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.
Save freeze-frame, pending/confirmed state and companion codes before clearing anything.
Verify battery/charging, controller power and grounds under load.
Record purge command, tank/EVAP pressure signal and leak-test conditions together.
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.
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
Capture freeze-frame/event data, first/last occurrence conditions and system voltage.
Verify power, ground, fuses, connectors and shared reference circuits before replacing parts.
Compare commanded values with actual sensor or actuator feedback under the same operating conditions.
Separate electrical causes from mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic or flow-related causes with independent measurements.
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
Confirm definition and EVAP layout.
Capture freeze-frame and fuel-level conditions.
Check tank-pressure response to purge.
Test vent command and mechanical closure.
Locate the gross opening with smoke.
Validate vacuum creation/retention and monitor completion.
DIFFERENTIAL DECISION MATRIX
Connect the symptom to evidence, not a guessed part
Evidence
Observation / condition
Correct next action
Pressure
No change during purge
Separate open system, purge flow and sensor.
Retention
Vacuum disappears immediately
Investigate gross leak or vent stuck open.
Smoke
Exits vent filter
Check vent command, supply and mechanical closure.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Capture freeze-frame and operating conditions.
Eliminate charging, power, ground and shared-reference faults.
Compare commanded value with sensor/actuator response.
Test wiring/connectors separately from mechanics.
Prove the repair by recreating the condition rather than only clearing the code.