A P0443 code is the engine computer telling you an electrical check failed on one small valve. The purge valve lets fuel vapor from the charcoal canister, a box of charcoal that soaks up vapor from the tank, into the engine to be burned, so the gas tank doesn't vent it into the air.
A purge valve is the obvious first buy for a P0443 code, because it's the part the code names. The carmakers' own bulletins for this code also name a blown fuse, a chafed wire, a spread connector and a software update, and one Ford program replaces the valve free on some Focus cars.
The code can't tell a bad valve from a bad wire, so a meter check comes before any part. A 2012–2018 Focus with an open recall can stall, so check that recall first.
What does a P0443 code mean?
It means the computer switched the purge valve and the electrical reading didn't match what it asked for. The valve is a solenoid, a coil of wire that pulls a plunger open when current flows, and the computer watches that current every time it opens or closes the valve.
Purge valve circuit reading wrong
Evaporative Emission (EVAP) Purge Solenoid Valve Control Circuit
What the computer saw
The engine computer switched the purge valve and the electrical reading on its wire didn't match what it asked for.
- Code
- P0443
- System
- Powertrain
- Area
- Auxiliary emission controls
- Standard
- Generic OBD-II
- Checks
- Whether the purge valve's circuit carries the current the computer expects
What it doesn't prove
It doesn't prove the valve is bad, and it isn't a leak test. The fuse, wire, connector or the computer's software can set it too.
Code name from GM bulletin PIP5552.
A broken coil, or a wire that touches bare metal or another live wire, gives the wrong reading. On most makes that's all the test sees: it can't tell whether vapor is actually flowing, whether a hose is split, or whether the canister is full.
Put simply, on most makes P0443 is an electrical check on the valve's wire, not a leak test. That's why a smoke test, which hunts for leaks, is the wrong first test on this code, and why a loose gas cap can't set it.
The EVAP codes we cover, and the test behind each, are listed on the P0440 page. It's the hub for this family of codes.
Can you drive with a P0443 code?
Yes, if it runs normally and your car has no open purge valve recall. A purge circuit fault on its own doesn't wear anything out as you drive, but if the car stalls, runs badly or smells of fuel, stop driving it and have it checked.
The exception is the 2012–2018 Focus, where Ford's recalls say a faulty purge valve can build too much vacuum in the fuel vapor system, and the engine can stall while driving and not restart. The first of them told owners to keep the tank at least half full until the car was repaired.
A second Ford recall covers the 2010–2011 Fusion and Mercury Milan, where a faulty purge valve can crack the fuel tank. Our free car complaints and recalls lookup shows the recalls for your model year.
On a car that runs normally, driving with a P0443 code has two real consequences:
- An emissions test failure. A lit check engine light fails a state emissions test, whatever set it.
- A light that can't warn you. A check engine light that's already on can't tell you about the next fault, which may be one that matters.
What are the symptoms of a P0443 code?
The check engine light is the symptom the circuit fault itself gives you, and it's what fails an emissions test. The carmakers' documents name no other symptom for a valve that simply stays shut.
Symptoms you can feel come from a valve that sticks open and lets vapor into the engine when it didn't ask for any. On a 2012–2018 Focus with an open recall, Ford's recalls add a stall while driving that may not restart.
Ford's Focus program lists what a failed valve feels like: hesitation, a rough idle, loss of power or stalling at low speed. The program names P0443 among the codes that can come with it.
What causes a P0443 code?
Anything on the purge valve's circuit can set it: the fuse that feeds it, the wires and plugs between it and the computer, the valve's own coil, and the computer itself or its software. Here they are, starting with the checks that cost nothing.
P0443 alone confirms none of them, because the code reads current in a wire, not a part. The carmakers' bulletins behind each cause are in the documents section.
A blown fuse
The fuse feeds power to the valve, so a blown one leaves the coil with no current at all, and the computer reads that as a circuit fault. On some GM SUVs, the carmaker traces the blown fuse to a wire chafed on an A/C hose.
