What 393.62A means in plain language
FMCSR 393.62A addresses a straightforward but critical safety requirement: your commercial motor vehicle must have windshield wipers that actually work. If an inspector finds that your wipers are missing, broken, or unable to clear rain and debris from your windshield, you will be cited.
This isn't about having wipers installed years ago and hoping they still function. The regulation requires operational wipers—meaning they must move across the glass, clear moisture and dirt, and be in condition to support safe visibility during adverse weather. A single inoperative wiper arm, a frozen mechanism, worn blades that streak instead of clean, or missing wipers entirely all fall under this citation.
Why does this matter? Wet windshield visibility is non-negotiable for safe operation. A driver who cannot see the road clearly is a liability to themselves, their cargo, and everyone else on the road. Federal inspectors treat this as a basic maintenance item that reflects overall vehicle readiness.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our 13 million+ inspection records, we have documented 107 all-time citations for 393.62A. In the last 12 months, this code generated 61 citations, and in the last 90 days, 7 citations were issued. This places 393.62A at rank #1400 of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume—a relatively low-frequency violation overall.
However, the out-of-service rate for this code is notably high. Of the 107 citations on record, 75 resulted in an out-of-service order, yielding a 70.1% OOS rate. This is more than double the all-FMCSR average OOS rate of 31.4%. What this means in practical terms: if you are cited for inoperative wipers, there is a substantially elevated likelihood—seven in ten times—that an inspector will deem the vehicle unsafe to operate and ground it until the defect is corrected.
The enforcement trend over the past 12 months shows variability. April 2025 was the busiest month with 16 citations and 8 out-of-service placements. More recent months have been quieter: June 2026 recorded only 1 citation, while October 2025 saw 11 citations. This seasonal or operational pattern suggests that wiper issues may spike during certain times of year or in response to weather patterns across inspected fleets.
Who gets cited most
Our inspection records show that Texas leads in 393.62A citations over the last 180 days, with 5 citations and an out-of-service rate of 100.0%. Iowa follows with 3 citations, also at a 100.0% OOS rate. Illinois and North Carolina each recorded 2 citations, again with 100.0% out-of-service placement rates.
This uniformly high OOS rate across top-cited states indicates that when an inspector in any of these jurisdictions encounters inoperative wipers, the defect is nearly always serious enough to warrant taking the vehicle out of service. There is no geographic variation in enforcement leniency; the consistency suggests that the defects being cited are unambiguous and pose clear safety risks.
When we examine carriers by all-time citation count, our data shows fleets such as Student Transportation of America Inc (11 citations) and Ana C Campos Flores (5 citations) have accumulated multiple instances of this violation. This pattern, while statistically small in absolute terms, underscores that systematic attention to wiper maintenance during pre-trip and regular inspections can eliminate this citation entirely from a fleet's record.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
Within the Vehicle Maintenance category, 393.62A occupies a distinct position. The peer code 393.9(a)—Inoperable required lamps—has generated 660,737 citations with a 15.4% OOS rate, meaning it is cited vastly more often but results in out-of-service orders far less frequently. The peer code 393.78—Windshield condition defective—has produced 157,894 citations with only a 0.3% OOS rate, indicating that windshield damage or cracks are treated as minor compared to inoperative wipers.
The stark difference is revealing: while windshield physical condition (393.78) is often allowed to be corrected later, inoperative wipers (393.62A) trigger immediate out-of-service action 70.1% of the time. This reflects the regulatory judgment that visibility capability is a real-time safety function, not a deferred repair. Another peer code, 396.3(a)(1)—Inspection/repair/maintenance general—shows a 45.3% OOS rate despite being cited 236,919 times, so while it is far more common, 393.62A still presents a higher proportional risk of immediate shutdown.
How to avoid it
Preventing a 393.62A citation requires a disciplined pre-trip inspection routine and awareness of common co-occurring maintenance defects.
Before every shift:
- Test your wipers with the engine running. Do not simply visually inspect them; activate them across the full windshield sweep. Listen for grinding or chattering sounds, and watch to ensure they move smoothly and cover the entire glass without streaking or skipping.
- Check blade condition. If rubber is cracked, hardened, or not making full contact with the glass, replace both blades. Do not wait for one to fail completely.
- Verify both wiper arms are present and functional. A missing driver-side or passenger-side arm is a citation. Confirm the connection points are secure and the arm moves freely through its full range.
- Clear any ice, snow, or debris from the wiper area. In winter or wet conditions, frozen wipers will not operate. Thaw and test before leaving the parking area.
During regular maintenance:
- Our inspection records show that 393.62A commonly co-occurs with 393.47E (slack adjuster defective) and 393.53B (steering system components worn), indicating that vehicles with multiple deferred maintenance issues are likely to fail wiper inspections. Include wiper testing as part of every scheduled service, not as an afterthought.
- The vehicle makes most frequently cited for this violation include ICRP (14 citations), Ford (10 citations), and Mack (9 citations). If your fleet operates these models, implement a mandatory wiper replacement schedule every 6 months or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first.
- Check the wiper motor and linkage for corrosion or wear. Salt spray and moisture can degrade these components. A visual inspection under the hood takes seconds and can prevent an out-of-service citation.
Document your maintenance:
- Keep records of wiper blade and motor inspections in your vehicle maintenance log. If cited, you can demonstrate that you have been monitoring this system.
- If a wiper fails between scheduled inspections, repair it immediately. Do not defer to the next service appointment.
Given the 70.1% out-of-service rate for this code, the inspection bar is clearly high. Treat wiper functionality as a non-negotiable part of roadworthiness, not a cosmetic or low-priority item. A two-minute pre-trip check and routine blade replacement will eliminate this citation and keep your vehicle in operation.