When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hello I have a Honda Fit 2019 with a few error codes and need advice on what to do. The codes:
P219A air fuel ratio variation of cylinder
P0420 catalyst system efficiency below threshold b1
U3006-16 power source failure for ecu (low voltage)
Mileage: 96k
Currently the car runs fine except the ambient eco lights flanking the speedometer now stay at dark blue even when going down hill. There also feels like a slight resistance to increase/decrease speed. It feels like the car wants to keep its current speed. This change only happened after exiting cruise control.
I have very little money atm and rely on gig work to survive. What is the cheapest maintenance I can do to clear these codes and keep the car in good health?
For P219A, you could try running a few bottles of injector cleaner through it (Techron actually works) but you may need new fuel injectors. The P0420 code is probably related to the fuel injector code.
U3006-16 is an error code from the ABS unit, complaining about low input (battery) voltage. It may be as simple as needing a new battery. Car batteries typically last 4-6 years. If your car still has the original battery, it's certainly time. Consider the Group 51R upgrade. As for free DIY work, you could check for corrosion (copper corrosion is usually blue-green) around the battery terminals and that the terminals are tight (try twisting each one on its post). Touching the battery terminals with your hands isn't dangerous - the whole car body is connected to the negative battery terminal. Worst case, there's some acid residue on the battery - keep it off your clothes and wash your hands afterwards. Wear latex/nitrile gloves if you prefer.
Using metal tools on the battery terminals (in particular the positive terminal) requires caution. Touching a metal object to the positive terminal makes it electrically part of the terminal. Touching any other part of the tool to the negative terminal, metal engine components or car body will create a dangerous short-circuit. If you're lucky it will just throw some sparks. The tool can become welded in place, quickly heating up to plastic-melting and then fire-starting temperatures until the battery goes dead. Don't let that happen - it's bad.
Don't over-tighten the battery terminals - it will distort the terminal making it unreliable. Again, if you can't twist the terminal on the post, it's tight.
Thanks for the tips! Would cleaning the fuel injectors be an option? Buying new ones are very expensive and my money is tight. I can try that fuel cleaner after I use up my current half tank.
I purchased the battery on 07/2024. It is only a year old but it was also a generic brand from oriellys. Here is the name: Super Start Extreme Standard Flooded Top Post Battery Group Size 151R 340 CCA 55 Minute RC - 151REXT
There is some green gunk on the red terminal. I have a wire brush but I am afraid to use it lol. I will have to take it to an auto place for a free battery check up. See the photo below for battery:
A one-year-old battery shouldn't give you any trouble unless it's been run completely dead many times.
That *is* the kind of corrosion that should be cleaned off, but that doesn't look bad enough to cause problems. There are low-cost ($4-6) brushes designed for battery terminals. One end is designed for cleaning the battery post, the other (in the handle/cover) is the proper size to clean inside the terminal. Applying some dielectric grease after cleaning should help prevent future corrosion. There are sprays designed to protect battery terminals, but they're usually over-priced.
As for the codes, get someone with a scan tool to clear them and see how long it takes them to come back.
A one-year-old battery shouldn't give you any trouble unless it's been run completely dead many times.
That *is* the kind of corrosion that should be cleaned off, but that doesn't look bad enough to cause problems. There are low-cost ($4-6) brushes designed for battery terminals. One end is designed for cleaning the battery post, the other (in the handle/cover) is the proper size to clean inside the terminal. Applying some dielectric grease after cleaning should help prevent future corrosion. There are sprays designed to protect battery terminals, but they're usually over-priced.
As for the codes, get someone with a scan tool to clear them and see how long it takes them to come back.
Thanks I will clean the terminals and get the battery checked. I can see if the codes can be cleared too. I haven't had any issues with the battery but I hope that is the source as it is about easy fix.
Drove it after not using car for 3 days. The ambient lighting returned and no check engine light.
Got codes checked and battery. The cat code was gone but the fuel injector and ecu remained however they were not on the dash. Found battery was bad, and got free replacement.
