FMCSR 393.62A — Windshield Wipers Inoperative: Citations & OOS Rate

Yes—there's a 70.1% chance your truck will be placed out of service for this violation. Across our inspection records, 75 of 107 all-time citations for inoperative or missing windshield wipers resulted in an OOS order. This rate is significantly higher than the all-FMCSR average of 31.4%. If you're cited, assume you'll be unable to continue operations until the wipers are repaired or replaced and re-inspected.

This violation carries a CSA severity weight of 4 points. The actual points added to your carrier's CSA Unsafe Driving BASIC depend on the 30-day rolling window: if multiple violations occur within 30 days, they stack. A single 393.62A citation will add 4 points to your carrier's record within 30 days of the inspection date.

1. Stop driving—wipers are safety-critical, and OOS is likely. 2. Get wipers repaired or replaced immediately by a qualified mechanic. 3. Check related systems: Our data shows inoperative wipers often co-occur with steering component wear and slack adjuster defects, so have a full suspension and lighting inspection. 4. Request a re-inspection at the same roadside location or a certified inspection facility. 5. Document the repair with a mechanic's receipt and timestamp.

Yes. The 70.1% OOS rate for 393.62A is far higher than similar maintenance codes. For comparison, inoperable lamps (393.9) have a 6.9% OOS rate, and windshield defects (393.78) have a 0.3% OOS rate. Only brake-system violations like 396.3(a)(1) exceed 393.62A's severity, with a 45.3% OOS rate. Wipers are treated as critical safety equipment, making this violation more likely to ground your vehicle than most other maintenance issues.

Yes. Equipment-based violations like inoperative wipers are contestable through the DataQs Roadside Defect Repair (RDR) system if you can prove the equipment was repaired or that the inspector's finding was incorrect. Submit documentation (repair receipt, photos of repaired wipers, mechanic's statement) to your carrier's safety team within the FMCSA's challenge window. Record-level documentation disputes have the strongest likelihood of success.

In the last 180 days, 393.62A citations were concentrated in four states: Texas (5 citations, 100% OOS rate), Iowa (3 citations, 100% OOS), Illinois (2 citations, 100% OOS), and North Carolina (2 citations, 100% OOS). Texas has the highest absolute count. Across these regions, every cited vehicle was placed out of service, indicating aggressive enforcement and zero-tolerance application.

Extremely urgent. In the last 90 days, 7 citations were issued, showing steady enforcement. In April 2025, 16 citations and 8 OOS orders were recorded in a single month—the highest volume on record. Wiper repairs are inexpensive and fast, so fix them before the next inspection. Don't assume a warning; the data shows inspectors are flagging this violation consistently and nearly always removing the vehicle from service.

Both. Under FMCSA CSA rules, the violation records against the carrier's safety profile and may appear on the driver's training record depending on the carrier's internal accountability system. The citation goes to the vehicle's carrier (by USDOT number), but drivers should expect the violation to affect the carrier's CSA scores and potential future hiring or rate decisions. Student transportation operators (11 all-time citations by one carrier) see these violations tracked at the fleet level for regulatory audits.