Vantage Mobility International Settlement
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$65,000 in Fines Paid by Vantage Mobility International
Vantage Mobility International (VMI) settled with the Air Resources Board for violations to the California Health and Safety Code (H&SC) and Vehicle Code (VC) involving the California sale of uncertified conversion vans. VMI converts vans to appropriate configurations for handicap people offering them the freedom of personal transportation. Between 1996 and 2002, VMI offered for sale and sold 1,515 uncertified converted Daimler Chrysler and Ford vans with VMI conversion kits in California. Such modifications included relocating and replacing the OEM fuel tank with VMI fuel tank, removing OEM emission control components and reinstalling them with modifications, and relocating the carbon canisters and extending fuel and vapor hoses. VMI performed these modifications without possessing an Executive Order issued by ARB exempting said modifications from the prohibitions of VC 27156. In mitigation efforts, VMI applied for and received a VC 27156 exemption from ARB and recalled the affected vans. VMI went to great lengths over a period of two years to recall as many of the affected vehicles as possible and performed corrective actions to configure the vans into an authorized California configuration. The retrofit campaign enabled the owners to keep their specialized vehicles. In addition, VMI has agreed to pay $65,000 to the Air Pollution Control Fund in settlement of this case.