§ 86.1845-04 Manufacturer in-use verification testing requirements.
(a) General requirements. (1) Manufacturers of LDV, LDT, MDPV and complete HDV must test, or cause to have tested, a specified number of vehicles. Such testing must be conducted in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(2) Unless otherwise approved by the Administrator, no emission measurements made under the requirements of this section may be adjusted by Reactivity Adjustment Factors (RAFs).
(3) The following provisions apply regarding the possibility of residual effects from varying fuel sulfur levels:
(i) Vehicles certified to Tier 3 standards under § 86.1811 must always measure emissions over the FTP, then over the HFET (if applicable), then over the US06 portion of the SFTP. If a Tier 3 vehicle meets all the applicable emission standards except the FTP or HFET emission standard for NMOG + NOX, and a fuel sample from the tested vehicle (representing the as-received condition) has a measured fuel sulfur level exceeding 15 ppm when measured as described in 40 CFR 1065.710, the manufacturer may repeat the FTP and HFET measurements and use the new emission values as the official results for that vehicle. For all other cases of testing Tier 3 vehicles, measured emission levels from the first test will be considered the official results for the test vehicle, regardless of any test results from additional test runs. Where repeat testing is allowed, the vehicle may operate for up to two US06 cycles (with or without measurement) before repeating the FTP and HFET measurements. The repeat measurements must include both FTP and HFET, even if the vehicle failed only one of those tests, unless the HFET is not required for a particular vehicle. Tier 3 vehicles may not undergo any other vehicle preconditioning to eliminate fuel sulfur effects on the emission control system, unless we approve it in advance.
(ii) Upon a manufacturer's written request, prior to in-use testing, that presents information to EPA regarding pre-conditioning procedures designed solely to remove the effects of high sulfur in gasoline from vehicles produced through the 2007 model year, EPA will consider allowing such procedures on a case-by-case basis. EPA's decision will apply to manufacturer in-use testing conducted under this section and to any in-use testing conducted by EPA. Such procedures are not available for complete HDV. For model year 2007 and later Tier 2 vehicles, this provision can be used only in American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and then only if low sulfur gasoline is determined by the Administrator to be unavailable in that specific location.
(b) Low-mileage testing—(1) Test groups. Testing must be conducted for each test group.
(2) Vehicle mileage. All test vehicles must have a minimum odometer mileage of 10,000 miles.
(3) Number of test vehicles. For each test group, the minimum number of vehicles that must be tested is specified in Table S04–06 and Table S04–07 of this paragraph (b)(3). After testing the minimum number of vehicles of a specific test group as specified in Table S04–06 or S04–07 of this paragraph (b)(3), a manufacturer may test additional vehicles upon request and approval by the Agency prior to the initiation of the additional testing. Any additional testing must be completed within the testing completion requirements shown in § 86.1845–04(b)(4). The request and Agency approval (if any) shall apply to test groups on a case by case basis and apply only to testing under this paragraph. Separate approval will be required to test additional vehicles under paragraph (c) of this section. In addition to any testing that is required under Table S04–06 and Table S04–07, a manufacturer shall test one vehicle from each evaporative/refueling family for evaporative/refueling emissions. If a manufacturer believes it is unable to procure the test vehicles necessary to test the required number of vehicles in a test group, the manufacturer may request, subject to Administrator approval, a decreased sample size for that test group. The request shall include a description of the methods the manufacturer has used to procure the required number of vehicles. The approval of any such request, and the substitution of an alternative sample size requirement for the test group, will be based on a review of the procurement efforts made by the manufacturer to determine if all reasonable steps have been taken to procure the required test group size. Tables S04–06 and S04–07 follow: