Trouble P0422 Main Catalytic Converter Bank 1 Efficiency Less Than Required

What does P0422 mean?

Trouble P0422 is a general trouble code that indicates that the primary catalytic converter (bank 1) efficiency is below acceptable levels. Catalyst efficiency is determined by the transmission control module (PCM), which uses exhaust gas and temperature data from oxygen sensors located upstream and downstream of the catalytic converter to determine efficiency. If the readings from both sensors match or are almost identical, this indicates that the catalyst efficiency is most likely below acceptable levels. In this case, error P0422 .

Catalytic converter - what is it for?

Car designers are increasingly paying attention to reducing harmful emissions.

To achieve this, the power supply systems of power plants are being modernized in order to achieve the lowest possible fuel consumption, without affecting power performance.

Also, more and more cars are equipped with catalytic converters installed in the exhaust system.

The essence of the catalyst's work comes down to the breakdown of harmful elements into harmless ones through chemical reactions.

The catalytic converter consists of a housing, inside of which active catalysts, the so-called bobbins, are placed.

Nowadays these bobbins are often made of ceramic, but some are also made of metal.

The reel contains a large number of honeycombs through which the exhaust gases pass.

But ceramics do not enter into a chemical reaction; for this purpose, the surface of the honeycomb is covered with a layer of noble metals - platinum, iridium. Thanks to these metals, a reaction occurs, which reduces the harmfulness of car emissions.

The operating efficiency of this device depends on the temperature - the optimal temperature is considered to be from 300 degrees, so there is also a heat-insulating layer inside the housing, and the element itself is placed as close as possible to the exhaust manifold.

You can read more about the design features of the catalytic converter, as well as the principle of its operation, here.

One of the main disadvantages of the catalytic converter is its relatively short service life. On average, it is designed for 100-120 thousand km, after which it becomes inoperative.

Causes of error P0422

The most common cause of P0422 is a faulty catalytic converter. Other reasons are:

Oxygen sensor malfunction
Engine coolant temperature sensor malfunction
Fuel pressure regulator malfunction
Manifold air pressure sensor malfunction
Air flow sensor malfunction
Engine oil contamination
Engine leak before catalytic converter
Misfires in engine cylinders
Damage to wires and connectors

The most popular Niva 21214 errors and methods for eliminating them.

Engine error codes (P0000)

Note!

Chevrolet Niva on-board computer errors found in this way reflect the most accurate state of affairs at the current time.

