393.51B-BFWS — Steering wheel free play excessive

FMCSA violation code under Vehicle Maintenance. 428 events recorded in roadside inspections. Severity weight: 6.

Severity Weight
6
OOS Eligible
No
BASIC Category
Vehicle Maintenance
Total Events
428
Code
393.51B-BFWS
Code System
FMCSR
BASIC Category
OOS Eligible
No
Severity Weight
6
Violation Group
Total Events
428
Carriers Cited
387

Violation Description

Steering wheel free play exceeds the allowable limits for the type of steering system.

About This Violation Code

Code 393.51B-BFWS falls under the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC category in FMCSA's Safety Measurement System (SMS). It carries a severity weight of 6 (scale 1-10, higher = more severe).

When this violation is cited during a roadside inspection, it contributes to the carrier's Vehicle Maintenance BASIC score. Carriers with high BASIC percentiles may be prioritized for FMCSA interventions including warning letters, investigations, or compliance reviews.

Regulatory Reference

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations

This violation references 49 CFR 393.51B in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

Events (all time)
428
OOS Events
426
OOS Rate
99.5%
Top State (180d)
New York
41 events

Top Enforcing States

Where 393.51B-BFWS is most commonly cited (last 180 days)

1.New York
41
OOS 100.0%
2.US
16
OOS 100.0%
3.Maryland
8
OOS 100.0%
4.Kansas
5
OOS 80.0%
5.Pennsylvania
3
OOS 100.0%
6.Connecticut
3
OOS 100.0%
7.Virginia
3
OOS 100.0%
8.Florida
3
OOS 100.0%
9.Minnesota
2
OOS 100.0%
10.Wisconsin
2
OOS 100.0%
11.California
2
OOS 100.0%
12.Colorado
2
OOS 100.0%
13.Montana
1
OOS 100.0%
14.Arizona
1
OOS 100.0%
15.Nebraska
1
OOS 100.0%

Click a state to see roadside inspection activity, top stations, and carrier profiles in that jurisdiction.

Citation Trend (12 months)

Monthly count of 393.51B-BFWS citations. Red bars mark months with OOS-triggering citations.

11
Apr
18
May
23
Jun
17
Jul
25
Aug
23
Sep
35
Oct
15
Nov
14
Dec
21
Jan
14
Feb
15
Mar

Most Active Stations

Inspection stations citing 393.51B-BFWS most often (last 180 days)

1.LAREDO TX
12
OOS 100.0%
2.SEAFORD NY
5
OOS 100.0%
3.PLAINVIEW NY
4
OOS 100.0%
4.NOGALES AZ
3
OOS 100.0%
5.BELLMORE NY
3
OOS 100.0%
6.COLLEGE PARK MD
3
OOS 100.0%
7.SYOSSET NY
3
OOS 100.0%
8.EAST ROCKAWAY NY
3
OOS 100.0%
9.JERICHO NY
2
OOS 100.0%
10.GREENWICH SCALE
2
OOS 100.0%

Often Cited Together

Other violations commonly found on the same inspection (last 90 days)

Top Carriers Cited

Ranked by frequency • 387 carriers total • Page 1 of 16

Recent Inspections

Latest inspections where 393.51B-BFWS was cited • 428 total events • Page 1 of 18

Recent Inspections with 393.51B-BFWS

Showing 25 of 428

fmcsa-inspections
Recent Inspections with 393.51B-BFWS
DateReport #StateLevelOOS
Mar 30, 202687448039USLevel 1Yes
Mar 27, 202687437808USLevel 1Yes
Mar 27, 202687471783NYLevel 1Yes
Mar 27, 202687437874USLevel 1Yes
Mar 26, 202687417665USLevel 1Yes
Mar 26, 202687457672NYLevel 2Yes
Mar 24, 202687434510NYLevel 2Yes
Mar 24, 202687447328NYLevel 1Yes
Mar 20, 202687400595NYLevel 1Yes
Mar 20, 202687401821NYLevel 1Yes
Mar 17, 202687329723NYLevel 2Yes
Mar 12, 202687329091NYLevel 1Yes
Mar 7, 202687260895NYLevel 1Yes
Mar 4, 202687221165COLevel 2Yes
Mar 2, 202687175552CTLevel 1Yes
Feb 28, 202687178773USLevel 1Yes
Feb 27, 202687181152KSLevel 1Yes
Feb 26, 202687142749CTLevel 1Yes
Feb 26, 202687178364NYLevel 1Yes
Feb 25, 202687179122MDLevel 1Yes
Feb 21, 202687146452NYLevel 1Yes
Feb 20, 202687112769USLevel 1Yes
Feb 18, 202687090045PALevel 1Yes
Feb 17, 202687124091NYLevel 2Yes
Feb 13, 202687056025USLevel 1Yes

Data sources & freshness

FMCSA Vehicle Inspections and Violations
Unknown freshness
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (49 CFR)
Unknown freshness