393.86A4-RIG — Rear Impact Guards - Trailers and semitrailers manufactured on or after January 26, 1998 improper location.

FMCSA violation code under Vehicle Maintenance. 71 events recorded in roadside inspections. Severity weight: 2.

Violation code 393.86A4-RIG is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations citation issued under 49 CFR 393.86. It tracks a specific compliance failure recorded against motor carriers and drivers during FMCSA roadside inspections. The code rolls up into the FMCSA Safety Measurement System (SMS) Vehicle Maintenance BASIC, which feeds the carrier's percentile ranking and prioritization for FMCSA interventions. It applies to interstate motor carriers, drivers, and the commercial motor vehicles they operate; intrastate operators are subject when their state has adopted Part 350 of the FMCSR by reference. It carries a severity weight of 2, 71 citations have been recorded against this code in the FMCSA inspection record.

Severity Weight
2
OOS Eligible
No
BASIC Category
Vehicle Maintenance
Total Events
71
Code:
393.86A4-RIG
Code System:
FMCSR
BASIC Category:
Vehicle Maintenance
OOS Eligible:
No
Severity Weight:
2
Violation Group:
Cab Body Frame
Total Events:
71
Carriers Cited:
63

Ranks #1,547 of 3,146 FMCSR codes by citation frequency • OOS rate of 0.0% is below the FMCSR-wide average of 33.4%.

What 393.86A4-RIG means

Rear Impact Guards - Trailers and semitrailers manufactured on or after January 26, 1998 improper location.

This is a specific FMCSA dictionary variant of section 393.86; it is not interchangeable with the bare 393.86 catch-all code.

CSA/SMS severity weight 2 on FMCSA's 1–10 scale in the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC.

Not Out-of-Service eligible by itself; the citation still feeds the carrier's BASIC percentile when scored.

71 citations recorded in the FMCSA inspection mirror across 63 carriers.

Ranks #1,547 of 3,146 FMCSR codes by citation frequency.

Most cited recently in Iowa (2 events in the last 180 days).

How to use this code

CSA weight, OOS trigger, inspector focus, fix path, and DataQs — from published FMCSA fields and citation counts on this page

CSA / SMS weight

Severity weight 2 (1–10). Higher weights correlate more strongly with crash risk in FMCSA's published table. Rolls into the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC. SMS applies time weights (3× / 2× / 1×) over a 24-month window before ranking carriers by percentile.

All Vehicle Maintenance codes →

OOS trigger

This code is not OOS-eligible by itself. It still appears on the inspection report and can move the carrier's BASIC percentile.

What inspectors typically check

FMCSR violations for brake defects, tire issues, lighting failures, frame damage, and other mechanical deficiencies.

  • Brake condition, adjustment, and air-system integrity
  • Tire tread/condition, lighting, and reflectors
  • Frame, coupling, cargo securement, and other mechanical defects

Vehicle Maintenance category →

Fix and prevent

  • Correct the underlying condition and document the fix (date, work performed, who signed off).
  • Catch it on pre-trip and scheduled PM before a roadside Level I/II does — brakes, tires, and lamps dominate this BASIC.
  • Keep the correction in the compliance file — undocumented fixes look the same as non-compliance in a review.

DataQs challenge grounds

Carriers and drivers can file a Request for Data Review within 24 months when the record itself looks wrong. Common accepted grounds:

  • Wrong violation code for the condition the inspector described
  • Citation attributed to the wrong USDOT, driver, or unit
  • Condition was already corrected / not present when the report was finalized
  • Supporting evidence (photos, receipts, calibration, ELD extract) contradicts the citation

For brokers and shippers

Severity 2/10 — weigh frequency and recency on the carrier's inspection history, not a single old citation. Most-cited carrier in our table: DEFFENBAUGH INDUSTRIES INC (2 citations). 63 carriers have at least one 393.86A4-RIG citation in the mirror — open a carrier's inspection list to see whether this code is a pattern or a one-off.

Violation Description

Rear Impact Guards - Trailers and semitrailers manufactured on or after January 26, 1998 improper location.

Regulatory Reference

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations

This violation references 49 CFR 393.86A4 in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

Events (all time)
71
OOS Events
0
OOS Rate
0.0%
Top State (180d)
Iowa
2 events

Top Enforcing States

Where 393.86A4-RIG is most commonly cited (last 180 days)

1. Iowa
2
OOS 0.0%
2. California
2
OOS 0.0%
3. Pennsylvania
2
OOS 0.0%
4. Minnesota
1
OOS 0.0%
5. Nevada
1
OOS 0.0%
6. Tennessee
1
OOS 0.0%
7. Virginia
1
OOS 0.0%
8. Arizona
1
OOS 0.0%
9. Washington
1
OOS 0.0%
10. Florida
1
OOS 0.0%
11. Michigan
1
OOS 0.0%

Click a state to see roadside inspection activity, top stations, and carrier profiles in that jurisdiction.

