P0496 and P0443 in 2026: Is It the Purge Valve, Can It Hurt the Fuel Pump or Tank, and What It Costs

P0496 and P0443 are messages about the purge valve and its circuit, and in many of the documents we read the fix was not a new valve.

P0496 says the engine computer sees fuel-vapor flow through the EVAP purge valve when it has commanded the valve closed. P0443 says the electrical circuit that drives the valve is faulty. The purge valve sits between the charcoal canister and the engine's intake. It opens when the computer wants to burn stored vapor and shuts the rest of the time. Stuck open, it lets the engine pull on a sealed fuel tank; that is the failure that, on the 2012-2018 Ford Focus, deformed the plastic tank, and the pump module was replaced along with the tank. No document we read says it damages an engine; the risk is stalling. A valve costs about $150 to $300 at a shop (⚪ estimate from our P0455 guide), owners who needed a tank and pump report a median $1,600, and a recall or program can make it $0.

We read every manufacturer communication in NHTSA's index whose summary names P0496, P0443 or a purge valve fault, the recall files for six purge-system recalls, and what a second, wider search added: 727 files, 297 read in full (the rest are near-duplicates, copies, or files naming neither code nor a purge valve). 44 of the documents read in full print P0496 or P0443 in their own text: 32 print P0496, 13 print P0443, one prints both. Another 55 near-duplicate files, mostly Volkswagen's on-car analysis lists, print one of them. Most of the P0496 bulletins that give a repair, from Land Rover, Volkswagen, GM and Ford, say the same thing: before anyone orders a valve, they ask for a software update, a hose or connector check, or a test of the valve itself. Ford's 18V-735 and 19V-515 recalls and program 24N07 replace the valve on a code or a symptom, 25E05 by the part's date code, and 26V-369 is software only.

We also read 2,657 complaints from NHTSA's file, received from January 2015 and searched through 4 October 2026, that name P0496 or P0443 or another EVAP code such as P1450, name the purge valve or solenoid in owners' words, describe a tank collapsed by vacuum, or cite a purge-valve recall. Each was sorted twice, independently, by the same written rules; the two sortings matched on the category for 93 percent (2,459), and the rest were settled by a written rule. 2,409 were about a purge-valve or vapor-vacuum fault on the owner's car. Of those, 869 name the valve as replaced, repaired or quoted, 336 end with a tank, fuel pump module, sender or charcoal canister replaced or quoted, 1,032 end with nothing found or done yet, and 711 report a refusal, a request to pay, or an owner who paid. Only 45 of the 2,409 print P0496 or P0443 themselves: owners mostly describe the symptom and a dealer's finding, not the code.

By the end you will know whether your P0496 or P0443 is a software message, a hose, a valve or a damaged tank, which of five routes it is on, what each costs, and which Ford, GM, Kia and Hyundai programs still pay in 2026.

Claims marked 🟢 rest on a document listed in Sources, read in full unless marked otherwise. Claims marked ⚪ are shop-price estimates carried from our repair guides. Owner-reported figures are what people told NHTSA, published with ODI numbers, and every complaint count here comes from the 2,657 complaints sorted twice and published. The general purge-valve story, with the Ford Focus timeline, is in our P0441 guide; this page is about the two codes that name the valve's flow and circuit.

I built PulsCar after a $380 "full diagnostic" in Phuket in 2025 led to roughly $6,000 over six months across several shops (the story is on the About page). P0496 is a code where that story repeats: the cheap answers are software and a connector, the expensive answer is sometimes right, and the fight is over who pays for it.

What P0496 and P0443 say

P0496 is "flow during non-purge." 🟢 GM prints it as "Evaporative Emission (EVAP) System Flow During Non-Purge", and its bulletin for the 2019 Cadillac XT4 says: "This condition may be caused by a purge system air leak." 🟢 Land Rover's 2020 message explains the logic of the check: "Monitor designed to diagnose a stuck open purge valve or leak between fuel tank and purge valve." Volkswagen words the same code as EVAP emission system high purge flow.

P0443 is the control circuit. 🟢 GM's PIP5552 names it "Evaporative Emission (EVAP) Purge Solenoid Valve Control Circuit", a wiring and electrical fault code, not a flow measurement. Volkswagen's bulletin V201702 lists P0443 together with P0444 (circuit open), P0445 (circuit shorted), P0458 (circuit low) and P0459 (circuit high), and P0496 in the same list of 18 codes.

