P0441: Evaporative Emission Control System Incorrect Purge Flow

Short answer: P0441 means “Evaporative Emission Control System Incorrect Purge Flow”. It is a standard OBD-II code, so the basic meaning is the same on every car. Below is what it means on each of the 5 cars we cover, with a link to the full page for each car.

Standard OBD-II code Same meaning on all cars (SAE J2012).

P0441 on each car

Symptoms

1. Check engine light on
2. Likely, no symptoms will be discernible to the driver, other than the illuminated

Likely causes

1. Bad vacuum switch
2. Broken or damaged EVAP line or canister
3. Open in PCM purge command circuit
4. Open or short in Voltage feed circuit to Purge Solenoid
5. Faulty purge solenoid
6. Restriction in EVAP solenoid, line or canister
7. Corrosion or resistance in purge connector

What to check, in order

1. Read the code and live data with an OBD-II scanner
2. Look for exhaust or vacuum leaks and check the wiring of the sensor or valve
3. Test the part before replacing it
4. Fix the cause, clear the code and test-drive

Causes and checks above are the general meaning. The exact test steps and values differ by car: open your car’s page.

All fault codes