What is FMVSS 302 testing and why am I being asked to do it?
Officially known as 49 CFR 571.302, The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 302 for Flammability of Interior Materials – Passenger Cars, Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles, Trucks, and Buses is one of the most common automotive materials tests. Founded as a Federal Standard in 1972, it is identical to the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 302 and will occasionally be called out on a specification or part print simply as MVSS 302. FMVSS 302 is a general safety measure which seeks to reduce the likelihood of injury or death that may result from a vehicle fire. This test, as written, involves burning two or more samples of a 356mm x 102mm x thickness (13mm maximum) plaque or section of material and measuring the burn rate in millimeters per minute (mm/min). Ignition is at one end of the sample by exposing it to a Bunsen burner flame for 15 seconds. The burn rate dictates conforming or non-conforming material and a maximum burn rate of 102mm/min is allowed by FMVSS 302,