What you feel. 🟢 GM's special coverages for valves that do not fully close describe "the engine could run rough, hesitate or stall at idle speeds", with the light on and a code stored. 🟢 Ford's 2024 bulletin for the Edge adds the refueling symptoms: "the fuel tank not filling up beyond half-full, hard to start, and/or stalls upon restart after refueling." Many owners in our file describe exactly that: a hard start or a stall right after a fill-up, then a normal drive.

What it is not. P0496 is not a leak code. A small or large leak is P0442 or P0455 (the P0442 guide and the P0455 guide), and an incorrect purge flow is P0441. It is also not a diagnosis: many of the same bulletins cure P0496 without a new valve (software, a hose, a connector).

What does P0496 mean, and should the purge valve be replaced? P0496 means the engine computer saw fuel-vapor flow when the purge valve should have been closed, and P0443 means the valve's circuit failed an electrical check. PulsCar went through 727 manufacturer and recall files and 2,657 federal complaints about the purge valve. In the documents, P0496 is cured by a software update on some Land Rover and Volkswagen cars, by a new purge solenoid and air-duct assembly on a GM turbo engine, by a new cam-cover gasket added to the valve on some Impalas and by reattaching a hose inside the tank on a Ford Edge. Volkswagen's bulletin 01-22-02 for the 1.4T Jetta and Golf says not to diagnose or replace components for P0496 before the update. Outside Ford's recall and program repairs, a valve is replaced when its own test or the documented diagnostics point to it; software, hose and connector checks come first.

Can P0496 or P0443 hurt the engine, the fuel pump or the tank?

This is the question owners ask before the price, so here is the answer in the order the evidence is strongest.

The tank: yes, on cars with a plastic tank and a valve that sticks open. 🟢 NHTSA's closing resume of its recall query on the Focus (RQ23-006) states the mechanism: "A CPV that is stuck open can cause excessive vacuum in the fuel vapor management system, potentially deforming the fuel tank, collapsing on itself." 🟢 Ford's recall for the 2010-2011 Fusion and Milan (15V-793) says the valves may not operate properly, resulting in abnormal pressure changes in the fuel tank, and that the pressure changes may cause the tank to crack and leak fuel. 🟢 Ford's technical bulletin 16-0062 for the 2012-2015 Focus puts a number on it: the dealer asks "Is the bottom of the fuel tank deformed more than 25 mm (1 in) upward?" and, if yes, replaces the tank and pump module.

The fuel pump: only with the tank. 🟢 NHTSA's recall letters for 18V-735 and 19V-515, repeating Ford's remedy, say: "If the CPV is replaced, dealers will inspect and replace the carbon canister, fuel tank and fuel delivery module as necessary." Its dealer bulletin adds: "Fuel Pump modules should only be replaced when fuel tank replacement is required." In our complaints, 173 narratives mention a fuel pump or delivery module, and 126 link a valve to a later tank or pump replacement, damage, collapse or deformation, by our word search.

The engine: no document we read says so. The bulletins and recalls describe stalling, hesitation, rough running and, when liquid fuel reaches the purge line, a rich mixture. None of the 727 files says a purge valve damages an engine. Among 2,409 relevant complaints, none was sorted as an engine harmed by the valve under our rule: a dealer, shop or maker had to state the damage and tie it to the purge fault. 35 narratives use engine-damage words, most are an engine failure with another or no stated cause, a dash message, a coolant or oil problem, or a warning of possible damage; two narratives from one Focus owner say a shop found the engine blown and both it and the tank needing replacement, with no statement naming the valve. One 2015 Acadia owner wrote that a service writer said "IF YOU HAD DRIVEN ANY FURTHER MORE DAMAGE WOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ENGINE BLOCK" after a stuck-open purge solenoid and a fuel pressure fault; that is a warning, not a finding.

The stall is the real risk. 1,032 of the 2,409 relevant complaints describe the engine stalling or losing power (by coincidence the same count as the complaints with nothing found yet); 23 are flagged as a crash, 8 as a fire, 15 with an injury and one with a death in NHTSA's record, and 17 of the crashes involve a stall. These are complaint counts, not a failure rate. Ford told Focus owners to keep at least half a tank until the repair; the documents do not say why.

Can a P0496 or P0443 purge valve fault damage the fuel pump, the tank or the engine? In PulsCar's review of 727 documents (297 read in full) and 2,657 federal complaints, the damage that is documented is to the plastic fuel tank and, through the tank repair, the fuel pump module: NHTSA's recall query on Ford's Focus recalls says a stuck-open canister purge valve can build excessive vacuum that deforms the tank, and its recall remedy replaces the tank and pump module only when the bottom of the tank is deformed more than 25 mm upward. No file says the valve damages an engine, and no relevant complaint met our rule for engine damage; 1,032 describe a stall. If the engine stalls, the tank looks pushed in or the fuel gauge lies, treat it as a safety repair before a cost question.