Shortly afterwards there was a chime and check engine light cane on. Could not see the codes. The ambient light was stuck dark blue.
Sometime later It went away on its own and no issues for rest of night. Ambient lighting returned and no check engine light.
So it seems to drive fine atm. I am glad you recommend a battery check I wouldn't have thought to get one! I am going to get quotes for a fuel injector cleaning, and one for replacement to see my options. I have a recall issue 24V-384 tomorrow so that should help too. I also need to do a bunch of recommended minor maintenance for my current mileage too.
Oh the other minor thing is the fit is so fuel efficient that I am having trouble using up my current half tank of gas. I can't do the fuel cleaner + high quality gasoline until my current tank is near empty.
Hopefully things will be OK. I will keep posting updates as I continue to troubleshoot these codes.
I can't do the fuel cleaner + high quality gasoline until my current tank is near empty.
You can add the cleaner at any time, but you will get a higher concentration of cleaner going through the injectors if you add it to a near-empty tank. I'm not sure how cleaner concentration will affect the cleaning action. Think about dish soap - beyond a certain point, adding more soap doesn't get the dishes any cleaner, and that level may be surprisingly low. Like dish soap, the cleaner may just be latching onto injector deposits and still needs fuel to rinse them away. Keep in mind that the manufacturer is trying to sell you as much of their product as possible without outright lying to you about what it is or does.
The fuel injector and catalyst codes coming and going suggests the problem is right on the edge of what is or is not an error-code-worthy set of conditions. That makes me hopeful that something as simple as injector cleaner could make the code go away and stay away.
It may also be worth looking into induction cleaning. GK Fit engines are direct-injection, meaning the fuel injectors fire directly into the cylinders. Previous engine designs were port-injection, meaning the fuel injectors spray into the intake port for each cylinder, pretty much directly on the back of the intake valves. Port injection keeps the backs of the intake valves clean. Direct injection does not. Crankcase ventilation vapors (from the PCV system) hit the back of the hot valves and form carbon deposits. Without periodic cleaning, they restrict air flow. That can reduce engine power if the build-up is even between the cylinders. Uneven build-up could cause air/fuel mixture or emissions codes, as some cylinders get more air flow than others, but the ECM can't tell the difference. More or less air flow with the same amount of fuel injected will make the mixture lean or rich, respectively. Lean and rich mixtures cause more emissions, and are exactly the kind of thing the ECM is looking for when throwing emissions codes.
The fuel injector and catalyst codes coming and going suggests the problem is right on the edge of what is or is not an error-code-worthy set of conditions. That makes me hopeful that something as simple as injector cleaner could make the code go away and stay away.
Ok I am going to try the techcron and and use premium chevron gas. I have been using circle k gas and had no idea that chevron was superior!
I got 2 quotes for for fuel injector cleaning one from a local shop for 270, and 300 from the dealer. Does that seem about right?
Looking at the dealers recommended maintenance for my mileage I think they have too high a mark up on some things. 460 for spark plugs, and 170 for wipers. Valve/gasket 500, and cooling flush 180. Idk if that is an OK cost on the last two. See pic below:
Those prices are about 5x what I would consider to be a "good" price for the work.
$170 to replace wiper blades is robbery. The blade refills (just the rubber strip) for the stock wipers are under $20 for a set of 3 blades (front right, front left, rear) and they take 10-15 minutes to install, depending on how familiar you are with them. I guess they're billing labor somewhere in the $600-900/hour range. That comes out to $1.2M a year on a standard 2000 hour work schedule. Somebody is making bank, and I don't think it's the technicians. Even if you replace all the blade assemblies (the way you would with aftermarket wipers) that comes in under $70 in parts, and 5 minutes to install, tops. $100 for 5 minutes of work hits $1200/hour!
Honda Service has turned into a con operation - don't trust them with anything unless it's under warranty.
I figured thier prices were too high. They wanted 180 to check codes! The wiper blade was ridiculous too. I think i can do the soark plugs myself. However what about the fuel injector cleaning? Idk what the baseline is for that.
