Just adding my 2 cents on trucks that fail pre-trips. I usually keep a copy of my inspection report, give one to the company and tell them that the truck is out of service. Having my copy of the inspection report to give to the authorities upon request. This usually forces them to fix the problems or face stiff fines because there is proof on file that they knew about the problem.
However, I did know one guy working for a company that tried to force him on the road with a defective truck. He just smiled and at the first open inspection station, requested a level one inspection of the truck. He lost some time, the company got the fine.