U0422 is "Invalid Data Received From Body Control Module" — and GM's most frequently published guidance about it is to leave it alone. In two separate bulletins GM tells technicians to ignore this code outright when it is stored in history, and states as a general rule: "never replace components for 'Invalid Data Received' codes within the component." Both GM bulletins that cover a real U0422 repair say the same thing about parts — "No parts are required for this repair."
Jump to a section: What U0422 means · When GM says to ignore it · The two-part code form · Symptoms · Causes and how to confirm each · Affected vehicles · How it's diagnosed · Parts and labor · Service bulletins · What other pages get wrong · FAQ
What U0422 Means
GM's wording is "Invalid Data Received From Body Control Module," and it is always qualified by which module reported it. That qualification matters: U0422 in the power steering control module and U0422 in the instrument cluster are the same code describing different conversations.
The key distinction is between lost communication and invalid data. A lost-communication code means a module went silent. U0422 means the module is talking, and what it said didn't make sense to the listener — a value out of range, a stale counter, a checksum that didn't add up. That usually means something upstream is wrong, not that the body control module has failed.
Which is exactly why GM's standing rule about this family of codes is to look somewhere else.
When GM Says to Ignore It
Two GM bulletins tell technicians, in different words, not to act on this code.
Bulletin 16-NA-407 is explicit: "Ignore CCM and HPCM U0422 DTC (no service necessary) unless it is a current/active code or is accompanied by associated BCM faults U1534 or U1538."
GM even explains why it sets. During vehicle startup the keyless entry module's arbitration, combined with high bus traffic, can lead the body control module to mark the door-open switch's virtual device availability as unavailable. It does not update that back to available until the door switch changes state — and one second later, U0422 is logged. Nothing is broken. The bus was simply busy at the wrong moment.
Bulletin 20-NA-008 gives the general form of the same rule: "If any of the DTCs listed in the table below are set in History, and there is NO customer concern, they have no customer impact and should be ignored. If these DTCs are Currently set, do NOT ignore them but diagnose as normal."
So the first two questions on any U0422 are: is it current or history? And are U1534 or U1538 present alongside it? If it is history and those two are absent, GM's documented position is that there is nothing to fix.
The Two-Part Code Form: U0422-XX
This is one of the codes where GM's two-part form is confirmed rather than assumed. GM prints U0422 00 directly in bulletin 20-NA-008, alongside other codes written the same way.
GM also defines failure byte 71 explicitly, across all GM models from 2013 to 2022: "Symptom Byte -71, Symptom Byte Description: Invalid Data." So a U0422-71 is GM telling you the same thing the base code says, with the sub-type confirming the fault mode.
Beyond byte 71 and the 00 form, no further GM-documented sub-types were found for this code specifically. The 32-row tables published elsewhere — -00 through -1F with distinct meanings each — are auto-generated boilerplate emitted for every code on those sites, not GM data.
Symptoms of U0422
GM-sourced only:
- Often nothing at all. GM's position in 20-NA-008 is direct: "Though customers do NOT see any MIL illuminated, technicians may comment on finding DTCs set in History."
- "Power Steering Assist Reduced" message on the driver information centre, with the check engine light on, and in some cases the air conditioning not working — the 17-NA-390 case.
- A spread of messages where the real fault is elsewhere: "Service StabiliTrak", "Service ABS", "Service Transmission", "Steering Assist Reduced", "AWD off".
Commonly published U0422 symptoms we could not source to any GM document, and therefore do not repeat: no start, immobiliser or anti-theft activation, power accessories inoperative, and battery drain.
