P0445
Evaporative Emission System Purge Control Valve Circuit Shorted
The ECU detected a short in the EVAP purge solenoid control circuit. With the valve permanently energized or shorted, the system can either over-purge causing rich running, or stay closed.
- Check engine light: Yes
- Emissions related: Yes
- Repair difficulty: easy
Symptoms
- Check engine light on
- Possible smell of fuel near tank or engine bay
- Failed emissions inspection
- Loose-cap warning may appear
Common causes
Ordered by how often each turns out to be the cause.
- Purge valve circuit shortedCommon
- Wiring or connector faultPossible
Parts involved
- EVAP Purge Valve
- Purge Valve Wiring
P0445 is a generic OBD-II code defined by SAE J2012. Exact wording and diagnostic procedure vary by manufacturer and model. Code definitions are drawn from the public-domain OBDex dataset; the workshop notes are our own.