Anticrime

ok guys, very recently i had bought a 2000 SIR, and on my way to E-Test it, the check engine light came on, long story short the code was P1457, which means...
Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P1457: Evaporative Emission (EVAP) control system leak detected (EVAP control cansiter system)

Q1. what does that mean?
Q2. what do i do about it?
Q3. Anyone else have this problem? please share.


Thanks.

rob3662

I just figured out what was causing this code on my car yesterday. It turned out to be the canister vent shut valve. It is located on the charcoal canister just behind the gas tank. The valve is screwed to the canister with two screws(on the passenger side). You can remove it and test it for a leak, very easy.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

well it could be anything related to the evap system. canister, gas cap, any number of valves, etc. there are some evap components under the hood too near the throttle body. maybe one of the vapor lines got cut or cracked open.

Anticrime

How do i test it?

can you give a little more detail as to what im looking for behind the gas tank.
thanks, i appreciate it alot.

rob3662

It is behind the gas tank and in front of the rear suspension.

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-...98_7386518.jpg

try that link, don't know if it will work. But that is the canister, and the valve is labeled A. To test it you can take it off (2 screws) and fill it with water to see if it leaks, or pressure test it.

rob3662

i'm assuming that it is the valve because you have a SiR, which means you live in Canada, and that valve is known to give problems in colder climates.

Anticrime

Thanks Rob, i really hope that's all it is, i have an appointment with a Honda dealership to diagnose and smoke test it, 150$.

I've been reading around the web about P1457, and it sucks, seems like the majority of people could never find out what was wrong and just left there CEL on forever....

rob3662

Yeah, i know, i was searching around the net for over a week and still couldn't find an answer. I checked everything that I could in the evap system but didn't find anything. The problem with testing the system using the Helms manual is that you only test the operation of that vent shut valve, not the casing that the valve is in. Which is where my leak was.

A mechanic that I know told me how to check that valve. He said that it is very common around here on Hondas. He didn't even have to look at the car, just told him the code and he know what the problem was .

Anticrime

ok so good news.
I was told that a leak in my evap system shouldn't bring down my emission test scores, because the leak wouldn't be escaping from the exhaust.
So today i went to get my E test done, and the first thing they checked was my gas cap, they checked if it could hold pressure, and it FAILED.... I was happy to hear that.
Turns out thats what was cause the CEL P1457. So i paid 18$ for a new gas cap and reset the light, passed the etest and went home.
Paying for a new gas cap diffinetly is cheaper than a 100$ smoke test from honda.

aletrasa

Had a p1457 code. I changed the canister, vent shut off valve and solenoid by-pass valve one at a time. The code came back every time. The problem was with the purge valve (in engine compartment): a rat had eaten/clipped the ground cable of the plug going to the canister purge valve. No joke!

Once that was fixed everything was fine again. To find this: check the voltages on the ECM behind the glove box. They should be 12V as honda suggests. The 3 valves are provided with 12V (switched) and their other pin returns to the ECM to be grounded by the ECM (via an NPN transistor: valve on collector, ground on emitter, base controlled within the ECM). If there is no 12V at ECM pin (B21 in my case, E20/21 for the other two valves) then this means that the wiring from the 12V switched to the valve to the ECM is open somewhere. The valve could be open if its coil is open or it is the wiring itself. (Make sure engine is running for these ECM measurements) Good luck!

hotrod_714

Man I would just like to say this has been some good info, this damn code has been coming on about every 400 miles or so on my car for about the last 4 years and I really haven't been able to fix it or even know where to start to fix this problem. I'm definitely going to check my gas cap (which was really about the only thing that I could think of that might have been causing the problem) and that canister behind the gas tank. ps. the link for the canister picture does work and thanks for that too.

MapleDiva

I'm getting the same error code P1457, I've done a leak test and they've found no leak but the check engine light keeps coming on. Even tested the gas cap and no issues with that.

What else could be going on?

kamran123

i had a error in my purge vlave solenoid, soo i changed it by buying a new one, the check engine light is still on, whats is the problem?

Gunner

Try reseting the or clearing the Code and see if it comes back on.