DOT violations › 393.47
FMCSA Violation 393.47: Brakes out of adjustment / inadequate for safe stopping
Cited when a vehicle's brakes are out of adjustment or otherwise inadequate for safe stopping. A common and safety-critical roadside finding.
Last updated: June 2026 · Data sources: NHTSA vPIC (live) and FMCSA public inspection records (periodic refresh).
Quick answer
FMCSA roadside violation 393.47 (brakes out of adjustment / inadequate for safe stopping) is a brakes citation that frequently results in an out-of-service order. On a used truck, a past 393.47 citation does not prove a current defect — it tells you exactly what to verify before you buy. If the VIN appears in FMCSA roadside records, TruckWhere shows whether it has this or other violations.
Free FMCSA roadside summary. We accept exact 17-character VINs only and never silently correct a VIN.
Is 393.47 serious?
This is a Brakes violation. It frequently results in an out-of-service order. An out-of-service order means the vehicle could not continue until the condition was corrected at that time — it does not prove the defect remains today.
What a buyer should ask the seller
Ask when the brakes were last adjusted and relined, and request the repair invoice for any prior brake citation.
What a mechanic should inspect
Measure pushrod stroke/adjustment, lining and drum/rotor condition, and check for air leaks and ABS faults.
How 393.47 appears in a TruckWhere report
In a TruckWhere DOT Buyer Report, a 393.47 citation shows up in the roadside timeline with its date, state, unit attribution, out-of-service status, and a plain-English explanation — plus a Brakes entry in repeated-system detection if it occurred more than once.
Check a VIN for 393.47 →Related brakes violations
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Frequently asked questions
- What does FMCSA violation 393.47 mean?
- Cited when a vehicle's brakes are out of adjustment or otherwise inadequate for safe stopping. A common and safety-critical roadside finding. It frequently results in an out-of-service order.
- Is violation 393.47 serious?
- It is a brakes citation that frequently results in an out-of-service order. Historical violations do not prove a current defect, but they tell you exactly what to verify before buying.
- Can I check if a truck's VIN has violation 393.47?
- Yes — if the VIN appears in FMCSA roadside records, TruckWhere shows its violations (including codes like 393.47), out-of-service events, and the inspection timeline for that exact VIN.