DTC U0416-68 (VSA System malfunction)

[Cyano_Hibiki]

Hi all,

I had my windshield reinstalled today and the shop did a code scan (calibration purposes). The shop owner told me they found an unrelated DTC that could not be cleared. The code in question being U0416-68 (VSA System malfunction). As far as the shop owner and myself could tell, it is not related to the front camera calibration.

The code seems to have appeared on its own with no indicator lights on the dash and zero other related codes. I went back home and used my BlueDriver scanner to perform a scan myself. Again, just this one single code. I tried to clear it, but it came back after a restart. I did some further digging, but information online has been relatively sparse for the FL5.

There is also an issue I'm not sure if is related. I feel the car being a bit sluggish and gas mileage has dropped pretty significantly for the past week or so. I noticed the lack of power about 10 days ago, but thought it was just me imagining things and didn't really pay attention. This post reminds me of this issue and maybe is related to the VSA System issue? (I cannot link Civic 11th Forum so here is the part of the url after the web domain... /threads/code-u0416-68-help.9145/)
On the way back home today, I tried WOT for a few times on the highway and it seems the car does not want to boost (low turbo pressure, <10 in general, peaked to 13~14 for a second or two). It is similar to what the post have described.

I am fairly new to performance cars (the FL5 being my first with a turbo) and am still learning the ins and outs of troubleshooting. Any help from this experienced community would be appreciated!

To help narrow down the issue, the car has been lightly modded:
- PRL Front Swaybar
- PRL Rear Motor Mount
- PRL HV Intake
- Rays GramLight 57DR 18" wheels

Additionally, I have these installed
- IGLA Anti Theft System
- DroneMobile GPS

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[ctechauto]

Where in Texas are you? I run a shop in DFW that focuses on Type Rs if you want us to take a look at it: https://www.civicxi.com/forum/threads/ctech-auto-dfw-tx-type-r-specialist-shop.62651

Also by front sway bar do you mean the front strut tower bar?

However, given you just had your windshield installed, I would suspect it is indeed related. I would suggest having them rectify it as:

DTC U0416-68, U0416-F8: If the multipurpose camera unit receives malfunction information from the VSA modulator-control unit, the multipurpose camera unit determines an abnormality and stores the DTC.

Note: there are other systems linked to this DTC but highly unlikely (EPS, VSA control unit itself, vacuum pumps, etc), so I'm only looking at the camera system. It's all part of the CAN system.

This is extremely likely to be related to the safety sensor (automatic braking, lane departure, etc) that uses the front camera as the camera is literally at the top of the windshield in front of the rear view mirror. The very windshield you replaced. When was the windshield install done? Was it around the same time you noticed the limp mode as well?

What's more concerning is the shop told you it isn't related with such confidence without even digging into it.

 

[Cyano_Hibiki]

Where in Texas are you? I run a shop in DFW that focuses on Type Rs if you want us to take a look at it: https://www.civicxi.com/forum/threads/ctech-auto-dfw-tx-type-r-specialist-shop.62651

Also by front sway bar do you mean the front strut tower bar?

However, given you just had your windshield installed, I would suspect it is indeed related. I would suggest having them rectify it as:

DTC U0416-68, U0416-F8: If the multipurpose camera unit receives malfunction information from the VSA modulator-control unit, the multipurpose camera unit determines an abnormality and stores the DTC.

This is extremely likely to be related to the safety sensor (automatic braking, lane departure, etc) that uses the front camera as the camera is literally at the top of the windshield in front of the rear view mirror. What's more concerning is the shop told you it isn't related with such confidence without even digging into it.

Hey! Thanks for the speedy reply. I am based in Austin.

Yes, I meant front strut tower bar. Sorry, I had the jargon wrong. This is what I installed: https://prlmotorsports.com/products...-r-fl5-throwback-front-strut-bar?_pos=1&_ss=r

If the issue is indeed windshield related, then I need to get back to the shop and have them give me a solution. What is funny is that, they had to reinstall the glass today due to missing that foam strip last time. The diagnostic last time shows there is one EPS code before the calibration but was cleared after... This time it shows up as both present before and after.

