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Ragtops Get A Pass on New Fed Roof Rules

By Joe Benton
ConsumerAffairs.com

November 10, 2005

Rollovers • Cars that Pass National Rollover Standard May Still be Deadly • Feds Delay New Roof-Crush Rule til October • Report: NHTSA Seeks More Time for Roof-Crush Rule • Senators Seek Delay in New Roof Strength Safety Rules • Senators Question Roof Strength Safety Rules • Nader Protests Feds' Roof Crush Plan • Treacherous Treads Still Taking Lives • Ford Class Action Settlement Leaves Consumers in the Dust • Feds' Roof Crush Rule Inadequate, Critics Charge • New Study: Stronger SUV Roofs Save Lives • Ford Loses $82 Million Rollover Verdict Appeal • Feds Delay Roof Strength Rule Again • Ford Settles Explorer Rollover Lawsuits • Safety Crusaders Seek Action on Roof Crush Injuries • Roof Crush Summit Highlights Safety Shortcomings • Feds Ignore Roof Crush Conference • Feds Delay New Roof Strength Rule • GM to Offer Rollover Airbags, Ford to Strengthen Roofs • Safety Groups Want Earlier Stability Control Rule --- • More about Rollovers ...

Federal regulators have decided against applying new roof strength rules to convertibles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has no plans to hold convertibles to the same roof-crush requirements as vehicles with fixed roofs.

While the proposed overhaul of the roof strength standards will require more robust roof supports for most hardtop vehicles, those requirements will not be imposed on the makers of convertibles, the agency decided, since convertibles don't have roofs.

NHTSA also has decided against convertible-specific rollover rules, such as roll bars.

Several automakers have added rollover safety equipment to their convertibles. Volkswagen, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW, Volvo and Honda are on the list. Some of the automakers have also strengthened the A-pillars and windshield frames to withstand a rollover.

Roll bars come in two types, stationary roll bars and mechanically or electrically operated hoop-style roll bars that pop up when the system senses a potential rollover.

The roll bar systems are far from perfect but offer some modest protection in a nasty crash and are certainly better than nothing.

Nothing, however, is the choice of several automakers. The Toyota Solara, Chrysler Sebring, Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Corvette, Pontiac Solstice and Lexus SC 430 have no roll bar protection.

The Nissan 350Z and Mazda MX-5 Miata offer roll bar hoops, but they are what racers call "style-hoops" and are not engineered to provide protection in a rollover.

Convertibles with a retractable hardtop get the ragtop exemption from NHTSA as well. The list of retractable hardtop vehicles includes the Cadillac XLR; Mercedes-Benz CLK, SLK and SL; Volvo C70; and Pontiac G6 due early next year.

DaimlerChrysler’s Jeep Wrangler seems to be in a class by itself. The Wrangler carries a sports bar that is not designed or engineered as a protective device. Maybe it's for decoration. Or maybe it's just to hang your hat on.

While the new roof strength rule will not go into effect until 2010, the Wrangler as it is designed now is unlikely to pass the test.

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