FMCSR 393.75(d) — Regrooved Tire on Steer Axle

Yes—but not always. When cited for 393.75(d), there's a 50.0% out-of-service rate based on our inspection records. This means roughly half of drivers cited get the truck placed OOS immediately, while the other half receive a citation but can continue operation. The national average OOS rate across all FMCSR codes is 31.4%, so this violation has a higher-than-average chance of an immediate roadside shutdown. Whether you get OOS depends on the inspector's assessment of the tire condition and your axle configuration.

This violation carries a CSA severity weight of 6 points. The actual impact on your score depends on the 30-day rolling window: if you accumulate multiple violations within 30 days, each one multiplies the point load. A single 393.75(d) citation will add 6 points to your Vehicle Maintenance BASIC score. This is calculated and displayed in your FMCSA Safety Management System profile, and fleet managers monitor it as part of compliance risk assessment.

Immediate steps: (1) Do not operate the truck if it's been placed out of service—contact dispatch and your fleet safety manager. (2) Have a certified mechanic inspect all front-axle tires for regrooved, recapped, or retreaded material. (3) If found, replace those tires with DOT-approved new or properly retreaded units before the vehicle returns to service. (4) Request documentation of the replacement from your carrier's maintenance records. (5) If cited, ask the inspector for the violation report; your carrier needs it for their records and for any DataQs challenge if the finding is disputed.

Compared to other vehicle maintenance violations, 393.75(d) sits in the middle of severity. Our inspection records show 393.9(a) (inoperable required lamps) has 660,737 citations with a 15.4% OOS rate—far more common but less likely to be OOS'd. 396.3(a)(1) (general inspection/repair/maintenance) has 236,919 citations and a 45.3% OOS rate. 393.75(d)'s 50.0% OOS rate is notably higher than the national average of 31.4%, making it a serious roadside enforcement issue despite low overall citation volume.

Yes, you or your carrier can challenge the citation through the FMCSA's DataQs (Dispute Resolution) process. Since 393.75(d) is an equipment-based violation—the inspector physically observed the tire condition—the challenge hinges on whether the tire was actually regrooved, recapped, or retreaded, or whether the inspector misidentified the tire type. You'll need documentary evidence (tire markings, replacement records, photos taken at the time of inspection). Equipment disputes are generally harder to overturn than documentation-only violations, but it's worth pursuing if you believe the assessment was wrong.

Very rare. Across 13 million real roadside inspections in our database, there have been only 2 all-time citations for 393.75(d), with 0 citations in the last 90 days. This ranks the violation at #2651 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes—far below the radar for most fleets. The rarity doesn't make it less serious when enforced, but it suggests inspectors catch this violation infrequently, likely because most carriers replace front-axle tires properly or inspectors focus on more common defects.

Urgent—fix it before returning to service if OOS'd. With a 50.0% OOS rate and zero citations in the last 90 days, enforcement is sparse but enforcement when it happens is decisive. You cannot legally operate with a regrooved tire on the steer axle; doing so invites immediate shutdown and regulatory penalties. If your truck has been cited but not yet OOS'd, schedule replacement immediately—don't wait for another inspection. Regrooved tires on front axles are a federal safety defect, not a gray-area maintenance item.

Our all-time enforcement data shows Black Diamond Transport LLC (USDOT 1877206) and Victory Trans Inc (USDOT 3369401) each received 1 citation for 393.75(d). With only 2 total citations ever recorded, there is no meaningful geographic or carrier pattern. This is a statistically rare violation, so no single carrier or state emerges as a citation hotspot for this particular code.