First: P0496, P0443, or a code that looks like them?

Read the exact code before anything else. Owners in our file wrote it as PO496 with a letter O or as lowercase p0496, and some only say "the purge valve code".

Search traps. In our complaints, 164 relevant narratives quote Ford's P1450 and 44 quote P0456, against 34 that quote P0496 and 11 that quote P0443; no Focus complaint prints P0496, and only 5 of the 1,025 print P0443. 🟢 Ford's 18S32 technical instructions list P0443 beside P1450 and others as codes that can accompany a stuck-open canister purge valve, so a Focus with P0443 and a stalling complaint belongs to the Ford section below, not the circuit-fault one.

A bare P0443 is wiring first. 🟢 GM's 2018 bulletin for the 3.6L cars is blunt: "Do not replace the purge valve or ECM for this condition. Clear the codes and release vehicle to customer." GM's PIT5336 and Ford's TSB 16-0163 list P0443 among many codes and trace the cure to chafed wiring. We found no owner price for a P0443 wiring repair; ask for the circuit test result and the hours quoted.

The maker atlas: where the documents and the complaints point

The documents and the owners do not point at the same cars. The documents cluster at GM, Land Rover and Volkswagen for P0496 and at Ford for the damaged tank. The owners cluster at Ford.

Ford. 🟢 The Focus is the dominant story: recall 18V-735 (1,282,596 US vehicles, 2012-2018, 2.0L engines), 19V-515 (57,488, for cars whose 18V-735 repair did not include the intended PCM software), 26V-369 (257,868 in Ford's July 2026 amended report; NHTSA's letter describes cars "previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 18V735"), customer program 24N07 (1,483,446 US vehicles) and, for 2015-2018 Focus with the 1.0L engine, emissions recall 25E05 (32,850). The 2010-2011 Fusion and Milan have 15V-793 (411,205). The complaints: 1,025 of the 2,409 are Ford Focus cars, 644 more are other Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models.

General Motors. 🟢 GM prints P0496 in 9 of the documents read in full, as many as Land Rover and Jaguar together: three special coverages for valves that may not fully close (about 1,171,046, 27,557 and 383,000 US vehicles) and bulletins for the Impala, the 2019 XT4 and the 1.3L Encore GX and Trailblazer. 213 of the relevant complaints are Chevrolet, Buick, GMC or Cadillac.

Land Rover, Jaguar and Volkswagen. 🟢 Land Rover prints a false-flag family for P0496 on AJ126 and AJ133 engines, from a 2019 message to the 2024 campaign N747v3 (model years 2017-2020) and its successor N881; Volkswagen prints P0496 on on-car analysis lists for the 2019-2020 Jetta 1.4T and in a software bulletin. 71 complaints are Volkswagen-group cars.

Hyundai, Kia and Stellantis. 🟢 The Kia K5 1.6L turbo and Hyundai Sonata 1.6L turbo recalls 25V-794 (250,547 vehicles) and 25V-796 (85,043) are a different mechanism: a purge-system check valve that lets pressure into the tank. 173 complaints are Hyundai, Kia or Genesis; 154 are Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram or Fiat.

The 10-minute P0496 and P0443 check

1. Read the code with its freeze frame, and photograph it (2 minutes). P0496 or P0443 alone, or with P0171, P0174, P0442 or P0455? 🟢 GM's special coverages name P0496, P0442, P0455, P0171 and P0174 together as the codes that "may lead to purge solenoid valve replacement" after the dealer's diagnostics. Do not clear it; the dealer needs the stored code. A cheap reader does the job; our scanner guide covers what they show.

2. Think about the last fill-up (2 minutes). Did the light come on after you refueled with the engine running, or within seconds of switching off? 🟢 Land Rover's 2024 campaign says the lamp "may illuminate if the vehicle is ... refueled within 15 seconds of turning the engine off." A hard start or a stall right after fueling points at the vapor system (the valve, a vapor line or a check valve); a light with no symptoms points at software or a hose.

3. Look up the VIN (4 minutes). nhtsa.gov/recalls for the safety recalls, then ask a dealer about customer programs, emissions recalls, special coverages and software bulletins, which the recall site does not list. Write down the model year, engine and in-service date. For a Focus, look for 18V-735, 19V-515, 26V-369 and 24N07 (and 25E05 on a 1.0L); for a GM car, ask for a special coverage by VIN.

