§393.205 sets the wheel/rim and fastener requirements: wheels and rims must not be cracked or broken; stud or bolt holes must not be worn out of round; nuts and bolts must not be missing or insufficiently tightened. The fastener prong is the most-cited element — missing or under-torqued lug nuts.
OOS criteria
The NAS Out-of-Service Criteria places the vehicle OOS for wheel/rim findings when:
- A crack in the rim or wheel extends across the rim contour
- Three or more loose or missing fasteners on any wheel position
- One missing fastener on a steer-axle wheel
- A wheel position with two adjacent fasteners missing
Severity
Severity weight 3 in the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC. Wheel failures are catastrophic when they happen — a separated wheel at highway speed is a fatality risk for surrounding traffic.
How to prevent it
- Re-torque lug nuts at 50–100 miles after every wheel change. New tires and brake jobs are the typical precursor to missing-fastener findings.
- Visual inspection of wheels and rims at every pre-trip — look for rust streaks emanating from fastener holes (the classic loose-lug warning sign).
- Track tire-rotation and brake-job mileage so re-torque windows aren't missed.
How Roadworthy HQ helps
Wheel-and-fastener DVIR findings link to the vehicle's maintenance record and the PM schedule. When a roadside OOS citation lands, the 15-day §396.9(d) repair-certification deadline counts down on the dashboard.