Fault Code

P0455: EVAP Gross Leak / No Flow – open path and valve file

P0455 can indicate that the system cannot create vacuum because of a gross leak or missing expected flow. Open cap, disconnected hose, vent stuck open, purge fault and test-pump faults are separated.

Advanced diagnostics and measurement6 sourcesUpdated 2026-07-31
DTC QUICK ANSWER

P0455 · Evaporative Emission Gross Leak Detected

System reported by the code: EVAP. The code alone does not prove a failed part.

  1. Save freeze-frame, pending/confirmed state and companion codes before clearing anything.
  2. Verify battery/charging, controller power and grounds under load.
  3. Record purge command, tank/EVAP pressure signal and leak-test conditions together.
  4. Separate cap/line/valve leakage from purge/vent electrical control.

Exact thresholds, pins or service values require the OEM procedure for the exact vehicle application.

Vehicle Identity and Application Matching

P0455 quick diagnostic map

Use the code as a measurement starting point, not a failed-part label. Preserve event data and compare symptoms, likely causes, live data and physical measurements under the same operating condition.

MEASUREMENT-BASED DIAGNOSTICS

Technical flow from measurement to verification

  1. Capture freeze-frame/event data, first/last occurrence conditions and system voltage.
  2. Verify power, ground, fuses, connectors and shared reference circuits before replacing parts.
  3. Compare commanded values with actual sensor or actuator feedback under the same operating conditions.
  4. Separate electrical causes from mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic or flow-related causes with independent measurements.
  5. Recreate the monitor or operating condition after repair and confirm that the fault does not return.

Generic/reference DTC context; manufacturer-specific meaning must be verified separately.

P0455 · OBD-II · DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS

P0455: EVAP Gross Leak / No Flow – open path and valve file

CODE IDENTITY

Confirm code scope and vehicle context

One DTC does not convict one part.

  • Confirm whether the manufacturer definition emphasizes gross leak or no purge flow.
  • Map cap/filler neck, ORVR, canister, vent filter and leak-detection hardware.
  • Capture fuel level, temperature, soak and vehicle-motion conditions.
  • Record recent refuelling, underbody impact or tank/canister work.
LIVE DATA

Reconstruct the failure with measured channels

Freeze-frame and synchronized data put the symptom in context.

  • Observe whether tank pressure changes during purge command.
  • Verify vent-close command and actual mechanical closure.
  • Use low-pressure smoke to locate open cap, disconnected hose, cracked canister or filler-neck leakage.
  • Where available, log leak-pump current/pressure or vacuum-creation rate.
DIFFERENTIAL

Separate electrical, mechanical and control causes

Controlled comparison narrows the root cause.

  • If tank pressure never changes, separate an open system, missing purge flow and incorrect sensing.
  • If vacuum forms then disappears immediately, prioritize a gross leak or vent stuck open.
  • If smoke exits the vent filter, compare command, supply and mechanical closure.
  • If a new cap does not solve it, verify filler-neck sealing surface and cap compatibility.
VALIDATION

Prove the repair changed the system outcome

Clearing a code is not repair validation.

  • Verify the system creates and retains vacuum within manufacturer limits.
  • After active tests, confirm purge/vent states return to normal operation.
  • If fuel vapour or liquid leakage is present, evaluate the vehicle in a safe area.
  • Complete the EVAP monitor without pending P0455/P0442.
FIELD WORKFLOW

Evidence-preserving diagnostic sequence

  1. Confirm definition and EVAP layout.
  2. Capture freeze-frame and fuel-level conditions.
  3. Check tank-pressure response to purge.
  4. Test vent command and mechanical closure.
  5. Locate the gross opening with smoke.
  6. Validate vacuum creation/retention and monitor completion.
DIFFERENTIAL DECISION MATRIX

Connect the symptom to evidence, not a guessed part

EvidenceObservation / conditionCorrect next action
PressureNo change during purgeSeparate open system, purge flow and sensor.
RetentionVacuum disappears immediatelyInvestigate gross leak or vent stuck open.
SmokeExits vent filterCheck vent command, supply and mechanical closure.
TECHNICAL SOURCES

Primary and official sources

  1. SAE J2012 Diagnostic Trouble Code Definitions · SAE International
  2. On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  3. 40 CFR Part 86 – Vehicle Emissions and OBD Requirements · U.S. Government Publishing Office
  4. Vehicle Safety and Manufacturer Communications · NHTSA

This file is not a parts-replacement list. Exact values should be used only after VIN, engine/transmission code, production period, software, test conditions and the manufacturer procedure are aligned.