4. Watch the fuel gauge and the tank (2 minutes). An erratic gauge, a distance-to-empty that does not move after a fill-up, or a tank that looks pushed in from underneath can mean vacuum damage. Book a shop that day; on a Focus 2.0L, keep the tank at least half full, as Ford advises.

Then call a dealer with the VIN and say the code, the symptom and the date of the last fill-up.

Seven P0496 and P0443 situations, and which is yours

"Light on, P0496, the car drives normally, a Land Rover, Jaguar or a 2019-2020 Volkswagen Jetta." Software or a false flag. → Route 1.

"P0443 on a GM 3.6L or a Ford with other circuit codes, no stall." Wiring or a connector. → Route 1 or 2.

"P0496 after a fill-up, hard start, rough idle, a GM or Ford turbo car." A hose, an O-ring or the valve. → Routes 2 and 3.

"A 2012-2018 Ford Focus that stalls, with P0496, P0443, P1450 or no code." The recall family, with the tank at risk. → Route 4.

"A Kia K5 or Hyundai Sonata 1.6L turbo with a popping noise from the rear, a rear seat that has moved (in one Hyundai owner notice), or a fuel smell." Not a stuck valve, a check valve that lets pressure in. → Route 5.

"P0496 or P0443 on any other car, drives normally." Ask for a hose and connector check, then a valve test, before a valve. → Routes 2, then 3.

"The valve was replaced and the code came back." → Routes 1, 2 and 4: check what the new part did not touch.

The P0496 and P0443 price ladder, from the bottom up

The first line is what the programs pay for. The ⚪ lines come from our P0455 guide, which prices each EVAP part; for a fuel pump module's price, see our fuel pump cost guide. The owner lines are what people told NHTSA they were quoted, charged or paid, listed with ODI numbers. The highest EVAP-part figure is a $4,680.48 quote for a rollover valve that saturated a purge solenoid. Owner medians run above the shop estimates; a few narratives blame labor or the valve's location, most do not say why, and some include more than the valve.

What does P0496 cost to fix in 2026? Across 2,409 relevant complaints, PulsCar found 142 dollar figures tied to the repair. For the purge valve job the median is $500 from 41 owner figures, against about $150 to $300 for a valve installed at a shop; for a tank, fuel pump module or canister replaced or quoted for a vapor fault the median is $1,600 from 56 figures, and 36 are quotes, not bills. Software updates, connector fixes and valves covered by a recall, a special coverage or Ford's program 24N07 that is still inside its printed terms cost the owner nothing; a service bulletin alone is a repair method, not free coverage. Owners quoted or charged a median $154.50 for diagnosis. Ask first whether a recall, a program or your warranty covers your VIN, because the same part is $0 under one and about $500 under another, and get the test result in writing before accepting a quote.

The five P0496 and P0443 routes, cheapest first

Route 1 · Software, a false flag or a test that was skipped — $0 only if a recall, program or the warranty covers it

What it is. The engine computer decides P0496 by watching tank and line pressure while the valve is meant to be shut. On some Land Rovers, a wrong reference value or a refuel with the engine running can set it on a healthy valve. Route 1 is the largest group of documents that print P0496.

What the documents say.

🟢 Land Rover, model years 2017-2020, messages 2019-2024, Discovery, Range Rover and Range Rover Sport with AJ126 or AJ133 engines. SSM74279 names the cause: "False flag of the DTC due to an incorrect reference value stored when fuel cap is removed with the vehicle on." The steps are a Purge Valve Self-Test, clear the code, reset the adaptations, and tell the owner to turn the engine off for fueling; "Do not replace the purge valve assembly if the self-test routine passes." Campaign N747v3 of March 2024 describes the trigger: the lamp "may illuminate if the vehicle is ... refueled within 15 seconds of turning the engine off", fixed by a 0.2-hour PCM update. N747v3 is closed and superseded by N881; its reimbursement rule says an owner who already paid should be reimbursed in full.

🟢 Volkswagen, 2019-2020 Jetta and 2020-2021 Golf with the 1.4L turbo. Bulletin 01-22-02 of May 2022 lists P0496 among the codes the new engine software corrects and says: "DO NOT diagnose or replace components due to DTCs P0441, P04F0, P148D, P0496, P060C (37682) faults before performing the update function as explained in this bulletin." Before it existed, Volkswagen's on-car analysis lists carried a P0496 line for the same Jetta from February 2019 to September 2020, as printed, with no published fix; 49 of those lists are in our set.