What confuses me a bit is the sluggishness I had a while ago before the first windshield installation... I don't have the experience to tell if it was me imagining things or the car actually lack power.

I did use auto lane keep on my way back today, seems to be functioning just fine. Again, not sure if this helps with diagnostics...

 

[ctechauto]

Hey! Thanks for the speedy reply. I am based in Austin.

Yes, I meant front strut tower bar. Sorry, I had the jargon wrong. This is what I installed: https://prlmotorsports.com/products...-r-fl5-throwback-front-strut-bar?_pos=1&_ss=r

If the issue is indeed windshield related, then I need to get back to the shop and have them give me a solution. What is funny is that, they had to reinstall the glass today due to missing that foam strip last time. The diagnostic last time shows there is one EPS code before the calibration but was cleared after... This time it shows up as both present before and after.

What confuses me a bit is the sluggishness I had a while ago before the first windshield installation... I don't have the experience to tell if it was me imagining things or the car actually lack power.

I did use auto lane keep on my way back today, seems to be functioning just fine. Again, not sure if this helps with diagnostics...

"Hard" codes cannot be cleared in the traditional sense, and they have to clear on their own (drive cycles, ignition cycles, even sometimes I/M readiness), and the ECU will determine if those functionality is normal after a while, then it would go away.

It's also very common for VSA "hard" codes to give you limp mode until it goes away with those drive cycles because those systems are all interconnected via CAN. If you noticed it before the windshield install, it might not be related as far as the limp mode is concerned/sluggishness.

Did you notice it before/after your PRL HVI install?

Again, I would suggest going back to the shop. Sounds like they've messed up the install process a couple of times, so it wouldn't surprise me that it would be related. I also mentioned EPS (I edited the posted right before you quoted me), so again, it definitely sounds related to windshield install.

 

[Cyano_Hibiki]

"Hard" codes cannot be cleared in the traditional sense, and they have to clear on their own (drive cycles, ignition cycles, even sometimes I/M readiness), and the ECU will determine if those functionality is normal after a while, then it would go away.

It's also very common for VSA "hard" codes to give you limp mode until it goes away with those drive cycles because those systems are all interconnected via CAN. If you noticed it before the windshield install, it might not be related as far as the limp mode is concerned/sluggishness.

Did you notice it before/after your PRL HVI install?

Again, I would suggest going back to the shop. Sounds like they've messed up the install process a couple of times, so it wouldn't surprise me that it would be related. I also mentioned EPS (I edited the posted right before you quoted me), so again, it definitely sounds related to windshield install.

The VSA limp mode makes sense for the lack of boost today, I think.

As for the events timeline:
Last November - I installed the HVI. Have not noticed any issue after installation.
Jan 10 - The first time I noticed that sluggishness. I did have an oil change minder popup at that time, I just remembered. I was also taking my friend on the passenger seat that day on a 30 minute highway trip. Not sure if either contributes.
Jan 12 - Went to dealership to get oil change.
Jan 13 - Initial windshield replacement, DTC cleared after calibration.
Jan 19 - Re-installation due to mistakes, DTC stayed after calibration. Noticed lack of boost on highway.

 

[ctechauto]

The VSA limp mode makes sense for the lack of boost today, I think.

As for the events timeline:
Last November - I installed the HVI. Have not noticed any issue after installation.
Jan 10 - The first time I noticed that sluggishness. I did have an oil change minder popup at that time, I just remembered. I was also taking my friend on the passenger seat that day on a 30 minute highway trip. Not sure if either contributes.
Jan 12 - Went to dealership to get oil change.
Jan 13 - Initial windshield replacement, DTC cleared after calibration.
Jan 19 - Re-installation due to mistakes, DTC stayed after calibration. Noticed lack of boost on highway.

I would highly suggest you go back to the shop then. While correlation is not causation 100% of the time, it is highly suspect in this case. Also, maybe with enough drive cycles it will clear on its own as its a hard/permanent code.

