PT Cruiser MIL/Check Engine light, Code 0456

So I've been getting an intermittent Check Engine light on my 2002 PT
Cruiser for the past few months. Usually it would go away after a few
days; this time, it stayed on for good.

Running the Ignition on-off-on-off-on-off-on-off-on sequence gave me
the error code P0456, which translates into "Evap Leak Monitor Small
(0.020) Leak Detected."

I was hoping it would go away, but it didn't. I noticed fuel economy
had gotten a bit worse. I checked the gas cap was tight, though it's
my understanding that a loose cap would set code 455, for a "Gross
leak," not the small leak that was indicated here.

Dammit, now I have to pay a professional to find the problem; I don't
have the skill or equipment for this one. They hooked up the computer,
got the same code. So they did a smoke test, and found a moderate leak
around the gas cap and filler neck area.

It wasn't a loose gas cap, it was a BAD gas cap -- the seal apparently
had just worn out or something. New cap, reset the computer, and all
is well. They re-did the smoke test, and it was fine.

So if anybody runs into that code, it might be worth trying the $12.00
gas cap *before* the $75 in diagnostics. But overall, I was surprised
at how cheap I got out the door at around $90, and got two recalls
fixed while I was there. Nice.

 

Considering that you can buy an 8-function calculator for a buck at
Wal-Mart or a portable CD player for $10 at the same place, 12 dollars for
a plastic gas cap might seem a bit excessive, but what the hell. The
auto-parts and aftermarket businesses have never been bargains.

I think congratulations are in order if you got out of the dealer's door
for only $90, though. That's pretty rare.

doc

 

Yes, it is -- I was really surprised, since I was expecting the smoke
test to be labor on top of the $74 hook-up-the-computer charge, but
they did all the diagnostics, including the follow-up to make sure the
leaks were all gone, for that one charge.

Kudos to Scully motors in Windsor, CT -- that's the shop that did it,
and though I did have to leave it overnight (they were swamped),
they've definitely earned my return business. They even washed it for
me, which was a nice touch.

 

those codes are for the evaperative fuel vapor recovery system and this
system will cause many a person to spend money needlessly because few
truely under stand how the system really works
check the gas cap for rust in the center if there some, replace it and it
will not cause gas milage to go down