🟢 Ford. TSB 24-2246, August 2024: "Some 2023-2024 Escape vehicles built on or before 10-Jun-2024 and equipped with 1.5L engine may exhibit an illuminated MIL with DTC P0496 stored in the PCM", and the fix is "reprogram the PCM." SSM 50306 indexed by NHTSA in December 2021, for a long list of 2018-2022 models, states: "Ford has tested returned EVAP canister purge valves and found them to be fully functional" and demands two FDRS tests before any valve or EVAP part is replaced.

🟢 GM, P0443. PIP5552: "Do not replace the purge valve or ECM for this condition. Clear the codes and release vehicle to customer."

What the owners report. 39 relevant complaints end with software as the only repair stated (32 of them Focus cars, nearly all on the recall reprogram), 38 with a check that found nothing or only cleared the code, and 27 with another cause repaired.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. The fill-up. On a 2017-2020 Discovery, Range Rover or Range Rover Sport, P0496 after refueling with the engine on, or within 15 seconds of switching off, is probably the software false flag (N747v3, now N881); the self-test decides about the valve.

Fix it yourself. The one safe step is behavioral: switch the engine off before you fuel, wait, and fill to the first click. Leave the code for the dealer rather than clearing it with a reader; Land Rover's procedure runs the Purge Valve Self-Test before it clears the code.

At the shop — say this: "Is there a software or calibration bulletin for P0496 on my VIN, such as Land Rover N881, Volkswagen 01-22-02 or Ford 24-2246, and was the purge valve self-test run before any part was ordered?"

Route 2 · A hose, an O-ring, a connector or a vent line — $0 if a recall, program or the warranty covers it; $15 to $150 ⚪ for a hose, far more if the tank must come down

What it is. The monitor sees a pressure loss and blames the valve; the loss can be anywhere between the tank and the intake. The documents name the cheaper places.

What the documents say.

🟢 GM turbo engines. PIP6037A, January 2025, for the 2020-2025 Buick Encore GX and 2021-2025 Chevrolet Trailblazer 1.3L: the cause is "Potential damage to purge solenoid O-rings." Dealers "confirm the purge hose connections are secured at the Purge Pump and Purge Solenoid Valve", test for a leak between the purge solenoid and the air inlet duct, and, if one is confirmed, replace the purge solenoid and the air inlet duct together, one labor operation of 0.7 hour. The bulletin says "Do not attempt disassemble Purge Solenoid valve from Air Inlet Duct." For the 2019 Cadillac XT4 2.0L, PIP5634 says "This condition may be caused by a purge system air leak" and, for a leak at the valve, "IMPORTANT: If a leak is coming from between the valve and the adaptor. Do Not separate."; the valve and adapter are replaced as one assembly, 1.0 hour.

🟢 GM Impala, oil on the valve. 17-NA-409 for 2014-2018 Impalas with the 3.6L LFX: P0496 "may be caused by oil or contamination from the cam cover gasket, causing ... the purge valve to become stuck", and if the valve is validated as the cause and replaced, the new cam cover gasket must be replaced too.

🟢 Ford wiring and vent lines. SSM 51247 for 2020-2022 Explorers with the 2.3L engine says the codes, which include P0496, "may be due to the wiring harness connection at connector C1198" under the brake lines and asks dealers to inspect the connector and harness "Prior to replacement of any components." Ford's TSB 24-2199, later superseded by 25-2431, is the expensive version: on a 2024 Edge 2.0L AWD with a tank that will not fill past half, "a disconnected fuel vapor line inside the fuel tank", which Ford says the symptoms may be due to, means dropping the tank, inspecting it, reattaching the hose and replacing the EVAP canister, 4.9 labor hours.

What the owners report. 68 relevant complaints end with another EVAP part: a gas cap, a vent valve or solenoid, a purge hose or line, a pressure sensor. Owner figures for these jobs and fees run from $130 to $4,680, median $495, from 15 figures.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. The connector and the hose clamp. Before the valve, GM and Volkswagen ask for a smoke test, Ford for a connector inspection, and Land Rover for the purge valve self-test.

Fix it yourself. Look, do not pull. With the engine off and cool, check that the purge hose at the valve and the one at the intake duct are pushed on fully and not split. Do not separate a GM purge valve from its adapter or air duct: the XT4 and the Encore GX and Trailblazer bulletins say not to.

At the shop — say this: "Was a smoke test or a connector and hose inspection done between the tank and the intake before the valve was ordered, and what did it show? Please write it on the repair order."

Route 3 · The purge valve itself — $0 under a program, owners report $45 to $1,995, median $500

What it is. The valve leaks or sticks, usually because of wear, oil or debris. It is the part the code names and, in the documents, not always the one at fault; when it is, it is a small part.