Your owner's manual has the fuse box diagram, and checking the fuse costs nothing. If it's blown, ask the shop to find what blew it before fitting a new one, or the new fuse goes the same way.
A chafed wire
A wire that rubs through its insulation can touch bare metal, or break, and both give the computer the wrong reading. Ford and GM each describe a harness, the bundle of wires to the valve, rubbing on a hot or moving part, one on the transmission and one on an A/C hose.
Ask the shop to look where the harness runs near moving or hot parts, not just at the valve. A wire repaired at the rub point, and tied away from it, is the fix those bulletins give.
A loose or spread connector
A plug whose metal pins have spread no longer grips, so the contact comes and goes and the current reads wrong. On some Wrangler and Gladiator models, Jeep has technicians check named plugs for spread pins before anything else.
One 2020 Fusion owner told NHTSA the purge valve kept coming unplugged, and the car wouldn't start after getting fuel until a shop plugged it back in. Push the plug on firmly and look at the pins before you replace anything.
The purge valve's coil
When the coil inside the valve breaks, no current flows and the valve can't open, so replacing the valve fixes it. On the Focus, Ford's bulletin replaces the valve and also has the canister and the tank checked.
Standard Motor Products, a purge valve maker, adds that a failing charcoal canister can send charcoal through the system and ruin a new valve. So if a replacement fails quickly, have the canister checked.
The computer or its software
The computer switches the valve on and off itself, and its software decides what reading counts as a fault. On one Dodge Journey engine the carmaker's first fix is a software update, and GM tells dealers not to replace the valve or the computer on some of its 3.6-liter cars.
Before any part is bought, ask whether your car has a bulletin or software update for this code. A dealer can check that by VIN.
What doesn't cause P0443?
On most makes, a vacuum leak, a split hose, a loose gas cap or a full charcoal canister set leak or flow codes, not this one. A leak changes pressure, and P0443 reads current in a wire, so the two tests don't share a result.
That's why a smoke test offered as the first step on a bare P0443 is a test for a different code. Ford's Focus bulletin checks the canister for liquid fuel only after replacing the valve, as a related check.
How much does it cost to fix a P0443 code?
Often little, because the cheap fixes come first: a fuse, a plug pushed back on, or a software update a dealer may do free on a car under warranty. If the valve itself has failed, a new one fitted at an independent shop runs $110–$173, part plus booked labor, on a 2018 Acura MDX.
On a 2012–2018 Focus, Ford's program may replace the valve free, and paid, the same job runs $100–$159 on a 2014 Focus, parts and labor. A chafed wire found and repaired replaces no part, so it's labor only, about $70–$97 on a 2014–2016 Transit Connect.
A diagnosis fee, set by each shop, comes on top, and it may be waived if you approve the repair. At the counter, ask for the meter result before you say yes to a valve.
How do you tell a bad wire from a bad purge valve?
A shop tells them apart by checking the circuit with a meter before replacing the valve. A coil that reads open is the valve, and a coil that reads normally sends the check back along the wiring.
Use this image
Free to republish under CC BY 4.0: credit Oil & Miles and link to this page. The snippet does both.
<a href="https://oilandmiles.com/articles/p0443-code"><img src="https://oilandmiles.com/assets/img/diagrams/p0443-one-circuit.svg" alt="Line diagram of the purge valve circuit drawn as one continuous loop: battery feed, fuse, connector, the solenoid winding inside the purge valve, and back into the engine computer's output driver and down to ground. Six numbered faults sit on the loop: 1 the power circuit open, 2 the control circuit shorted to ground, 3 the control circuit open, 4 the control circuit shorted to a live wire, 5 the valve coil, 6 the module driver. One ammeter inside the computer watches the whole loop. The valve's two vapor nipples carry broken-line stubs, marked as not measured" width="1600" height="960"></a> <p>Diagram: <a href="https://oilandmiles.com/articles/p0443-code">Oil & Miles</a>, CC BY 4.0</p>If the valve passes, look next at the rest of its circuit: the fuse, the wiring, the plug or the computer. One good reading can't rule out a fault that comes and goes, and on one Ford truck the carmaker lists six things that set this code, only one of them the valve.