Causes of U0422 — and How to Confirm Each One
| Cause | How to confirm it | GM document |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing — a normal startup arbitration artefact | Is the code current or history? Are U1534 or U1538 present? If history and those are absent, GM says no service is necessary | 16-NA-407 |
| A fault in another system propagating across the bus | GM's worked example: an intermittent wheel speed sensor caused by a failing front wheel bearing set U0121, U0131, B1011, U0414, C0040, U0422, U0415, U2502, U0401, U0403 and U0402 across two buses. GM's note: "The multiple U codes can cause misdiagnosis." Review the ABS data for an erratic wheel speed signal | PIT5569B |
| A software calibration anomaly upstream | U0422 in the power steering control module caused by the P111E diagnostic calibration setting the code under certain ambient conditions. Inspect the coolant temperature sensor terminals for loose tension and proper seating, then update the engine control module with the latest calibration | 17-NA-390 |
| Engine wire harness chafing | Inspect the engine harness at the mapped contact points — U0422 appears in Conditions 2 and 4 of the chafing bulletin | 21-NA-149 |
GM's governing rule for this whole family, verbatim: "As a general rule, never replace components for 'Invalid Data Received' codes within the component. Resolve the System-Wide non-Communication (not U codes) first and reevaluate."
The real-world cost of ignoring that is recorded in GM's own bulletin. 17-NA-390 notes that when technicians work this concern, "Some technicians may find that the steering gear has been previously replaced" — that is, a previous shop had already fitted an expensive steering component for what turned out to be a calibration update.
Vehicles Documented for U0422
| Bulletin | Vehicles | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 16-NA-407 | 2017 Buick LaCrosse, 2017 Cadillac XT5, 2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 2018 Equinox, 2018 GMC Terrain | Ignore in history — startup arbitration artefact |
| 17-NA-390 | 2018 models with the 3.6L LFY and LGX engines | Power steering assist reduced — ECM calibration |
| 20-NA-008 | 2020 Cadillac CT4 and CT5 | History codes with no customer impact |
| 21-NA-149 | 2019–2023 Silverado, Sierra, Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon, Escalade | Engine wire harness chafing |
How U0422 Is Diagnosed
You need a tool that shows current versus history status and reads every module, because the entire first decision on this code turns on that distinction. GDS2 or Techline Connect on GM platforms, or a professional aftermarket tool with full GM enhanced coverage. A generic reader that shows a flat list of stored codes cannot tell you what you need to know here.
- Establish current versus history. If history, and there is no customer complaint, GM's documented answer is to leave it.
- Check for U1534 and U1538. Their presence is what turns a U0422 from noise into something to diagnose.
- Record every code in every module. U0422 rarely travels alone, and the company it keeps is the diagnosis.
- Resolve the non-U codes first. This is GM's explicit instruction. A chassis or powertrain fault that produces bad data will produce U-codes as a side effect.
- Where a wheel speed signal is among the codes, review the ABS data for an erratic signal and inspect the wheel bearing before condemning any module.
- On the 3.6L calibration case, inspect coolant temperature sensor terminal tension and seating, then reprogram the ECM with the latest calibration.
- Only then consider harness inspection per the chafing bulletin.
For reprogramming, GM specifies the EL-49642 SPS programming support tool or a PSC-550 equivalent, and warns: "DO NOT connect a battery charger."
Parts and Labor
There is no U0422 part. Both GM bulletins that document an actual repair for this code state it plainly: "No parts are required for this repair." The fix is a calibration update, or the repair of whatever else was wrong.
| Repair | Parts | GM labor operation | Labor time |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECM reprogramming with SPS (17-NA-390) | None required | 2810075 | Published time |
| History codes, no customer concern (20-NA-008) | None required — no repair | — | — |
| Engine harness chafing inspect and repair | Anti-abrasive tape, Kevlar sleeves, clips per 21-NA-149 | 5480728 | 1.2 hr |
| Wrap and secure engine wire harness | As above | 5486188 | 1.3 hr |
If someone has quoted you a body control module against a U0422, that is the moment to ask what non-U codes were present and what was done about them first.
GM Bulletins That Name U0422
Each verified by opening the PDF and confirming the code appears in its text.
| Bulletin | Subject |
|---|---|
| 20-NA-008 | History DTCs with no customer impact — ignore unless currently set. Prints the code as U0422 00
|
| PIT5569A / PIT5569B | Defines failure byte 71 as "Invalid Data"; the never-replace-the-component rule; the wheel bearing worked example |
| 21-NA-149 | Engine wire harness chafing — U0422 in Conditions 2 and 4 |
No special coverage and no NHTSA recall names U0422 on the models we checked.
