Was I wrong?

You are wrong unless you can prove that the exhaust is leaking into the cab. Be careful when you refuse to drive. Make sure you are right and in this case I don't think you are. It's always best to provide a reference number from FMCSR or any other legal laws.

 

Good job new driver you stood up and if you lost your job depending on how new you are you might be looking for a new worse company to start for your moving the wrong way on the ladder right or not and if you quit or get fired from the new #### company in less then a year you will soon be unhireable. What new drivers need to do is shut up and not crash for 2 years.

 

Technically, the truck is safe to drive, although it may not be legal to drive. Write it up, submit the write-up to your employer, keep a copy with you and go do your job. If you get stopped and inspected, show the inspector the written report that you submitted to your employer. You may get an inspection violation for that item, but you will also likely not get a citation since the company told you to operate the truck in that condition after you reported the problem. Submit the inspection report to your company. Now they have to fix it AND pay a fine for it. You might get CSA points for it, but CSA points mean nothing to almost everyone.

The write-up is CYA for you, as you will probably not be stopped and inspected.

You weren't wrong, but I've found that the best course of action in cases like this is to figure out how to protect yourself and your CDL while still doing the job that your employer wants you to do. You stay safe, and the job gets done. Everyone goes home happy.