The meter check
How do you fix a P0443 code?
Check the cheap things first, then have the circuit tested with a meter before anyone sells you a valve. These 5 steps, in order, settle whether it's a wire or the valve:
- Read every code, not just this one. A flow code such as P0441 or a leak code such as P0442 or P0455 beside it changes what you're looking at.
- Check recalls and programs by VIN. Our free VIN decoder lists the recalls for your model year, and NHTSA's VIN search shows which are still open on yours. On a Focus, Fusion or Police Interceptor the repair may be free, and a dealer checks bulletins and software updates the same way.
- Check the fuse that feeds the purge valve. It's the cheapest thing on the circuit, and the owner's manual shows where it is.
- Have the valve's circuit checked with a meter. The reading says whether it's the valve or the wiring before a valve is bought.
- Inspect the connector and the harness. Look for spread pins, and a wire rubbed through where the harness passes a hot or moving part.
If the code comes back after a new valve, either the fault sits elsewhere on the circuit or the new valve has failed too, which is when the canister gets checked. That's the outcome this order is written to avoid.
What to say to the shop
When a quote names a part before any test has run:
“I have P0443 and these other codes stored: [codes]. Before you replace a purge valve, can you check my VIN for recalls, programs and software updates, check the valve's circuit with a meter, and tell me which test result points at the part you recommend?”
A good answer: a VIN check and a meter check on the circuit come first, and a Focus may get the valve free under Ford's program.
Does a recall or warranty cover a P0443 repair?
It can, if a warranty, a recall or a carmaker program covers the valve on your car, and a dealer can check all three by VIN. Ford's program for the 2012–2018 Focus gives one free valve replacement for 15 years from the warranty start date, with no mileage limit, and it passes to later owners.
The dealer's procedure accepts a stored P0443 among the codes, or a drivability complaint such as hesitation or a rough idle. A Focus with an open recall gets that repair free as well, so ask the dealer to check both by VIN before you pay anyone.
GM's purge valve extensions cover valves that don't work or don't close, and they name other codes, not P0443. Ask a GM dealer anyway if your car is on one of them.
What owners report
A 2012 Focus owner with P0443 and P0444 listed the repairs already made, the air flow sensor and the purge valve among them, and the computer reset, and the light kept coming back. The owner believed the purge valve recall had not been done, or not done correctly.
NHTSA complaint 11508880, read September 29, 2026. Owner-filed, not workshop-confirmed.
Will a P0443 code fail an emissions test?
It can, because a lit check engine light fails the test wherever your state runs one, whatever set it. A scan tool clears the code in seconds, and it comes back if the fault is still there. Clearing also resets the car's emissions self-tests, so it can't pass until they've run again.
The car can turn the light off by itself after three drives in a row in which the test runs and finds the fault gone. The stored code outlasts the light, and the computer may keep it for at least 40 warm-ups without the fault.
So a shop may still see the stored code after the light is out. Standard Motor Products tells technicians to run the EVAP self-test after a repair and confirm no code has come back.
Which codes come with P0443?
A second code beside P0443 narrows the search, because carmakers name the pairings they have traced to one wire, one connector or one valve. Their bulletins and programs list P0456, P0441, P0449 and P0459 with it, and two list oxygen sensor, misfire or injector codes.
| Code beside it | Documents | What the pairing tells you |
|---|---|---|
| P0456 | 6 | FCA's 2015 Journey software bulletins list it, and Ford's Focus and Police Interceptor purge valve programs accept it, alone or with Ford's P1450. See P0456 |
| P0441 | 4 | The flow test failed too. On the 2015 Journey the fix is software, and on the 2019–2020 Wrangler the connectors come first. See P0441 |
| P0449 | 1 | Another circuit code, the same kind of check as P0443, and FCA has three named connectors checked before normal diagnosis |
| P0459 | 1 | The same circuit reading high voltage. On 2017–2018 GM 3.6-liter cars, GM says to clear the codes, not replace parts |
| Oxygen sensor, misfire or injector codes | 2 | In both documents, many codes at once traced to the power feed or the harness, not the valve: see the GM fuse and Ford harness bulletins under causes |
One document can list several of these codes.