What Other U0422 Pages Get Wrong
- Treating it as a body control module failure. GM's rule is the opposite: never replace the component named in an "invalid data received" code. GM's own bulletin records technicians finding a steering gear already needlessly replaced over this code.
- Publishing symptom lists that GM does not support — no start, immobiliser activation, battery drain. We could not source any of those to GM for U0422, and GM's documented position is that this code frequently has no symptom at all.
- Not mentioning the ignore rule. The single most useful fact about U0422 is that GM tells technicians to ignore it in history absent U1534 or U1538. Most pages omit it entirely and go straight to a repair list.
- The 32-row sub-type table. Auto-generated. The genuinely documented sub-type is byte 71, "Invalid Data."
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a new body control module for U0422?
Almost certainly not. GM's general rule for this family is explicit: "never replace components for 'Invalid Data Received' codes within the component. Resolve the System-Wide non-Communication (not U codes) first and reevaluate." Both GM bulletins documenting a real U0422 repair state that no parts are required.
Can U0422 be ignored?
In documented circumstances, yes — that is GM's own instruction. Bulletin 16-NA-407: "Ignore CCM and HPCM U0422 DTC (no service necessary) unless it is a current/active code or is accompanied by associated BCM faults U1534 or U1538." Bulletin 20-NA-008 adds that history codes with no customer concern should be ignored, but currently-set codes should be diagnosed normally.
Why does U0422 set when nothing is wrong?
GM explains the mechanism: during startup, keyless entry module arbitration combined with high bus traffic can lead the body control module to mark the door-open switch's virtual device availability as unavailable, and it does not update that back until the door switch changes state. One second later the code logs. It is a timing artefact on a busy bus, not a failure.
What does U0422-71 mean?
Failure byte 71 is one of the few GM-documented sub-types, defined across all GM models from 2013 to 2022 as "Invalid Data." It confirms the fault mode described by the base code rather than adding a new one.
I have U0422 with StabiliTrak, ABS and AWD messages. What is that?
That pattern points away from the body control module. GM's worked example has a failing front wheel bearing producing an intermittent wheel speed signal that set eleven codes across two buses, U0422 among them. GM's note on it: "The multiple U codes can cause misdiagnosis." Review the ABS data for an erratic wheel speed signal.
My steering assist warning came with U0422. Is the steering gear failing?
Check the calibration before anyone touches the steering. GM documents this exact combination on 2018 3.6L vehicles as being caused by a diagnostic calibration setting the code under certain ambient conditions, with the remedy being a coolant temperature sensor terminal inspection and an ECM reprogram — no parts. GM's bulletin notes some technicians find the steering gear has already been replaced by a previous shop.
Will U0422 clear itself?
It moves to history once the condition stops. Whether it needs any action depends on GM's test: current or history, and whether U1534 or U1538 are present. A history U0422 with no complaint and neither of those codes is, in GM's words, no service necessary.
How much should a U0422 repair cost?
In the documented cases, very little. Where there is a repair at all it is an ECM reprogram under labor operation 2810075 at published time with no parts, or a harness inspection and repair at 1.2 to 1.3 hours. Any quote involving a replacement module deserves a hard question about what else was found.
Shop the Parts Mentioned
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KONNWEI KW850 OBD2 Scanner — $83.11, retrieves generic (P0, P2, P3, U0) and manufacturer-specific (P1, P3, U1) codes, so it reads network codes like this one. Live data with graphing, freeze frame, O2 and EVAP tests, battery voltage check, and a built-in DTC lookup library. Engine-system coverage only — it does not read ABS or airbag modules.
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VDIAGTOOL BT500 Battery Tester — $57.53, tests battery health, cranking and charging on 6V/12V/24V systems with ripple analysis and a voltage waveform — rules out low system voltage, a common trigger for spurious module-communication codes.
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ACDelco Gold Negative Battery Cable — for replacing corroded terminals affecting voltage stability.
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Battery Terminal Cleaning Brush — clears corrosion that can contribute to voltage-related faults.
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95-Piece Mechanics Tool Set (Metric & SAE) — for accessing BCM wiring and connectors.