0102/103 - the pulse from the mass air flow sensor is too low or high, damage to the device or its wiring may occur;
0112-0113 – similar indicators from the device for measuring the actual temperature of the intake manifold;
0116 – the level of the DTOZh signal is outside the permissible limits, urgent diagnostics of the system is required;
0117/0118 – is responsible for the above element and indicates that the signal level is too low/high; it is also necessary to check the sensor itself;
0122/0213 – excessively weak or strong impulse from the TPS, cleaning the mechanical part of the device or replacing the sensor may help;
0130-0132 – incorrect data transmission from DC1 installed to the catalytic converter; the part may need to be replaced or cleaned;
0133 – is responsible for the above element and indicates a slow response of the device to driver commands;
0134/0135 – breakage of the power line/breakage of the heater DK1;
0136 – short circuit with contact to the negative wire of DK2;
0137/138 – critical drawdown/exceeding the permissible norm of the signal from the oxygen sensor installed after the exhaust gas converter;
0140/0141 – open circuit of the wiring or breakdown of the DC2 itself;
0171/0172 – malfunction of the fuel supply device; the mixture is excessively lean or rich; it is necessary to check the fuel lines for damage; the fuel pump and its relay should also be diagnosed;
0201-204 – damage to the injector driver control wiring for each engine cylinder in series;
0261/0264/0267/0270 – short circuit on the body for wiring the driver of each injector in series;
0262/0265/0268/0271 – similar, only with a touch to the vehicle’s on-board wiring, for each cylinder, respectively;
0300 – the electronic control unit has detected multiple misfires, the gasoline supply is turned off;
0301-0304 – similarly, misfires are observed for each working chamber, respectively, the controller cuts off the flow of fuel to the damaged module;
0327-0328 – the knock sensor is not working correctly, a weak or too high signal is detected;
0335 – DPKV is out of order or its wiring is damaged, you should immediately perform physical diagnostics of the sensor;
0336 – the same sensor does not work correctly;
0337/0338 – short circuit to the body/break in the DPKV wiring;
0340 - therefore, error p0340 Niva shows that there are problems in the circuit of the above sensor;
0342 – critical reduction in the permissible impulse from the DPKV;
0343 - error 0343 Niva warns that the actual impulse from the DPKV is above the permissible limit;
0422 – obstruction of the catalytic converter has been detected, the device needs to be replaced;
0441 – the actual value of the flow meter differs from the calculated values;
0443 – the canister purge valve is faulty or there is serious damage to the power cables;
0480/481 – failure or damage to the wiring of the fan relay No. 1/2 of the cooling system;
0500 – the speedometer sensor shows incorrect data;
0503 – DSA pulse is interrupted or the wiring is short-circuited;
0506/507 – the power plant XX regulator is blocked, a low or high speed level is detected;
0560 – the performance of on-board systems is limited due to a critical voltage drop, usually the cause is a deep discharge of the battery;
0562/563 – there are voltage surges in the on-board network, up or down from the reference value;
0601 – error in writing or reading information for a permanent recording device;
0603/604 – similar for RAM;
0615 – there is no power to the starter relay, you need to check the safety insert and wiring;
0616/617 – Short circuit on the on-board network or on the car body of the starter relay wiring;
1135 – interruption or incorrect operation of the control wiring DK1;
1140 – mass air flow sensor error, the measured value differs from the calculated value;
1141 – disruption of the operation of power lines DK2;
1386 – incorrect signal from the mixture detonation channel length sensor;
1410 – Short circuit of the canister purge valve lines with contact with other wires;
1425 – similar, only with contact on the car body;
1426 – complete break in the lines of the canister purge valve – no pulse;
1501/02 – there is a short circuit in the control and power lines of the main fuel pump touching the standard wiring or body, respectively;
1509 – critical overload of the power plant idle speed control relay;
1513/514 – short circuit of the above module with contact to the wires or car body;
1541 – control of the electric fuel pump is lost, there is a break in the cables;
1570 – APS does not respond, control elements or control lines may be damaged;
1602 – error 1602 Niva indicates that there is no power in the controller;
1606 – the rough road sensor is acting up;
1616/617 – too weak or strong impulse from DND;
1640 – error in writing or reading the EEPROM system;
1689 – false data in the error memory, the system needs to be reset;
2188 - error 2188 Niva warns the user that an excessively rich fuel mixture is supplied to the engine at idle speed (the engine choke).

On this machine, it’s 3 years old, my friend started to periodically get error 1602 and the check light comes on, the on-board computer says “loss of on-board voltage.” After resetting the error, it comes out again after a while. Has anyone encountered this? Please advise .

Last edited by smihuil; 10/22/2014 at 6:44 pm.

It seems that the entire error is written as a loss of voltage on the controller's on-board network. Do you know where the settings are on the ECU? Does the car stall?

The car doesn’t stall and he doesn’t know where he is; the check light is currently on again.

If the car doesn’t stall or affect the operation of the engine in any way, then let it drive and not interfere. If it interferes, cover the light bulb with electrical tape.

But still, the error is connected with something.

There could be too many things. Perhaps there is a bad contact in some plug, maybe a software glitch, maybe a bad solder in the ECU, maybe some kind of relay is not working. Only a diagnostician and an electrician can find where. But even then it will be very confusing. Keep an eye on the topic, maybe the experts can tell you something else.

Thank you for your participation in my question.

Yes, connected, bad ground on one of the ground on the ECU, reduced emergency power, maybe even a floating contact.

You need to hook up the scanner, output the ADC of the sensors and the ECU power supply itself, it’s better in the graph mode and accelerate and ride, depending on what changes and where and when the error appears, if the error appears at speed or on the mountain, that is, when there is an obvious increased load, the scanner still shows It wouldn’t hurt to display the engine load parameter as a percentage, so if an error occurs at increased load, then this is a contact and then the entire supply circuit rings, the main relay changes immediately.

Last edited by Creptolizer; 10/23/2014 at 11:16 am.

