FMCSR 393.45B3: Brake Tubing/Hoses Damage — Q&A

Not automatically, but it's possible. Across our inspection records, 393.45B3 citations resulted in an out-of-service order 28.6% of the time (4 out of 14 all-time citations). That's slightly lower than the national average OOS rate of 31.4% across all FMCSR codes. Whether your truck gets placed out of service depends on the severity of the damage and the inspector's judgment—worn tubing may pass, but crimped or severely chafed lines are more likely to trigger an OOS order.

This violation carries a severity weight of 7, which determines how many CSA points you accumulate in the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC category. The exact number of points depends on when the citation was issued and how FMCSA's 30-day point multiplier is applied. Your carrier's fleet safety manager will see the impact on your company's CSA score as well—this violation affects both your driver record and the carrier's Vehicle Maintenance profile.

First, have a qualified mechanic inspect your entire brake system immediately. Our inspection data shows that brake tubing violations frequently co-occur with other brake and maintenance issues: 393.45B2UV (brake tubing variants) appeared in 4 shared inspections, and 393.47E (slack adjuster defects) in 2 shared inspections over the last 90 days. Second, document the repair with photos and a mechanic's report. Third, if you believe the citation was issued in error, gather evidence and prepare to contest it through FMCSA's DataQs process within 120 days of the citation date.

It's moderate in severity. The peer code 393.47E (slack adjuster defective) has been cited 180,363 times with a 0.0% OOS rate, while 393.9 (inoperable lamps) has 660,737 citations at a 15.4% OOS rate. With only 14 all-time citations, 393.45B3 is ranked #2083 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes—relatively rare. But its 28.6% OOS rate shows that when cited, inspectors take it seriously. Brake system integrity directly affects vehicle safety, so even though the violation is uncommon, the enforcement response is firm.

Yes, you can challenge it through FMCSA's DataQs (Crash/Inspection Query System) if you have evidence the finding is factually incorrect. For a 393.45B3 citation, this typically means proving that the tubing or hoses were not actually worn, chafed, crimped, or damaged—for example, if the inspector misidentified normal wear patterns or cited equipment you had already repaired. Submit your contest within 120 days of the citation date with supporting documentation (photos, mechanic's statement, repair records) showing the component was roadworthy at the time of inspection.

Over the last 180 days, Texas led with 5 citations and a 20.0% out-of-service rate (1 OOS placement). Iowa had 1 citation with no OOS order. These two states account for all documented citations in that period. Texas's higher citation volume may reflect the larger volume of commercial traffic and inspections there, but the data set is small enough that patterns may shift monthly.

Very urgent. In the last 90 days, we recorded 6 citations for this violation—showing steady enforcement activity. More critically, the 28.6% OOS rate means nearly 1 in 3 citations result in an immediate out-of-service order that immobilizes your truck until repairs are made. Brake system failures pose serious safety and liability risks. Do not delay: stop driving, get a qualified mechanic to inspect and repair the tubing or hoses, and document everything before returning to service.

Both. The citation appears on your driving record and affects your Vehicle Maintenance BASIC score. It also appears on your carrier's safety profile and their Vehicle Maintenance BASIC. If you drive for a large fleet, a single violation contributes to the company's CSA metrics, which can trigger safety audits and increase insurance costs. If you're an owner-operator, the violation is recorded against your USDOT number. Either way, the finding stays in the inspection database permanently and is visible to any prospective employer or insurer.