 

[Cyano_Hibiki]

I would highly suggest you go back to the shop then. While correlation is not causation 100% of the time, it is highly suspect in this case. Also, maybe with enough drive cycles it will clear on its own as its a hard/permanent code.

Sounds good, I'm going to write the shop owner a follow up email. Do you have any pointers to which they should try to look at? Or should I just tell them to "check the safety module" since its the most likely culprit?

 

[ctechauto]

Sounds good, I'm going to write the shop owner a follow up email. Do you have any pointers to which they should try to look at? Or should I just tell them to "check the safety module" since its the most likely culprit?

Just give them this (in bold, nothing else) and have them do with it as they wish. I do not suggest you show them this whole thread, it would probably do more harm than good as they may interpret as finger pointing and throwing them under the bus. Just say you did some research.

DTC U0416-68, U0416-F8: If the multipurpose camera unit receives malfunction information from the VSA modulator-control unit, the multipurpose camera unit determines an abnormality and stores the DTC.

 

[Cyano_Hibiki]

Just give them this (in bold, nothing else) and have them do with it as they wish. I do not suggest you show them this whole thread, it would probably do more harm than good as they may interpret as finger pointing and throwing them under the bus. Just say you did some research.

DTC U0416-68, U0416-F8: If the multipurpose camera unit receives malfunction information from the VSA modulator-control unit, the multipurpose camera unit determines an abnormality and stores the DTC.

Alright. Since the car still drives and my regular commute is city roads, I think I will give it a day or two to see if that code goes away on its own. If not, I will send them this bold paragraph. They have been very apologetic about their mistakes during the first installation attempt, and fixed every issue I found for free.

 

[Cyano_Hibiki]

@ctechauto A follow up question if you don’t mind.
I cleared the code several times last night while performing a few drive cycles (start, scan, clear code, drive a bit, turn off, repeat). The code definitely persists after those attempts, so I’m fairly certain that something must be wrong.
I did bring the car to a high way again last night and did WOT a few times at 3rd gear. I was able to get 15+ PSI, so the car was performing fine (?) again. Now again I am definitely new to this so take my assessment with a grain of salt. I could just be running low on gas or maybe I wasn’t WOTing enough earlier.
My question is: would the limp mode you mentioned occur after some sort of timer or delayed trigger after a VSA issue is detected by the computer, instead of kicking in immediately?

 

[ctechauto]

@ctechauto A follow up question if you don’t mind.
I cleared the code several times last night while performing a few drive cycles (start, scan, clear code, drive a bit, turn off, repeat). The code definitely persists after those attempts, so I’m fairly certain that something must be wrong.
I did bring the car to a high way again last night and did WOT a few times at 3rd gear. I was able to get 15+ PSI, so the car was performing fine (?) again. Now again I am definitely new to this so take my assessment with a grain of salt. I could just be running low on gas or maybe I wasn’t WOTing enough earlier.
My question is: would the limp mode you mentioned occur after some sort of timer or delayed trigger after a VSA issue is detected by the computer, instead of kicking in immediately?

Typically it would be immediate. However, depending on which gear and the ambient temp/weather, you should maybe see 18-20(ish) PSI boost pressure on stock tune in 3rd. Lower in lower gears because its commanding torque values, not specifically boost pressure. If the ECU is getting X torque at any given PSI, thats what it will command and ask for.

So just going by PSI isnt always an indication of an actual problem like limp mode. At this point I dont think its related, and you may have just tried to go by absolute PSI of boost pressure and assumed there was a problem. It would be consistent that it would be in limp mode if there was a problem and the car would ultimately drive and feel like crap all the time. So I dont think its related especially if theres not other codes to go along with it. I would get the DTC resolved by the windshield shop first and foremost.

 

[Cyano_Hibiki]

Typically it would be immediate. However, depending on which gear and the ambient temp/weather, you should maybe see 18-20(ish) PSI boost pressure on stock tune in 3rd. Lower in lower gears because its commanding torque values, not specifically boost pressure. If the ECU is getting X torque at any given PSI, thats what it will command and ask for.