6-step technical decision tree

  • Verify identity
  • Preserve first-event data
  • Compare command and feedback
  • Confirm with physical measurement
  • Isolate root cause
  • Retest under the same condition after repair

Other names and search terms

P0455P0455 fault code
RELATED TECHNICAL TOPICS

Topics in the same system and fault chain

Technical Sources and Verification

  1. SAE J2012 standardized DTC format and definitions framework
SERVICE DECISION LINKS

Connect this record to a real service decision

Ownership and cost links

Turn this DTC into a diagnostic workflow

Do not treat the code label as a parts diagnosis. Narrow root cause through freeze-frame, simultaneous module codes, power/ground, live data and active testing.

DTC Academy →
DEEP DIAGNOSTICS

From code to root cause: evidence chain

P0455 · Evaporative Emission Gross Leak Detected · EVAP

1. Event context

Capture freeze-frame, first/last occurrence, load, rpm, temperature, vehicle speed and system voltage.

2. Eliminate shared causes

Rule out battery/charging, power, ground, fuses, network communication and shared-reference faults before replacing parts.

3. Compare command and result

Compare commanded values with real sensor/actuator response under the same operating condition.

4. Prove the repair

Clearing codes is not enough; recreate the monitor condition and verify that code/symptom does not return.

Evidence-led DTC checklist

  1. Capture freeze-frame/event data and a full-module scan before clearing the code.
  2. Separate DTC status bits: active, pending and history/permanent do not carry the same diagnostic weight.
  3. Eliminate supply, grounds, 5 V reference and network health as shared causes.
  4. Graph ECU command against actual sensor/actuator feedback.
  5. Load-test wiring and validate the system physically before replacing parts.
  6. After repair, check readiness/DTC return under the same operating condition.

Open the system measurement atlas →

Search intents covered by this P0455 page

P0455 DTC meaning, symptoms, causes, freeze-frame, live data, circuit measurement, testing and misdiagnosis are consolidated in one technical record.

Deep technical guides

Deep symptom diagnostics

Connect technical research to the next decision

Preserve event data before clearing the code; verify vehicle identity and the relevant engine/transmission system before making a service decision.

Verify the code against vehicle identity and system context

The same DTC can lead to different root causes across manufacturers, controllers and operating conditions. Cross-check model, engine/transmission and the measurement chain.

Model Atlas → · Engine → · Transmission → · Workshop center →

Sources & freshness

Sources & freshness

Exact technical values, prices and failure rates are not invented without verified vehicle/manufacturer evidence.

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P0455 evidence-first diagnostic workflow

This powertrain context reference is intentionally kept manufacturer-aware. Confirm the exact definition for the vehicle, model year and controller before replacing parts.

1 · Capture the event

Save DTC status, freeze-frame/event data, operating state and companion codes before clearing memory.

2 · Verify identity and power

Confirm the reporting module, supply, grounds, fuses and connector condition before judging a sensor or actuator.

3 · Compare command and feedback

Use live data to compare commanded state with actual feedback under the same operating condition.

4 · Measure the circuit or system

Use the OEM procedure for pin locations and exact thresholds; separate electrical/network faults from mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic or flow faults.

5 · Reproduce and verify

After repair, reproduce the original load and operating condition and confirm that the code and related symptoms do not return.

Browse model-specific measurement references → · Browse sourced model dossiers →

DTC FAMILY CONTEXT

P0455 · Powertrain · EVAP

This code does not automatically condemn a component; it describes fault behaviour observed by the controller in a monitored system. Preserve event data and eliminate shared causes before narrowing the root cause with system-specific measurement.

Code classPowertrain
SystemEVAP
Reference severitymedium

Family-based first diagnostic chain

  1. Capture freeze-frame and operating conditions.
  2. Eliminate charging, power, ground and shared-reference faults.
  3. Compare commanded value with sensor/actuator response.
  4. Test wiring/connectors separately from mechanics.
  5. Prove the repair by recreating the condition rather than only clearing the code.