbers that a VSA-80e must meet are:
110 Tire Selection and Rims for Passanger Cars
118 Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems
138 Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems
201 Occupant Protection in Interior Impact
208 Occpant Crash Protection
213 Child Restraint Systems
214 Side Impact Protection
225 Child Restraing Anchorage Systems
401 Internal Trunk Release
Out of all of these the only one I'm concerned about is #138. Frontal airbag issues are discussed in #208 (80 pages long with lots of detail!). However, side airbags are discussed in #214.
For a 2009MY (VSA-80f) you will also need to satisfy FMVSS standards:
202a Head Restraint
206 Door Locks and Door Retention Components
There are even more differences for MY10-11! So, for those who are looking to wait I would say the task is NOT going to get any easier than NOW. 2008 B buyers have until August 31 to get their vehicles in the the VSA-80e catagory. After that it will be VSA-80f until August 31st of 2010.
I wonder what ever happened to Free Trade, it looks like your government is just putting up roadblocks. Maybe after your election things will change ( probably get harder ) or maybe MB will just start importing the B Class to the U.S.
I for one wish the B Class would make it into the U.S.A. The after market parts and performance industry in the U.S. is second to none and all of us in Canada will benefit from their involvement.
Unfortunately it looks like the US is going to wait until 2011 for their new B, and that means we'll probably miss out on the after market parts for our B.
Unfortunately it looks like the US is going to wait until 2011 for their new B, and that means we'll probably miss out on the after market parts for our B.
I'll second that emotion.
Looks like we will have to put all our European friends on our X-mas card list Or hope that they will share parts stores that will ship to Canada.
I've had things shipped from the UK, and when the shipping costs were tacked on $$$, I feel that those items must have been hand wrapped by the Queen herself. Derek
Everyone knows that the CDN B complies with all US laws....all that would be needed is a MPH speedometer (ours only have km/h) although you can make the digital speed readout and odometer read in miles even on CDN cars.
The car does have a TPMS, the airbags all comply.
The challenge is getting someone at Mercedes-Benz to write a letter saying so.
If MB doesn't import that model into the US, then it's almost impossible to make it happen.
It's for a reason. A while back CA-B200 saw a B with dealer plates and no VIN below the windshield.
That B will go back to Germany or be crunched when they're finished with it. It can't be sold anywhere. It's for dealer use only. It has no VIN.
For some unknown reason, MB are waiting for the next model B, before introducing it to the US market. Derek
FMVSS vs CMVSS... 
Or hope that they will share parts stores that will ship to Canada.
Derek
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