What the documents say.

🟢 GM's three special coverages for a valve that does not fully close. N192210240 (September 2019, about 1,171,046 US vehicles), N222369620 (June 2022, about 27,557) and N232395300 (June 2023, about 383,000) each print: "may have a condition that could cause the evaporative emissions purge valve to not fully close. If this condition occurs, the engine could run rough, hesitate, or stall at idle speeds." (N192210240 prints it without the comma after "hesitate".) Each lists P0496, P0442, P0455, P0171 and P0174, and says following the diagnostics in the service information "may lead to purge solenoid valve replacement." The valve is the part GM replaces under these programs: 0.2 to 0.3 labor hour plus 0.1 to 0.5 hour of diagnosis.

🟢 Ford's one-time purge valve program. 24N07, December 2024, for 2012-2018 Focus: "In the affected vehicles, the CPV may not operate as intended. A failed CPV may lead to drivability concerns such as engine hesitation, running rough, or stalling at low speed, and will be accompanied by an illuminated MIL." The dealer checks for the listed codes, which include P0443, replaces the valve ("This is a one-time replacement.") and, if there is liquid fuel in the lines, the canister too.

What the owners report. 869 relevant complaints, 36%, name the valve as replaced, repaired or quoted. 295 of those report a refusal, a request to pay, or an owner who paid. A 2019 Escape owner wrote that the code was P0496, "IT IS NOW ON ITS 3 RD PURGE VALVE".

The cheap cause that gets skipped. The part number and the program. The same valve is $0 under 24N07, a recall or a GM special coverage and $150 to $300 ⚪ without one.

Fix it yourself. On a Focus or a car in a GM coverage, let the dealer do it free first. Otherwise possible, and the cheapest case in our file is a $45 part an owner ordered through a Ford dealer. Do it only after the dealer's test or your own code and freeze frame point at the valve, use the manufacturer's part number, and keep the receipt: Ford refunds owner-paid repairs made before its owner letters only until a printed date, and several of those dates have passed.

At the shop — say this: "Did the valve fail a leak or click test, or is it being replaced from the code alone? Is my VIN in a recall, 24N07 or a GM special coverage, and will you record the diagnosis time?"

Route 4 · The valve has already hurt the tank, the canister or the pump — $0 only inside an open Focus or Fusion recall on your VIN, owners report $331 to $4,500 for tank, pump or canister work, median $1,600

What it is. A valve that sticks open lets engine vacuum pull on the sealed tank and fills the canister with liquid fuel. The tank deforms or cracks, the fuel gauge reads wrong, the engine starves or stalls.

What the documents say.

🟢 Ford 2012-2018 Focus. Recall 18V-735 (October 2018, 1,282,596 US vehicles): the remedy is a PCM reprogram and a valve check, and "If the CPV is replaced, dealers will inspect and replace the carbon canister, fuel tank and fuel delivery module as necessary." The tank and pump module are replaced only when the bottom of the tank is deformed more than 25 mm (1 inch) upward. Recall 19V-515 covers some cars repaired under 18V-735 that did not get the intended PCM software, and 26V-369 (June 2026, 257,868 vehicles in the July revision) covers cars "previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 18V735".

🟢 Ford 2010-2011 Fusion and Milan. 15V-793 (411,205 vehicles): a valve that leaks lets excessive vacuum build in the tank, and repeated cycles crack it; the remedy is a calibration, a valve test and a tank inspection, with the valve, the tank and, if it holds liquid fuel, the canister replaced as needed, free of charge.

What the owners report. 336 relevant complaints, 14%, end with a tank, pump module, sender or canister replaced or quoted; The Focus accounts for 142. A 2017 Focus owner wrote that the dealer replaced the valve under 24N07 (which the owner calls a recall) and then "found that the fuel tank was collapsing"; Ford said "they will not cover this as it is not part of the recall", and the dealer quoted $2,600. 29 Focus figures for tank, pump or canister work have a median of $1,700.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. The fuel level. Ford's recall filing and announcements advise Focus owners to keep at least half a tank of fuel until the recall repair is done; they do not say why. Ford lists an erratic fuel gauge and a wrong distance-to-empty among the results of a deformed tank.

At the shop — say this: "Is the bottom of the tank deformed more than 25 mm, and what was measured? If the valve is replaced, is the canister checked for liquid fuel, and which program covers the tank and pump module on my VIN?"

Route 5 · Turbo engines: the check valve and the purge pump — $0 under a recall or special coverage

What it is. On some turbo engines the purge system pushes boost pressure the wrong way, or its purge pump fails. It sets the same light, and sometimes the same codes, but the part is not a stuck valve.

