What 393.62E means in plain language
You received a citation for 393.62E because an inspector found that your windshield wipers were not working or were missing entirely. This is a vehicle maintenance violation, not a safety equipment defect that automatically removes you from service.
Windshield wipers are required equipment on commercial motor vehicles. When they fail or are absent, you lose the ability to clear rain, snow, sleet, or road spray from your windshield during adverse weather. An inspector conducting a roadside check found evidence that your wipers either did not function when activated or were not present on the vehicle at all.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our 13 million inspection records, 393.62E has generated 129 all-time citations, with 63 citations in the last 12 months and 7 in the last 90 days. The code ranks #1355 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume, meaning it is relatively uncommon in the enforcement landscape.
Our inspection records show a 32.6% out-of-service rate for this violation all-time, which is slightly higher than the all-FMCSR average OOS rate of 31.4%. This means that roughly one in three drivers cited for this code are placed out of service immediately—your truck can be ruled unsafe for operation until repairs are made.
The citation frequency has fluctuated over the past year. In May 2025, we saw 12 citations with 4 out-of-service placements, while April 2026 recorded just 1 citation. The highest out-of-service rate in a single month occurred in October 2025, when 6 of 8 citations resulted in OOS placement.
Who gets cited most
Our data shows Texas leads citation counts for this code over the last 180 days with 17 citations, resulting in a 29.4% out-of-service rate. Iowa follows with 3 citations and a 0.0% out-of-service rate, while Illinois reported 1 citation with a 100.0% out-of-service rate.
Among all carriers in our database, IDEAL ENTERPRISES LLC (USDOT 3142261) shows the highest citation volume with 10 all-time citations for inoperative wipers. FIRST STUDENT INC (USDOT 354406) follows with 8 citations. These numbers reflect enforcement patterns across large fleets and do not imply negligence—they simply indicate which operations have encountered this violation most frequently in roadside inspections.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
393.62E sits in the Vehicle Maintenance category alongside codes like 393.9(a) for inoperable required lamps (660,737 citations, 15.4% OOS rate) and 393.78 for windshield condition defects (157,894 citations, 0.3% OOS rate). Your citation is far less frequent than lamp violations but more severe in terms of out-of-service probability. By contrast, 393.78 (windshield condition issues) has a much lower OOS rate of 0.3%, suggesting inspectors treat wiper failures as more immediately disqualifying than windshield surface damage.
396.3(a)(1), covering general inspection and maintenance failures, shows 236,919 citations with a 45.3% out-of-service rate—significantly higher than 393.62E's 32.6% rate. This indicates that broad maintenance violations carry greater enforcement consequence than a single missing or inoperative component.
How to avoid it
Perform a complete wiper system check during every pre-trip inspection:
- Activate both the intermittent and continuous wiper speeds and listen for smooth operation without chattering or hesitation.
- Visually inspect both wiper blades for cracks, tears, splits, or hardening of the rubber element—these compromise water displacement and visibility.
- Check that both wiper arms move freely through their full arc without binding or stalling.
- Verify that the wiper motor sounds steady and does not click repeatedly, which may indicate electrical or mechanical failure.
Address component wear before it fails:
- Replace wiper blades at least once per season or every 6 months if you operate year-round, even if they still appear to move.
- Keep replacement blades in your truck and swap them out immediately if you notice reduced clearing performance or streaking.
- Check the washer fluid reservoir and fill it with winter-grade fluid in cold climates to avoid frozen lines that prevent spray and wiper use together.
Monitor wiper-related systems on your vehicle make:
- Our data shows ICRP (15 citations), VOLV (13 citations), and VNHL (11 citations) vehicles are most frequently cited for this violation.
- If you operate one of these makes, establish a more frequent wiper inspection cycle—weekly rather than monthly—since these vehicle types appear in our records more often.
Watch for correlated defects during pre-trip:
- When inspecting wipers, our records indicate you should also check for windshield glazing obstructions and overall windshield condition, as these violations commonly appear together in the same inspection.
- A defective windshield or obstruction often prompts closer scrutiny of wiper operation, so addressing glass clarity proactively may reduce citation risk.
This citation carries a CSA severity weight of 4, which is moderate but not negligible. Taking 60 seconds during every pre-trip to confirm wiper functionality is the most direct way to eliminate this violation from your record.