Goodman mini split error code U4

Common causes

• Interconnect wires not landed in the same order at both ends (a swapped signal and neutral is the classic).
• A loose or backed-out terminal screw, or a strand of wire not fully under the screw.
• A damaged, spliced or undersized communication cable (it must be a continuous run of the correct gauge).
• No power at the outdoor unit: a tripped breaker, an open disconnect or a blown fuse.
• A failed outdoor control board or a blown board fuse, often after a lightning event or a power surge.

How to fix it yourself

Work through the checks below first; they resolve most cases. If they do not, the repair itself may need a technician.

1. Reset the system: switch the breaker (or the outdoor disconnect) off, wait a full five minutes so the boards fully discharge, then switch it back on and restart from the remote.
2. Confirm the outdoor unit actually has power. Check the breaker, the disconnect and any fuse in the disconnect box.
3. With power off, open the terminal covers on both units and check the interconnect wiring. Each numbered terminal must land on the same number at both ends, every strand must be under its screw, and there must be no splices, nicks or reversed conductors.
4. Make sure the communication wire is a solid, continuous run of the gauge the manual specifies. Extending it with a wire nut or using a lighter gauge is a frequent cause of intermittent errors.
5. If you own a multimeter and are comfortable using it, measure the supply voltage at the outdoor unit's L1 and L2 terminals with the unit running. A 230 V system should read roughly 208 to 253 VAC.
6. If the wiring checks out and the outdoor unit has power, look for LED fault lights on the outdoor control board (behind the service panel). A dark board with good supply voltage usually means a blown board fuse or a dead board.

Switch off power at the breaker before opening either unit. Capacitors in the outdoor unit hold a charge for several minutes after power is cut.

When to call a technician

Call a technician if the wiring is verified correct and the outdoor unit has power but the code persists. Board diagnosis needs the service manual and a meter.

Which Goodman units show U4

This page applies to Goodman e-Series wall-mount (FTXNG indoor / RXNG outdoor) units. Goodman's own documentation lists U4 as "Communication error between indoor and outdoor units", the same definition used across the Daikin it is built on. If your unit shows a code with a different shape (for example a four-character code, or a plain number), it is from a different table; use the lookup with your exact code.

Where Goodman shows this code

Most Daikin wall units do not show the code on the unit; the operation lamp blinks. To read the code, point the remote at the unit, hold CANCEL (or Timer Cancel) for about 5 seconds until 00 shows, then press CANCEL repeatedly. Each press shows a code; when the unit gives a long continuous beep instead of two short beeps, the code on the remote is the stored fault. Units with a wired controller show the code directly. A and C codes are indoor-unit faults, E, F, H, J, L and P codes are outdoor-unit faults and protections, and U codes are system-level problems such as communication, power supply and refrigerant shortage.

Other Goodman codes

Same part of the system as U4:

All Goodman error codes

U4 on other brands

The same characters do not always mean the same thing. Check the brand on your unit.

• Daikin U4 Communication error between indoor and outdoor units
• Mitsubishi Electric U4 Outdoor unit temperature sensor open or short (TH3, TH6, TH7 or TH8)