Citation Trend (12 months)

Monthly count of 393.86A4-RIG citations. Red bars mark months with OOS-triggering citations.

1
2025-07
4
2025-08
2
2025-09
2
2025-10
5
2025-11
3
2025-12
5
2026-01
2
2026-02
5
2026-03
2
2026-05
5
2026-06

Most Active Stations

Inspection stations citing 393.86A4-RIG most often (last 180 days)

1. KINGMAN AZ
1
OOS 0.0%
2. MADERA AREA
1
OOS 0.0%
3. ROCHESTER MN
1
OOS 0.0%
4. BEAVER TWP PA
1
OOS 0.0%
6. KNOXVILLE TN
1
OOS 0.0%
7. DU PONT WA
1
OOS 0.0%

Top Carriers Cited

Ranked by frequency • 63 carriers total • Page 1 of 3

# Carrier USDOT # Violations
#1 DEFFENBAUGH INDUSTRIES INC 271225 2
#2 B&D TRUCKING EXPRESS LLC 2941791 1
#3 POLVON LLC 3097478 1
#4 SANCHEZ MOTOR PLEX LLC 4155768 1
#5 SANDELL TRANSPORT INC 1472364 1
#6 IHMUD TRUCKING LLC 3782831 1
#7 SS UNITED INC 3263513 1
#8 GREEN DRAGON TRUCKING INC 3564133 1
#9 BALWANT SINGH MANGAT 815265 1
#10 NATIONAL LOGISTICS LLC 2922140 1
#11 MR BULT'S INC 387102 1
#12 THUNDER CARGO INC 2839142 1
#13 EVERGREEN TRANSPORT LLC 1980141 1
#14 C&W TRUCKING & SONS INC 1457229 1
#15 D G LOGISTICS LLC 852587 1
#16 CORNERSTONE CARGO LLC 1683159 1
#17 CANADIAN PRAIRIE TRANSPORT INC 3519321 1
#18 LINCOLN EXPRESS INC 3616799 1
#19 U S FREIGHT LINES INC 1728812 1
#20 PKG EXPRESS INC 733463 1
#21 KEEN CARGO INC 2440672 1
#22 DENALI EXPRESS INC 3738329 1
#23 BAALI TRUCKING LLC 3866707 1
#24 AAA COOPER TRANSPORTATION 92261 1
#25 DREW FOAM COMPANIES INC 1601998 1

Recent Inspections

Latest inspections where 393.86A4-RIG was cited • 71 total events • Page 1 of 3

Date Report # State Level OOS
88288394 FL Level 1 No
88240071 NV Level 2 No
88158872 MI Level 1 No
88124869 VA Level 2 No
88021693 IA Level 1 No
88002808 IA Level 2 No
87782679 CA Level 1 No
87471991 AZ Level 2 No
87400464 PA Level 2 No
87336247 CA Level 2 No
87320044 WA Level 2 No
87275121 PA Level 2 No
87133981 TN Level 1 No
87037241 MN Level 1 No
86831342 GA Level 2 No
86830836 GA Level 1 No
86805921 OK Level 1 No
86829678 MN Level 1 No
86754998 GA Level 2 No
86623658 WA Level 2 No
86625557 MN Level 1 No
86531412 CA Level 1 No
86432021 GA Level 2 No
86349840 ME Level 2 No
86348414 MT Level 1 No

How to comply with violation code 393.86A4-RIG

  1. Locate the regulation in the eCFR. Open https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/section-393.86 on eCFR.gov to read the legal text the citation is written against. The eCFR is the National Archives' continuously updated electronic Code of Federal Regulations and is the canonical reference for any FMCSR section.
  2. Determine if your operation is subject. Confirm whether your operation is interstate (always subject to the FMCSR) or intrastate (subject when your state has adopted 49 CFR Part 350 by reference; most have). Intrastate operators in non-adopting states may be subject to a state analog instead of the federal rule.
  3. Identify the documented requirement. Read the requirement carefully: "Rear Impact Guards - Trailers and semitrailers manufactured on or after January 26, 1998 improper location." Map it to the specific equipment, driver document, or operational practice it covers.
  4. Inspect or maintain to standard. Build a recurring inspection, training, or filing routine that catches this gap before a roadside inspector does. Pre-trip checks, scheduled preventive maintenance, driver-qualification file audits, and supervisor reviews are the standard places this kind of issue is caught early.
  5. Document compliance to demonstrate it on review. Keep a dated, signed record of each inspection, repair, training session, or filing tied to 393.86A4-RIG. During an FMCSA compliance review or a customer onboarding audit, the documentation is what proves the program runs — undocumented compliance is indistinguishable from non-compliance to the auditor.

