393.62(d) Windshield Wipers: Citations, OOS Risk & What to Do

Not automatically, but it can. Across our 13 million inspection records, 393.62(d) citations resulted in out-of-service placement 29.3% of the time. That means 7 in 10 drivers with this citation were allowed to continue—but roughly 3 in 10 had their truck sidelined. The decision typically depends on whether the inspector deemed the visibility hazard immediate and whether you had time to repair on-scene. Check your citation form to see if "out of service" is marked.

Each 393.62(d) citation carries a severity weight of 4 points. Those points feed into your Unsafe Driving or Vehicle Maintenance BASIC in the CSA system. Within a 30-day window, multiple violations in the same BASIC are weighted; a single citation typically contributes its full severity weight unless combined with other violations. Your carrier's safety coordinator can show you the exact CSA impact on your profile.

Immediate steps:

1. Document the citation: photograph the wiper condition and any damage noted by the inspector.
2. Notify your carrier or fleet safety team within your reporting window.
3. Repair or replace the wipers as soon as safely possible—this is a visibility-critical item.
4. Request re-inspection if the truck was placed out-of-service; once repaired, a roadside re-check can clear the OOS status.
5. Keep the repair receipt for your records and CSA defense if needed.

Don't ignore this citation; inoperative wipers pose genuine safety risk and can compound future inspections.

In context, it's moderately serious. Our data shows 393.62(d) has a 29.3% out-of-service rate, slightly below the all-FMCSR average of 31.4%. However, peer violations in vehicle maintenance vary widely: general maintenance defects (396.3(a)(1)) are placed OOS 45.3% of the time, while windshield condition defects (393.78) are only OOS 0.3% of the time. Inoperative wipers rank higher in severity than most lighting issues but lower than structural maintenance failures.

Yes, equipment-based violations like inoperative wipers can be contested through DataQs (the FMCSA's RDR system). Your challenge must address the factual basis: was the wiper truly inoperative, or was the inspector's observation incorrect? Document photographic or maintenance evidence showing the wipers were functional at the time of inspection. Submit your DataQs appeal within the regulatory timeframe (typically 90 days of citation issuance). Consult your carrier's safety or compliance team for help building your case.

Rarely. Our inspection database contains only 58 all-time citations for inoperative wipers—393.62(d) ranks #1582 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume. In the last 90 days, we recorded zero citations. This low enforcement volume suggests inspectors cite it only when wipers are genuinely missing or completely non-functional, not for minor degradation. For context, the most-cited vehicle maintenance code, inoperative required lamps (393.9(a)), has 660,737 citations.

Airport Service Corp (USDOT 609266) and TPS Parking Management LLC (USDOT 918843) each appear in our data with 4 citations for inoperative wipers. Quick Transit Management Agency LLC (USDOT 1713003) has 3. The remaining citations are scattered among carriers with 1–2 each, including major carriers like Greyhound Lines and Federal Express. The pattern suggests the violation is sporadic across the industry rather than concentrated in one carrier type.

No immediate cause for alarm if your wipers are functional. Our data shows zero citations in the last 90 days, indicating this code is rarely enforced in routine inspections. However, don't use that as a reason to delay maintenance: inoperative wipers are a visibility hazard and a federal violation. Include wiper inspection as part of your pre-trip and monthly maintenance checks. If cited, treat repair as urgent since the 29.3% out-of-service rate means roughly 1 in 3 drivers face sidelining.