When gasoline fuel is stored in the fuel tank of a vehicle, it emits gas vapors. The evaporation emission control system, also known as the EVAP system, is responsible for stopping these fuel vapors from leaving the fuel tank. That way, they don’t end up going into the atmosphere and causing problems for the environment.
The engine control unit keeps a close eye on the EVAP system. If fuel vapor ever escapes the fuel tank, then the engine control unit will activate the Check Engine warning light on the dashboard. You should also notice a fuel odor as you sit in the cabin of the vehicle too. Of course, these two symptoms could mean a lot of different things. That is why you need to run a diagnostic scan on your engine control unit to find out the specific problem.
Diagnostic trouble code P0455 indicates there is a large leak in your evaporation system. Either you have reduced purge flow in the system, or the fuel cap on your gas tank is loose or missing. You should be able to tell if your fuel cap is loose or missing just by checking it out. If the fuel cap looks fine, then it must mean there is a problem with the EVAP system directly.
The possible causes of an EVAP system leak include a leaky fuel tank, leaky EVAP canister, EVAP hose damage, debris or object stuck in the fuel cap, damaged carbon canister, or some problem with the fuel tank. You won’t experience any drivability problems, but you could run into trouble if your state requires emissions testing. So, whenever you smell fuel in your car, and you don’t know why, run the diagnostic check to see if your EVAP system is to blame.
Read also:
- P0300: Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected
- P0171: System Too Lean Bank 1
- P0420: Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 1)
Now you might not think this problem is such a big deal, but it does have an impact on the air we breathe outside. If EVAP systems did not exist, then we’d all be inhaling fuel vapor into our lungs every day. Does that sound like something that you would want to happen? Therefore, do your part to protect the environment by having an auto technician fix your EVAP leak.