What the documents say.

🟢 Kia K5 and Hyundai Sonata, 1.6L turbo. Kia's Part 573 report for 25V-794 (250,547 vehicles, 2021-2024 K5) says a failing check valve in the purge line allows "pressurized air to flow from the intake manifold into the fuel tank"; the tank may expand and touch hot exhaust parts, and if the car is driven that way for a prolonged period part of the tank may melt and leak fuel, which Kia and Hyundai say raises the risk of a fire; the owner may hear a pop. Hyundai's 25V-796 (85,043 vehicles, 2020-2023 Sonata) describes the same mechanism. The repair replaces the check valve, inspects the tank gap (25 mm or less passes at Hyundai) and updates the ECU; a failed gap or a melted tank means a new tank. Neither company's documents name a code.

🟢 GM purge pump. GM ran four special coverages for an evaporative emissions purge pump that may fail, each for 15 years or 150,000 miles: N202324990 (about 109,168 vehicles, 2019-2020 XT4 with the 2.0L, Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500 with the 2.7L), N232395310 (2020-2021 models), N242441120 (2021 models with the 2.0L) and N242484740 (2022-2023 models). The N202324990 customer letter warns that "overfilling the fuel tank by more than three clicks of a standard fill nozzle may cause vehicle performance issues, including engine stalling" and may damage fuel system components.

What the owners report. Of the 51 Kia K5 and 49 Hyundai Sonata complaints (model years 2021-2023 for the K5, 2020-2023 for the Sonata, any engine), many describe a swollen tank or a popping noise: 34 of the K5 and 22 of the Sonata narratives use words such as expanded, swollen or bulging.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. The remedy status. 🟢 Kia's July 2026 quarterly report shows 88,587 of 250,547 vehicles remedied, 35.4% by our arithmetic; Hyundai's shows 31,394 of 85,043, 36.9%.

At the shop — say this: "Is my car in 25V-794 or 25V-796 or a GM purge pump coverage, has the check valve been replaced, and what was the tank gap measurement?"

The coverage file: which purge-valve programs still run in October 2026

Open means the dealer still does the repair free; refunds ended means money for a repair you already paid is no longer returned. The status column is our computation as of October 2026 from the terms each document prints; none of these documents prints your car's in-service date, so a dealer confirms it by VIN.

Ford 24N07, the free valve, and its limits. 🟢 "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." The owner refund for owner-paid valve repairs made before the December 2024 owner letter expired on 31 January 2026; emergency repairs away from a dealer after the letter have no printed expiry, and only the valve is refunded. The 15 years run from each car's warranty start, which the document does not print: a Focus whose warranty started in June 2011 passed 15 years in June 2026, one that started after October 2011 is still inside the term, and one that started in 2016 runs to 2031. It is a one-time repair: a valve already replaced under the program is not replaced again, and the dealer must find a listed code or a drivability complaint before replacing a valve on a car that works.

GM's valve coverages and their refund deadlines. 🟢 Coverage 18029 (2015 models, inoperative purge solenoid) gave 10 years or 120,000 miles and its refund window closed on 31 July 2019. N192210240 gives 10 years or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first (Acadia, Cascada, Enclave, Traverse), or 10 years or 120,000 miles (Caprice, Cruze, Encore, Impala, LaCrosse, Sonic, Trax) from the date the car was first placed in service, regardless of ownership; the owner reimbursement window closed on 30 September 2020. N222369620 and N232395300 give 15 years or 150,000 miles and closed their printed refund windows on 30 June 2023 and 31 July 2024 (GM's letters add "unless state law specifies a longer reimbursement period"). For the later two, the 15 years cannot have run out in 2026 on any model year listed, so the open question is mileage and whether the dealer's diagnostics lead to a valve.

Ford 25E05 and the 1.0L Focus. 🟢 "Dealers are to inspect the CPV and replace the CPV if it is not at the latest hardware level and reprogram the PCM": a valve date code before 27 September 2022 means a new valve. The owner refund window for valve repairs paid before the owner letter runs to 28 February 2027; emergency repairs after the letter have no printed expiry. California and Massachusetts require emissions recalls to be completed before registration renewal.

What 2,657 complaints about the purge valve show

How we read them. Each of the 2,657 complaints was sorted twice, independently, by the same written rules; the two sortings matched on the category for 93 percent (2,459), and the rest were settled by a written rule. 2,409 were about a purge-valve or vapor-vacuum fault on the owner's car; 248 were not, mostly complaints about another failure that mention a purge part in a list. How the set was pulled is in the method note at the end.

