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U0010 – Medium Speed CAN Communication Bus (OBD2)

U0010 means "Medium Speed CAN Communication Bus". The CAN bus is the data network over which the vehicle's control units exchange information; these codes (U0001–U0020) mean the bus itself – high, medium or low speed CAN – has a wiring, voltage or performance fault.

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U0010 quick summary

Fault codeU0010
MeaningMedium Speed CAN Communication Bus
SystemNetwork / CAN Bus
VehiclesGeneric OBD2
SeverityHigh
Can I drive?Depends on the symptoms. If several warning lights are on, the gearbox is in limp mode or the engine does not start, have the car recovered.
Repair cost€0 – €800

How the CAN bus connects the control units

Modern vehicles have dozens of control units – engine, gearbox, ABS, airbag, instrument cluster, body control and more. They share data over CAN bus networks: two twisted wires (CAN-High and CAN-Low) carrying digital messages. The high-speed CAN usually connects the powertrain and chassis modules.

U0001 is set when a control unit detects that the high-speed CAN bus is not working – for example because a wire is shorted or broken, a module is pulling the bus down, or the termination resistors are faulty. Usually many 'lost communication' codes appear at the same time.

Typical causes are water damage, chafed wiring, corroded connectors, a faulty control unit and low battery voltage. Aftermarket devices connected to the bus (trackers, alarms, OBD dongles) can also disturb it.

Symptoms of U0010

  • Many warning lights at once
  • Many U-codes in different modules
  • Engine does not start or stalls
  • Gearbox in limp mode
  • Instruments flickering or dead

Most common causes of U0010 (most likely first)

Mechanic's Pro Tip

Remove any aftermarket devices plugged into the OBD socket or spliced into the wiring first – cheap OBD dongles and trackers are a surprisingly common cause of CAN faults.

  1. 1.Short or open in the CAN wiring

    Most likely

    Chafed wires or water in a connector.

  2. 2.A faulty control unit pulling the bus down

  3. 3.Faulty termination resistor

  4. 4.Low battery voltage

  5. 5.Aftermarket devices on the bus or OBD port

Step-by-step diagnostic guide

  1. 1

    Check the battery

    Measure battery voltage and check the terminals – low voltage causes many communication codes.

  2. 2

    Scan all modules

    Read all modules and note which can and cannot be reached.

  3. 3

    Measure the CAN bus

    With the battery disconnected, measure resistance between CAN-High and CAN-Low at the OBD socket; with power on, measure the voltages.

    Multimeter: About 60 Ω between CAN-H and CAN-L (two 120 Ω terminations in parallel). With ignition on: CAN-H about 2.5–3.5 V, CAN-L about 1.5–2.5 V.

  4. 4

    Isolate the faulty section

    Unplug modules one by one while watching the bus. When communication returns, the last module unplugged or its wiring is at fault.

  5. 5

    Repair and verify

    Repair the wiring or replace the faulty module, clear all codes and rescan.

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep driving with U0010?

Depends on the symptoms. If several warning lights are on, the gearbox is in limp mode or the engine does not start, have the car recovered.

How much does it cost to fix U0010?

Typical repair costs are 0 € – 800 €, depending on the cause and the vehicle. The most common fixes are: short or open in the CAN wiring; a faulty control unit pulling the bus down; faulty termination resistor. Always confirm the cause with the tests above before buying parts.

What is a CAN bus?

A two-wire data network that lets the car's control units share information.

Why do I have so many U-codes?

When the bus fails, every module that cannot talk to the others stores its own communication codes.

What is the difference between U0010 and similar codes?

U0010 belongs to a group of codes for the same component that differ in the type or location of the fault: U0007 – High Speed CAN Communication Bus (-) Low; U0008 – High Speed CAN Communication Bus (-) High; U0009 – High Speed CAN Communication Bus (-) Shorted to Bus (+); U0011 – Medium Speed CAN Communication Bus Performance; U0019 – Low Speed CAN Communication Bus; U0020 – Low Speed CAN Communication Bus Performance. The tests on this page apply to the whole group; the type of fault tells you where to start.

Related fault codes

This guide is for information only. Working on vehicles can be dangerous — if you are unsure, have the car checked by a qualified mechanic. Values can differ between model years; always check the manufacturer's repair information.