Yes, maybe the voltage on board the network is low. What is the voltage on the battery when the engine is off/on? With/without load? First of all, check this. Then stretch out all the masses.

Thank you for your assistance, I will pass on all your advice and comments.

Yes, a faulty generator can also generate an error if there is a voltage failure in one arm of the bridge.

Well, everything is simple here, I unplugged the + wire from the gene and drove it for a ride, then with the gene, I looked at when there was an error and when there was not.

Thank you for everything, if I find a reason, I’ll write what it was.

Did the author figure out the cause of the error? I started getting the same error after replacing the battery with a new one. Maybe the new one was not very new?

Does it appear constantly? Those. I reset it, but the next time I start it it pops up again?

Are the terminals properly tightened? Are the masses okay? It may pop up, for example, if the voltage drops below a certain value when cranking the starter. But at the same time this will not be noticeable - the starter will turn very sluggishly.

Yes, connected, bad ground on one of the ground on the ECU, reduced emergency power, maybe even a floating contact.

and if an error appears if you go forward. The tachometer is at zero, the engine does not stall. The tachometer needle may just jerk

Last edited by aleks67; 07/16/2015 at 13:48 .

How does a mechanic diagnose a P0422 code?

Error P0422 can be diagnosed using a standard OBD-II scanner. The mechanic uses a scanner to view data and gather information about the code, as well as check for other error codes that may be present. The mechanic will then clear the error codes from the PCM memory and retest the system to see if P0422 again. If the code disappears, it may indicate an intermittent error or that the code appeared in error.

If the P0422 appears again, have a mechanic inspect the wires and connectors near the catalytic converter. He will repair or replace any damaged items. The mechanic will then inspect the catalytic converter and also perform a thorough check of the exhaust system for leaks.

If the catalytic converter is the problem, the mechanic will examine other vehicle components to determine the cause of the catalytic converter damage.

p0504

Also, many owners of a Lada Priora with 16 valves have questions about the appearance of error p0504. She tells the owner that there is a malfunction in the brake pedal sensor. To find out the exact reason for the appearance of p0504, you need to remove the sensor and disassemble it. Pay attention to its springs, one of them could burst - replace the damaged part.

Common errors when diagnosing code P0422

The most common mistake when diagnosing a P0422 is failure to follow the diagnostic protocol, which leads to hasty replacement of the catalytic converter. Before replacing the catalyst, it is necessary to eliminate the cause of its damage, and also consider other error codes present.

It is also a mistake to hastily replace oxygen sensors. Before replacing them, it is necessary to perform a thorough diagnosis, since usually sensor failure is not the only cause of error P0422 .

On which cars is this problem most common?

The problem with code P0422 can occur on different machines, but there are always statistics on which brands this error occurs more often. Here is a list of some of them:

Audi
Chevrolet
Chrysler
Dodge (Dodge Caravan)
Ford
Hyundai (Hyundai Accent, Elantra)
Kia (Kia Spectra, Sportage)
Mercedes
Mitsubishi
Peugeot (Peugeot 206)
Volkswagen (Volkswagen Beatle, Jetta)
Volvo
VAZ 2104, 2105, 2107, 2110, 2111, 2112, 2113, 2114, 2115
Volga Chrysler, 31105
Gazelle Business, Next
Lada Vesta, Granta, Kalina, Niva, Priora
UAZ

With fault code P0422, you can sometimes encounter other errors. The most common are the following: P0304, P0326, P0420, P0441, P0455.

How serious is the P0422 code?

The severity of the P0422 depends on the cause of its occurrence. If the problem is a bad catalytic converter, the engine may stall frequently or be difficult to start. In this case, problems with the vehicle's handling may occur. However, if everything is in order with the catalyst, there should not be any serious problems. In any case, if this code is detected, it is recommended that you contact a qualified technician as soon as possible to diagnose and repair the error to avoid serious damage to the catalytic converter.

Symptoms of malfunction

The main driver symptom of P0422 is the MIL (Malfunction Indicator Light) illumination. It is also called Check engine or simply “check light”.

They can also appear as:

The “Check engine” warning light on the control panel will light up (the code will be stored in the ECM memory as a malfunction).
The engine stalls or has trouble starting.
Decrease in engine power.
Increased emissions of harmful substances from the exhaust pipe.