What 393.209E means in plain language
FMCSR 393.209E addresses the condition and performance requirements for a commercial motor vehicle's power steering system. In plain terms, the regulation requires that the power steering equipment on your truck be functional, properly maintained, and free of defects that would impair your ability to control the vehicle.
This covers the physical components of the system — the pump, hoses, fluid levels, connections, and related hardware. If any part of the power steering system is deteriorated, leaking, or otherwise not working as intended, you are potentially out of compliance whether or not the steering actually feels difficult at the time of inspection.
It's worth understanding that this is a vehicle maintenance standard, not a performance standard. An inspector doesn't need to see you struggle to turn the wheel — a visual defect in the system itself is enough to generate a citation.
What our enforcement data actually shows
The first thing most drivers want to know after getting cited is: does this get you put out of service? For 393.209E, the answer is almost never. Across all 10,719 all-time citations in our inspection records, only 20 resulted in an out-of-service order — an OOS rate of just 0.2%. That compares to an all-FMCSR average OOS rate of 31.4%, making this code one of the least likely to park your truck on the spot.
That said, the citation volume tells a different story. 393.209E ranks #223 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation count — meaning inspectors are actively writing this violation. In the last 12 months alone, our database shows 6,290 citations issued under this code. In just the last 90 days, there were 1,574 citations. The monthly trend data in our records shows a sharp rise over the past year: from 190 citations in April 2025 to a peak of 754 in January 2026, before settling to 572 in March 2026. Enforcement attention on this code is clearly growing.
Even though an OOS order is rare, a citation still goes on your inspection record and feeds into your carrier's Safety Measurement System (SMS) scores. The citation itself has real consequences — just not immediate roadside detention in most cases.
Who gets cited most
Looking at our inspection records from the last 180 days, Texas dominates the citation picture by a wide margin. Texas accounts for 3,540 citations with an OOS rate of 0.1%. The next closest state in our data is Illinois with 15 citations — but Illinois shows an OOS rate of 26.7%, which is dramatically higher than Texas's 0.1% rate. That's a 26.6 percentage point gap, and it's material: if you're operating in Illinois and get flagged for a power steering issue, inspectors there are far more likely to escalate to an out-of-service order than their Texas counterparts. Iowa and Kentucky each recorded 3 citations with 0.0% OOS rates in the same period.
Our data shows fleets such as TRANSPORTES AGUILA DE CIUDAD JUAREZ SA DE CV (USDOT 555365) with 64 all-time citations and SERVICIOS DE LOGISTICA TRANSNACIONAL EN TRANSPORTACION SA DE CV (USDOT 2380911) with 53 all-time citations appearing most frequently in this code's citation history. The concentration of citations among cross-border carriers operating through Texas border corridors is consistent with the state-level distribution in our records.
Looking at vehicle makes, Freightliner (FRHT) leads all-time with 3,427 citations, followed by Kenworth (KW) at 1,872 and Peterbilt (PTRB) at 1,332. If you're driving one of these three makes, this is a code worth paying extra attention to on your pre-trip.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
Within the Vehicle Maintenance category, 393.209E looks relatively mild compared to some of its peers. Consider 396.3(a)(1) — the general inspection, repair, and maintenance code — which has 236,919 all-time citations and a 45.3% OOS rate in our database. That means nearly half of all citations under that code result in the driver being parked. By contrast, 393.209E's 0.2% OOS rate is almost negligible.
Look at 393.9(a) — inoperable required lamps — which carries 660,737 citations and a 15.4% OOS rate. Again, far more severe by both volume and OOS outcome than 393.209E. Even 393.78, windshield condition defective, shows a 0.3% OOS rate across 157,894 citations — a code that's far more commonly written but produces comparable OOS outcomes.
The takeaway: 393.209E won't park your truck in most situations, but it's being written at a pace of more than 6,000 times a year, and those citations accumulate in SMS data.
How to avoid it
The co-occurring violation pattern in our 90-day data reveals exactly where to focus your pre-trip attention. These violations routinely show up on the same inspection report as 393.209E:
- Check your power steering fluid level and look for leaks before every shift. 393.53B (steering system components worn) appeared on 247 inspections alongside this code — meaning steering system defects as a whole are being written together. Low fluid often signals a hose or seal problem waiting to be discovered at the roadside.
- Inspect all fuel and fluid lines while you're under the hood. 396.5B (fuel system leak) co-occurred on 593 shared inspections. Inspectors who find a power steering issue are clearly looking at fluid-related defects across the board.
- Walk your lamps before you roll. 393.9 (Inoperable Required Lamp) appeared on 658 shared inspections — the single most common co-occurring code. A burned-out lamp is often what draws the inspector's attention before they find the steering defect.
- Look at your brake components during pre-trip. 393.47E (slack adjuster defective) showed up on 264 shared inspections. These are found in the same under-vehicle inspection sweep that catches steering system problems.
- If you're on a Freightliner, Kenworth, or Peterbilt, these three makes account for the majority of all-time citations. Know your truck's specific power steering system layout so you can spot abnormal play, noise, or leaks before an inspector does.
- Don't leave known deferred maintenance on the road. 396.3A1 (inspection, repair, and maintenance of parts and accessories) co-occurred on 376 shared inspections, which tells us that many 393.209E citations are found during broader vehicle condition checks — not as standalone stops.