Violation 393.45, explained
By TruePermitReviewed by the TruePermit compliance teamSMS list v3.21, retrieved
On the roadside report this cite reads: "Brake tubing and hose adequacy". FMCSA scores it in the Vehicle Maintenance category with an official severity weight of 4 of 10 — moderate severity.
- Severity weight
- 4/10
- CSA BASIC
- Vehicle Maintenance
- Violation group
- Brakes, All Others
- Driver's record (DSMS)
- No — carrier record
What the Vehicle Maintenance category is
Equipment condition found at roadside: brakes, tires, lights, and everything else an inspector can see or measure on the truck and trailer.
Vehicle Maintenance is the most-cited category at roadside, and each violation stays in the carrier's federal inspection record for two years (recent events weigh more). Recurring findings in the same area — brakes especially — are what pull a truck into more inspections.
What to do after this cite
- Fix the underlying condition before the next dispatch. The violation stays in the two-year record either way — the repeat is what compounds the damage, and recurring findings in one group are what invite closer attention.
- Keep the paper trail together: the inspection report, the repair receipt or corrected log, and photos if the condition was borderline.
- If the data is wrong, use DataQs (dataqs.fmcsa.dot.gov): wrong truck, wrong carrier, a cite that doesn't match the condition. Data reviews correct errors; they don't erase valid violations, and no service can promise otherwise.
- If a citation came with it, the fine, court and deadline are on the citation itself — that's a state court matter separate from this federal safety record.
Frequently asked
- What does violation 393.45 mean?
- It's the cite an inspector writes for: "Brake tubing and hose adequacy". In FMCSA's Safety Measurement System it belongs to the Vehicle Maintenance category (violation group: Brakes, All Others) with an official severity weight of 4 out of 10 — moderate severity.
- How long does 393.45 stay on the record?
- Roadside inspection violations stay in the carrier's SMS data for two years, with recent events weighted more heavily than older ones. Fixing the condition doesn't remove the violation — it prevents the repeat, which is what protects the record going forward.
- Does 393.45 affect the driver or the carrier?
- Per FMCSA's list this cite counts on the carrier's record; it is not included in the Driver SMS.
- Can I dispute it?
- If the recorded data is wrong — wrong vehicle or carrier, a cite that doesn't match the condition — file a DataQs Request for Data Review at dataqs.fmcsa.dot.gov with your inspection report and evidence. Data errors do get corrected; valid violations don't get erased, and repairing the issue afterwards doesn't make the original cite incorrect.
Related violations
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Check my USDOT →Cite, description and severity weight verbatim from FMCSA's SMS Methodology Appendix A (v3.21, retrieved 2026-09-06). Out-of-service criteria are CVSA's licensed publication and are not reproduced. General information, not legal advice.