On a Focus, P0456 and Ford's P1450 can show up with it, and Ford's program accepts both. No carmaker document that names P0443 lists P0455 beside it, so a P0455 with P0443 is a second fault to find.
Is P0443 different on a Chevrolet, Dodge or Honda?
On most makes the test watches the valve's circuit, and the fix the carmaker points to differs. On a Ram, Accord or F-150, the current came back wrong. Nissan's test watches for purge flow while the valve should be shut, so a stuck valve, a hose or the canister can set it.
What changes by make is what the carmaker has seen go wrong: a software update on the 2015 Journey, named connectors on the Wrangler, and no parts at all on some GM 3.6-liter cars. Honda's bulletins don't name P0443, so on a Honda the order of checks above is the whole answer.
What does P0443:00 mean on a Chevrolet?
It means the same thing P0443 means anywhere else. On a Chevy or another GM car, scan tools can show it as P0443:00 or P0443-00, with two extra digits after the code.
The two digits don't change the repair. The base code is the same circuit test, so the same order of checks applies.
Use this image
Free to republish under CC BY 4.0: credit Oil & Miles and link to this page. The snippet does both.
<a href="https://oilandmiles.com/articles/p0443-code"><img src="https://oilandmiles.com/assets/img/diagrams/p0443-code-checklist.jpg" alt="P0443 checklist: read every code, check recalls and programs by VIN, check the fuse and the connector pins, ask for a meter check of the valve's circuit, the harness near hot or moving parts, a bulletin or software update, and the canister if a new valve fails quickly. Ford's program covers the 2012–2018 Focus valve. Don't pay for a gas cap, a first-step smoke test or a valve before the circuit is tested." width="1200" height="1470"></a> <p>Infographic: <a href="https://oilandmiles.com/articles/p0443-code">Oil & Miles</a>, CC BY 4.0</p>From the carmakers
What do the carmakers say about P0443?
They say check the fuse, the wires, the plugs and the software before the valve, and Ford replaces the Focus valve free. Each document is quoted in the carmaker's own words, and the Sources list the rest.
Customer satisfaction program 24N07
This program provides a no-cost, one-time replacement (if needed) for the canister purge valve (CPV) for 15 years of service (unlimited miles) from the warranty start date of the vehicle.
Warranty extension 17M06
This program extends the warranty coverage of the canister purge valve (CPV) to 10 years of service or 120,000 miles from the warranty start date of the vehicle, whichever occurs first.
Bulletin PIP5552
Do not replace the purge valve or ECM for this condition. Clear the codes and release vehicle to customer.
Bulletin PIT5336
inspect the engine harness to the Bank 1 O2 sensor for chafing on the A/C hose coupling/connection at the back side of the engine.
STAR case S2025000002
Check the following electrical connectors for possible spread terminals or damaged/broken wires near the connectors.
- Focus recalls. Recall 18V735 covers the 2012–2018 Focus 2.0L, 1,282,596 cars, where the purge valve may cause excessive vacuum and the engine may stall and not restart, and owners were told to keep the tank at least half full until serviced.
- Later Focus recalls. Recall 19V515 adds 57,488 cars whose computer wasn't updated as intended, and 26V369 adds 257,868 repaired incorrectly, with owner letters mailed July 29, 2026.
- Fusion and Milan recall. Recall 15V793 covers the 2010–2011 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan, 411,205 cars, where the purge valve may not work properly and the fuel tank may crack and leak fuel.