So just going by PSI isnt always an indication of an actual problem like limp mode. At this point I dont think its related, and you may have just tried to go by absolute PSI of boost pressure and assumed there was a problem. It would be consistent that it would be in limp mode if there was a problem and the car would ultimately drive and feel like crap all the time. So I dont think its related especially if theres not other codes to go along with it. I would get the DTC resolved by the windshield shop first and foremost.

Thank you again for the help so far. That makes a lot of sense now. I do remember I pushed it up to 22 PSI for a short moment. It's probably unrelated then.

I did call the shop just now and spoke with the shop owner. They assured me that if the camera has any issue they would not be able to complete the calibration. They also described the code as "frozen" (not sure what that means). They basically suggested that I should find a mechanic to troubleshoot the cause of this problem, and they are willing to fix the issue if the cause is indeed related to the new windshield. They also said they are just a glass shop so they don't necessarily have the know-hows to troubleshoot electrical/mechanical problems. I attached the calibration report they gave me in case it is of any help. (I blurred out the shop and technician names because I don't want to point any fingers before I know the actual cause of this DTC.)

Not trying to discredit their work, but I think I got the "go kick a can" treatment on this particular issue. I hate being "that customer", guess I'd go elsewhere to figure out what's wrong then. I don't really know any mechanics locally in ATX who works on Type Rs, and with dealerships the water is always kind of murky. If you've got any connections, that would be much appreciated. Worst case, a trip to DFW won't be too bad.

 

[ctechauto]

Thank you again for the help so far. That makes a lot of sense now. I do remember I pushed it up to 22 PSI for a short moment. It's probably unrelated then.

I did call the shop just now and spoke with the shop owner. They assured me that if the camera has any issue they would not be able to complete the calibration. They also described the code as "frozen" (not sure what that means). They basically suggested that I should find a mechanic to troubleshoot the cause of this problem, and they are willing to fix the issue if the cause is indeed related to the new windshield. They also said they are just a glass shop so they don't necessarily have the know-hows to troubleshoot electrical/mechanical problems. I attached the calibration report they gave me in case it is of any help. (I blurred out the shop and technician names because I don't want to point any fingers before I know the actual cause of this DTC.)

Not trying to discredit their work, but I think I got the "go kick a can" treatment on this particular issue. I hate being "that customer", guess I'd go elsewhere to figure out what's wrong then. I don't really know any mechanics locally in ATX who works on Type Rs, and with dealerships the water is always kind of murky. If you've got any connections, that would be much appreciated. Worst case, a trip to DFW won't be too bad.

"Frozen" they probably meant its a hard/permanent code. As I mentioned, if it isnt an actual issue, and has resolved itself, it will take multiple drive cycles, ignition cycles, distance, etc. That being said, give it a few more days or even a week and see if it goes away. However that EPS code is interesting. If I get some time, I'll look up the code again and drill into the EPS relation.

If it doesnt go away in a few days, go to the dealer or a reputable independent shop in Austin and go from there.

Eurofed in Austin is good (however they focus on euros)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/918TsH8Zzr8SPvA9A

 

[Cyano_Hibiki]

"Frozen" they probably meant its a hard/permanent code. As I mentioned, if it isnt an actual issue, and has resolved itself, it will take multiple drive cycles, ignition cycles, distance, etc. That being said, give it a few more days or even a week and see if it goes away. However that EPS code is interesting. If I get some time, I'll look up the code again and drill into the EPS relation.

If it doesnt go away in a few days, go to the dealer or a reputable independent shop in Austin and go from there.

Eurofed in Austin is good (however they focus on euros)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/918TsH8Zzr8SPvA9A

It’s been two weeks so I figure I’d give an update. The same code has not cleared itself, and any attempt to clear it using my scanner didn’t work. The code comes back immediately after a restart.

One thing I didn‘t put much thought into earlier: the shop that installed my anti-theft system seems to have piggybacked some cables onto my OBD II port. The connector has been dangling instead of being properly mounted to the bracket. Not sure if they accidentally messed up any EPS wiring down there. Also, the system I installed requires me to input code using steering wheel buttons. Not sure if or how it would affect EPS.

Were you able to find any information regarding the code and its connection to EPS?

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