Frequently asked questions about 393.86A4-RIG

What is FMCSA violation code 393.86A4-RIG?
Rear Impact Guards - Trailers and semitrailers manufactured on or after January 26, 1998 improper location. The citation appears as code 393.86A4-RIG on roadside inspection reports issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and rolls up into the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC.
Is 393.86A4-RIG an out-of-service violation?
No. Code 393.86A4-RIG is not Out-of-Service eligible. A citation under this code is recorded on the inspection report and counts toward the carrier's BASIC percentile, but it does not by itself trigger an Out-of-Service order at the roadside.
What's the severity weight of 393.86A4-RIG?
393.86A4-RIG carries a severity weight of 2 on FMCSA's 1–10 scale. Higher weights indicate violations more strongly correlated with crash risk; FMCSA multiplies the weight by a time factor (3× for citations 0–6 months old, 2× for 6–12 months, 1× for 12–24 months) when computing the carrier's Safety Measurement System percentile.
How many inspections have cited 393.86A4-RIG?
71 inspections in our FMCSA mirror cite 393.86A4-RIG. The Recent Inspections table on this page lists the most recent citations with date, state, level, and OOS flag — click any row to see the full inspection report.
Which BASIC category is 393.86A4-RIG in?
393.86A4-RIG rolls up into the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC of FMCSA's Safety Measurement System. The BASIC determines how the citation feeds the carrier's percentile ranking — carriers with high percentiles in a BASIC are prioritized for FMCSA interventions including warning letters, focused investigations, and full compliance reviews.
What does a carrier do to fix 393.86A4-RIG?
Resolving a 393.86A4-RIG citation has two parts: (1) correct the underlying condition immediately — repair the equipment defect, retrain the driver, file the missing form, or update the maintenance record — and (2) document the correction in the carrier's compliance file, ideally with date, time, and the name of the person who performed the work. Carriers that believe the citation was recorded in error can file a Request for Data Review through the FMCSA DataQs system within 24 months of the inspection date.
Where can I find related violation codes?
The "Often Cited Together" panel on this page lists violations frequently appearing on the same inspection as 393.86A4-RIG — these usually share a root cause (for example, an HOS violation paired with a logbook error). The All Violation Codes index links to every code in the system, and the BASIC category page lists every code in Vehicle Maintenance.
Where can I find the full text of 393.86A4-RIG?
The full regulatory text is published on eCFR.gov at 49 CFR 393.86. The eCFR is the official, continuously updated electronic Code of Federal Regulations maintained by the National Archives. The TruckCodex page mirrors enforcement data; the eCFR has the legal text the citation is written against.

About FMCSA violation codes

Every violation found during an FMCSA roadside inspection is recorded under a code drawn from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations — the codified safety rules motor carriers, drivers, and commercial motor vehicles must comply with in interstate commerce. Codes roll up into one of seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs): Unsafe Driving, Hours-of-Service, Driver Fitness, Controlled Substances/Alcohol, Vehicle Maintenance, Hazardous Materials Compliance, and Crash Indicator. Each code carries a published severity weight (1–10) and an Out-of-Service eligibility flag.

Citations counted in the FMCSA Safety Measurement System (SMS) feed a 24-month rolling percentile rank for every motor carrier. Recent citations weigh more heavily than older ones — FMCSA applies a 3× multiplier to events 0–6 months old, 2× for 6–12 months, and 1× for 12–24 months. Carriers above the published intervention threshold for a given BASIC are prioritized for warning letters, focused investigations, and full compliance reviews.

TruckCodex mirrors the FMCSA Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS) and the published violation dictionary on a daily refresh cycle. We do not author or modify violation records — every count, severity weight, and OOS flag on this page reflects what the FMCSA has on file. For real-time confirmation immediately before an enforcement decision, click through to the FMCSA Violations Search link above. Carriers who believe a citation was recorded in error can file a Request for Data Review through the FMCSA DataQs system.

Data sources & freshness

TruckCodex aggregates official public-sector datasets. See the Source registry for dataset-level coverage and the Freshness log for last-import timestamps.

Census, SAFER, SMS, Licensing & Insurance (L&I), roadside inspections, crashes, and authority history.

Refreshed daily.

Vehicle recall campaigns, defect investigations, and consumer safety complaints (SCRS).

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EIA

Retail diesel and gasoline price history and state fuel-tax tables.

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Cross-border carrier registry and Canadian recall campaigns where applicable.

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TruckCodex is an independent aggregator; it is not affiliated with FMCSA, NHTSA, EIA, or Transport Canada. Always verify compliance-critical information directly with the originating agency.