- Complaints naming P0443. Across 653,343 complaints on 2010–2025 model years, fourteen name it: Ford 8 (Focus 5, Escape 2, Fusion 1), Chevrolet 4 (all Volt), Jeep 1 (Grand Cherokee) and Acura 1 (2016 RDX). These are counts, not rates.
- Complaints naming the valve. 1,309 name a purge valve or purge solenoid: Ford 984 (Focus 486, Fusion 177, Escape 157, Edge 50), Chevrolet 89 and everyone else 236.
- GM coverages. Special coverage 18029 covers 2015 models for a valve that may not work, for 10 years or 120,000 miles. N192210240, N222369620 and N232395300 cover 2016–2020 models for a valve that may not close, with codes P0496, P0442, P0455, P0171 and P0174, not P0443.
- Ford's test figures. On the 2011 F-150 3.7L, a valve commanded closed reads 0 mA at about battery voltage, and fully open reads 1,000 mA with a drop of at least 3 volts. One application, not a general specification.
- When the light goes out. California's OBD II rule lets the light go out after three drives without the fault, and lets the computer erase the stored code after at least 40 warm-up cycles, each warming the coolant by at least 40°F to at least 160°F.
- Labor hours. GM allows 0.3 hours for the purge solenoid valve on the 2016 Impala and 2016 Cruze, plus diagnosis of 0.1–0.5 hours, and Ford allows 0.7 hours to inspect and repair the chafed harness on the 2014–2016 Transit Connect 2.5L.
- How often. A national repair-data report ranks a purge valve repair the sixth most common check engine repair, at 4.93% of them.
Conclusion
What to do next about a P0443 code
If P0443 is the only code, check the fuse and the plug, then have the valve's circuit checked with a meter before anyone sells you a valve. If another code sits beside it, read that one too, because it changes what you're looking at.
If you drive a 2012–2018 Focus, have a dealer run your VIN first, because an open recall can mean a stall and Ford may replace the valve free. Keep the tank at least half full until the work is done.
Oil & Miles checks each step here against the carmakers' own documents and the federal complaint file.
Other OBD-II EVAP codes and what each one means
Common questions
Asked most often
Can a bad charcoal canister, a vacuum leak or a loose gas cap cause P0443?
On most cars, no. A full or cracked canister, a split hose or a loose cap changes pressure or flow and sets a leak or flow code such as P0455 or P0456, while P0443 reads current in the valve's wire.
What code can a bad purge valve cause?
A purge valve whose coil fails open sets P0443, the circuit code. GM's coverages for valves that may not close fully name P0496, P0442, P0455, P0171 and P0174 instead.
How do I clear a P0443 code?
A scan tool clears a P0443 code, and it comes back if the fault is still there. After a repair, the car may turn the light off itself after three drives in a row in which the test runs and passes.
Where is the purge valve?
The purge valve sits in the purge line between the charcoal canister and the engine's intake, and it's the part in that line with a wiring connector on it. Follow the hose from the canister toward the engine, because the exact spot differs by car.
What is the difference between P0443 and P0441?
P0443 is the valve's circuit, a meter on a wire, and P0441 is the flow, where the computer opened the valve and didn't see vapor move. Carmaker documents list them side by side, with a software update on the 2015 Journey and connectors checked first on the 2019–2020 Wrangler.
