What 393.62(b) means in plain language
Windshield wipers are a critical safety component on every commercial motor vehicle. This violation is issued when a truck's wipers are broken, non-functional, or completely absent from the vehicle.
The regulation requires that wipers actually work—not that they're present but jammed, streaking badly, or operating only on one setting. If an inspector tests them at roadside and they don't clear the windshield or don't operate at all, you have a violation. Missing wipers trigger the citation immediately.
This is a straightforward mechanical defect. It's not about the condition of the windshield glass itself (that's a different code). It's about whether the wipers can do their job: keeping your windshield clear in rain, snow, or spray from other vehicles.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our 13 million inspection records, we've documented 12 citations for inoperative windshield wipers since we began tracking. In the last 12 months, we recorded zero citations. In the last 90 days, we recorded zero citations.
This code ranks #2132 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume—it's extremely rare in the roadside inspection database.
When it does occur, the enforcement outcome is notably aggressive. Of the 12 citations ever issued, 8 resulted in an out-of-service (OOS) violation, giving this code a 66.7% OOS rate. That's significantly higher than the all-FMCSR average of 31.4%. This means that when an inspector finds inoperative wipers, they're more likely than average to take the vehicle out of service immediately, preventing you from driving further.
The citation itself does not carry an automatic OOS designation in the regulations—but inspectors use discretion, and the data shows they exercise it conservatively on this violation.
Who gets cited most
Our inspection records show citation distribution across carriers is sparse. The top carriers cited for 393.62(b) include New Jersey Transit Corporation, Jackson-Rock Springs Stages Inc, Regency Transportation Ltd, Accent-Johnston Limousine Inc, and Godfather Trans Inc—each with a single citation across all time.
This distribution reflects the rarity of the violation rather than a concentrated compliance problem in any fleet. The single vehicle make cited was a Ford.
Because the total citation volume is so low (12 all-time), state-level and carrier-level patterns are not statistically meaningful. What matters is understanding that this violation is uncommon but serious when it occurs.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
Windshield wipers fall under the Vehicle Maintenance category. Let's compare 393.62(b) to related maintenance violations:
Inoperable required lamps (393.9(a)) accounts for 660,737 citations—roughly 55,000 times more frequent than wipers. Its OOS rate is 15.4%, well below the all-FMCSR average and far below the 66.7% rate for wipers.
Windshield condition defective (393.78) is also in the same category, with 157,894 citations and a 0.3% OOS rate. Even though windshield defects are cited much more often than wiper problems, they're almost never removed from service.
Inspection/repair/maintenance – general (396.3(a)(1)) is the enforcement heavyweight with 236,919 citations and a 45.3% OOS rate. That's still lower than the 66.7% rate for wipers, suggesting that when inspectors cite inoperative wipers specifically, they view it as a high-risk condition.
The takeaway: wiper violations are infrequent, but when cited, they're treated with more severity than most other maintenance defects.
How to avoid it
Inoperative windshield wipers are preventable with basic pre-trip inspection:
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Test both wipers before every shift. Activate them at low and high speed. Watch the full stroke across the windshield. If either blade skips, streaks, or doesn't move, replace it immediately. Don't wait for an inspection.
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Replace worn blades proactively. Wiper blades degrade with use and weather exposure. Replace them every 6–12 months or whenever they show signs of splitting, cracking, or loss of contact with the glass. Carry spares in your truck.
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Check wiper fluid and nozzles. Wipers work best when the windshield is clean. Keep washer fluid filled. If nozzles are clogged, clear them. A blocked nozzle combined with worn wipers will fail an inspection.
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Inspect the wiper motor and linkage. If the wipers move slowly, jerkily, or stop mid-sweep, the motor or mechanical linkage may be failing. Report this to maintenance immediately. Don't assume it will pass inspection—it won't.
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Never defer wiper maintenance. Unlike some defects that may be deferrable, inoperative wipers are a safety-critical failure that will result in citation and likely OOS removal. The cost of replacement blades or a motor is minimal compared to downtime.
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Before any long-haul trip, especially in rain or snow seasons, do a dedicated wiper check. Test them, listen for grinding or squeaking noises, and verify they clear the entire windshield without leaving streaks.
Your pre-trip walk-around already includes a wiper check. Don't rush it. This is one of the fastest and easiest defects to catch and fix before you roll—and one of the most consequential if you don't.