P0441 Code Thrown

[oef_vet]

Hey there everyone, as you can tell by the post title, I started my car this morning (it was 18 degrees outside) and a solid yellow CEL came on. I scanned my car with an OBDII tool and I got a P0441 code (Evaporative, Emission System, Incorrect Purge Flow). This is the first time this has happened!

I don't know if this is an issue or not but i washed my car yesterday evening (it was around 40 degrees out) and then the temps dropped overnight to low teens. I don't know if maybe some water froze somewhere and caused this or not, but I cleared the codes and the car is driving fine and the CEL has not come back on.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[dparm]

Those types of codes are usually false alarms, or are just caused by the OBD2 system being fickle. If that valve stuck or something stupid, it will throw the light. If it keeps coming back, deal with it...until then, drive the car and enjoy it.

[Dirtracer603]

The P0441 code and all other associated with it have nothing to do with an engine performance issue. It's simply the evaporative emmissions system that keeps any gas tank fumes from entering the atmosphere. It's one of the hardest systems to diagnose since the codes overlap each other and it's impossible to find the issue with a specific code. If you do ever have to go into the system here are the locations of the components. Purge valve-above the air filter, evap canister-underneath the rear of the car in the spare tire bay, leak detction pump-drivers rear wheel well...

[JimmyBones]

The P0441 code and all other associated with it have nothing to do with an engine performance issue. It's simply the evaporative emmissions system that keeps any gas tank fumes from entering the atmosphere. It's one of the hardest systems to diagnose since the codes overlap each other and it's impossible to find the issue with a specific code. If you do ever have to go into the system here are the locations of the components. Purge valve-above the air filter, evap canister-underneath the rear of the car in the spare tire bay, leak detction pump-drivers rear wheel well...

Oh really? That's funny because almost every time that I would see that code at the dealership then it would be caused by the purge valve.

If the OP had a vag-com or a buddy with one then I can tell him exactly how to test the purge valve to double check that it is the problem.

Now if he had an evap leak, I don't care about size, and it wasn't the gas cap then it gets really fun to diagnosis like you were describing but the purge flow is controlled by the purge valve.

[LJH]

I was going to say check your gas cap but JB beat me to it.....


Cheers,
Jim

[B6JoeS4]

The purge valve is right by the air box. It's the one with a harness going into it. You can't miss it, it's the one that the prong on the intake tube slides into to anchor the Evap purge valve

[Dirtracer603]

Oh really? That's funny because almost every time that I would see that code at the dealership then it would be caused by the purge valve.

The only code that DEFINITELY points to the purge valve is the 'Implaussible signal" and that just means that the ECU is sensing a break in the circuit whether it be the wires or the windings in the purge solenoid. The system can run it's 'leak detection' tests and it may suspect the purge valve being the issue so it will throw that code. I had a P0441 purge valve code and mine was fine....Screens were clear and it clicked away. I even took it off and manually opened/closed it using a 12 volt battery and it functioned well and flowed properly when it saw current. Mine wound up being a melted purge valve line between the canister and the purge valve from where my exhaust melted a hole in it. You think it would have thrown a different evap code for that but instead it threw the P0441 code. AGAIN, many times these codes overlap and it's hard to pinpoint the issue...