What people ask next
Sources
- California Code of Regulations, Title 13, section 1968.2, for the split between system and component monitoring, (e)(4.1) and (e)(4.2.2), with sections (d)(2.3) and (d)(2.4) and the warm-up cycle definition, for when the light goes out and when a stored code may be erased, read in Cornell's Legal Information Institute copy, October 6, 2026. California Air Resources Board, read August 26 and September 14, 2026
- 40 CFR 86.1806-17, for the generic code format. eCFR, read August 26 and September 29, 2026
- 40 CFR 51.357, 85.2207 and 85.2222, for why a lit check engine light fails a state emissions test, whatever code set it. eCFR, read September 29, 2026
- NHTSA recalls 18V735, 19V515, 26V369 and 15V793, for the Focus stall risk, the half-full tank advice and the Fusion and Milan fuel tank. NHTSA recall file, read September 29, 2026
- Ford program 24N07, for the one-time purge valve replacement on the 2012–2018 Focus, its codes and labor times. Ford Motor Company, December 2024, filed with NHTSA, read September 29, 2026
- Ford TSB 16-0062, program 17M06 and TSB 16-0163, for the Focus valve, canister and tank check, the Police Interceptor coverage and the Transit Connect harness, with its 0.7 hours. Ford Motor Company, filed with NHTSA, read September 29, 2026
- GM bulletins PIP5552 and PIT5336, and special coverages 18029, N192210240, N222369620 and N232395300, for the clear-and-release instruction, the fuse and harness chafe, which codes GM's purge valve coverages name, and N192210240's 0.3 hours for the valve. General Motors, filed with NHTSA, read September 29, 2026
- FCA STAR case S2025000002 and service bulletins 18-014-15, 18-033-16 and 18-081-17, for the Wrangler and Gladiator connectors and the 2015 Journey software update. FCA US LLC, filed with NHTSA, read September 29, 2026
- What Is an EVAP System?, a purge valve maker's training guide, for the charcoal that can kill a new valve and the self-test after a repair. Standard Motor Products, August 6, 2026, read September 29, 2026
- NHTSA's consumer complaint database, for the fourteen P0443 complaints, the owner quoted, and the purge valve counts. NHTSA consumer complaints received through September 30, 2026
- CarMD Vehicle Health Index 2026, read as the published PDF, for the ranking. CarMD.com Corp, read August 2026
- RockAuto catalog, every brand listed as fitting each of the 13 cars, part type Vapor Canister Purge Valve / Solenoid: the 2015 Ford Explorer 3.5L, 2011 Ford F-150 3.7L, 2015 Ford Fusion 2.5L, 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 5.3L, 2016 Chevrolet Impala 2.5L, 2016 Chevrolet Cruze Limited 1.4L, 2015 Ram 1500 5.7L, 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.6L, 2019 Jeep Wrangler 3.6L, 2015 Honda Accord 2.4L, 2016 Honda Civic 2.0L, 2015 Nissan Rogue 2.5L and 2015 Nissan Altima 2.5L, part only, with closeouts, out-of-stock rows and vent valves left out. RockAuto, read September 5, 14 and 29 and November 1, 2026
- Ford's own monitor description for the 2011 F-150 3.7L, read on a technician reference quoting Ford's text, because we couldn't open Ford's workshop system. CarParts.com, quoting Ford service information, read August 29 and September 29, 2026
- Nissan Sentra (B18) service manual, EC section, for Nissan's P0443 as a purge flow test that sets when vapor flows while the valve is shut, with a stuck valve, the vent valve, the canister, hoses and the pressure sensor among its causes. Nissan service manual, read November 4, 2026
AI illustration by Oil & Miles
How this was compiled
The complaint counts come from NHTSA's consumer complaint file for 2010–2025 models, and they count the part or the code, not a failure rate. The carmakers' bulletins were found by searching NHTSA's archive of manufacturer communications for P0443 and for purge valve wording, then read in full.
A bulletin that names the code only inside its PDF can be missed that way, so "Honda's bulletins don't name P0443" means none turned up, not that none exists.
What we didn't do
We didn't scan a vehicle, test a circuit or replace a valve for this article. Everything here comes from the regulation, the carmakers' documents, the complaint file and parts catalogs, read at source.
We give no resistance value or bench test for the valve, because the only published figures we found belong to one Ford truck. We give no meaning for the GM suffix, and we name no failure rate by make, because complaint counts aren't rates.
Prices are ranges compiled in September and November 2026 for the US market and vary by region, engine and shop rate. Prices from $10 up are rounded to the nearest dollar, so $14.13 reads as $14 and $14.52 as $15. Below $10 they're exact. This article is general information, not advice about your specific vehicle. See the disclaimer.