Will 383.95A put your truck out of service? Yes—100% of the time. Get the facts on enforcement frequency, what to do next, and how this violation compares.
Ranks #1,850 of 3,146 FMCSR codes by citation frequency • OOS rate of 100.0% is above the FMCSR-wide average of 33.3%.
Violating airbrake restriction
Direct answers grounded in TruckCodex inspection data
Yes, absolutely. Our inspection records show that every single citation for 383.95A results in an out-of-service (OOS) order. Across all 27 citations in our database, the OOS rate is 100%—far above the 31.4% national average for all FMCSR codes. When an inspector finds you violating airbrake restrictions, your truck stays parked until the violation is corrected.
First, do not operate the vehicle. Second, inspect your air brake system immediately—check for leaks, damaged lines, and functional brake components. Third, contact a certified mechanic to document and repair the specific defect. Fourth, request re-inspection once repairs are complete. Our data shows that 383.95A often co-occurs with tire defects (393.75A and 393.75B cited together in the same inspections) and equipment failures, so have the entire brake and safety system checked, not just the cited component.
Yes—extremely serious. With a 100% OOS rate, 383.95A is far more severe than most peer codes in the Driver Fitness category. Compare this to 391.41(a) (Physical qualification), which has a 16.2% OOS rate, or 391.41A-MCPC at 14.4%. The only codes matching this severity are 383.23A2 (CDL wrong class, 98.4% OOS) and 383.23A2-LCDLN (no valid CDL, 98.6% OOS). Air brake violations are treated as safety-critical stops.
Our 12-month trend shows highly variable enforcement. In 2025-05 and 2025-06, inspectors cited 3 and 2 violations respectively. In February and March 2026, citations spiked to 4 each month. Over the last 90 days, we recorded 8 citations total. This is a rare violation—383.95A ranks #1,838 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by volume—but when cited, it always results in an OOS order.
Illinois leads by far, with 6 citations and a 100% OOS rate over the last 180 days. Texas follows with 2 citations (both OOS). Iowa and North Carolina each have 1 citation, both resulting in OOS orders. If you operate in Illinois, the risk of this violation is highest—but the nationwide pattern is consistent: once cited, the truck stops.
You may file a DataQ challenge if you believe the inspection record contains factual errors—for example, if the inspector misidentified your vehicle or recorded the wrong violation code. However, if the air brake restriction is documented and confirmed, the citation will stand. DataQs challenges work best for documentation disputes, not for contesting the validity of a safety defect that an officer observed. Consult your company's safety or legal team before filing.
Our last 90 days of data show 383.95A frequently co-occurs with inoperable lamps (393.9, 2 shared inspections), tire defects (393.75A and 393.75B), and missing emergency equipment (393.95A for fire extinguishers, 393.95F for warning devices). One inspection paired 383.95A with operating without a valid medical certificate. This pattern suggests that airbrake violations often appear during sweeps that catch multiple equipment failures, so expect inspectors to scrutinize the entire truck.
You must fix it before re-inspection—there is no grace period. Because 100% of 383.95A citations result in OOS orders, your truck is legally barred from operation until the air brake defect is corrected and verified by an inspector. Given that this is a safety-critical system, have a certified mechanic diagnose and repair it immediately. Request expedited re-inspection once the work is complete.
Where 383.95A is most commonly cited (last 180 days)
TruckCodex aggregates official public-sector datasets. See the Source registry for dataset-level coverage and the Freshness log for last-import timestamps.
Census, SAFER, SMS, Licensing & Insurance (L&I), roadside inspections, crashes, and authority history.
Vehicle recall campaigns, defect investigations, and consumer safety complaints (SCRS).
Cross-border carrier registry and Canadian recall campaigns where applicable.
TruckCodex is an independent aggregator; it is not affiliated with FMCSA, NHTSA, EIA, or Transport Canada. Always verify compliance-critical information directly with the originating agency.