Is it only the Focus? No, but the Focus is 1,025 of the 2,409, and 849 of those Focus narratives cite a recall or program. By group, with how many describe a stall, a refusal or payment by the owner, and a repair or inspection done free:

What the code says when owners print it. Only 45 relevant complaints print P0496 (34) or P0443 (11). 24 of them end with nothing found or done, 15 with the valve replaced or quoted, 5 with a tank, pump or canister and 1 with another EVAP part. The Focus owners describe stalls and tanks and rarely print the code: none of the 1,025 prints P0496 and 5 print P0443.

Stall and safety. 1,032 describe the engine stalling or losing power, 649 tie the fault to refueling, 106 are flagged as towed, 23 as a crash, 8 as a fire, 15 with an injury and one with a death in NHTSA's record. Ford's recall letters say a stall may come without warning or without the ability to restart, and can increase the risk of a crash; the crash flags are complaints, not findings.

Coverage. 284 complaints say the maker or the dealer paid, agreed to pay, or did the work free, mostly a recall reprogram or a program repair. 711 report a refusal, a request to pay part of the cost, or an owner who paid. Of the 869 valve complaints, 295 report a refusal or an owner who paid.

When and how old. Complaints ran at 79 to 160 a year from 2015 to 2018, jumped to 368 in 2019, the first full year after Ford's October 2018 Focus recall, and have run at 185 to 249 a year since, with 224 in 2026 through 4 October. Among the 1,393 complaints that give a mileage between 1,000 and 400,000, the median is 80,000 miles, with a quarter below 55,064 and a quarter above 108,353. These are complaints, not cars, and nothing here is a failure rate.

What owners say they paid

Of the 2,409 relevant complaints, 129 state a dollar figure tied to the repair or its diagnosis, 142 figures in all: 69 quotes, 34 bills, 30 amounts paid, 8 where the narrative does not say and 1 offer. The figures are what owners wrote, not audited invoices, and we publish them with ODI numbers.

The cheapest valve figure is an owner-bought $45 part; the top valve-job figures are a $1,995 dealer quote, a $1,043.28 payment and a $1,000 estimate, and the owner of the $1,000 estimate puts it down to where the valve sits. The tank group is mostly quotes (36 of 56). Mixed bills are left out, such as one 2015 Acadia owner's $1,760.51 for a high-pressure fuel pump, a fuel rail pressure sensor and a purge control solenoid together. Left out, each with a reason in our working files: lower bounds such as "over $1,800", ranges, "almost" figures, mixed bills for other repairs, towing, rentals, vehicle values and loan balances. 242 mentions were excluded.

Why P0496 comes back after a repair

Because the repair did not touch what set the code. A valve replaced on a car whose air inlet duct leaks, whose connector is loose or whose software is old can set P0496 again. GM's bulletin for the 1.3L turbo says that if a leak between the purge solenoid and the air inlet duct is confirmed, both are replaced together, because the solenoid may not be separated from the duct.

Because the recorded repair was not the repair. 🟢 Ford's recall 19V-515 exists because, in NHTSA's words, the updated software calibrations on some cars "were not properly installed by Ford at the time of production", and 26V-369 exists for cars recorded as repaired but "previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 18V735". Owners of repaired Focus cars who stall again have a document that says the record can be wrong; a dealer who says the recall is closed needs to show the software level.

Because the canister is full of liquid fuel. 🟢 Ford's program asks the dealer to check for liquid fuel when the valve lines are disconnected and replace the canister if it is present. 🟢 GM's coverage letter for the purge pump warns that overfilling the tank by more than three clicks may damage the pump.

Because the part itself is not the cause. 🟢 Ford SSM 50306, for several 2018-2022 models: "Ford has tested returned EVAP canister purge valves and found them to be fully functional." A new valve bought before Ford's two leak tests is money spent on a part the test may have cleared.

Can you drive with P0496 or P0443?

Usually to a shop, if the car runs normally. Our documents give no drive or no-drive rule for these codes. P0496 means purge flow when the valve should be shut and P0443 a fault in the valve's circuit; a light that stays on can fail an emissions inspection. 🟢 Ford told Focus owners to keep at least half a tank until the repair and said it had not issued instructions to stop driving.

Stop and get help if: the engine stalls more than once, will not restart after a fill-up, you smell fuel, or you hear a popping noise from the rear with a Kia K5 or Hyundai Sonata 1.6L turbo. A fuel gauge or distance-to-empty that is clearly wrong means a shop that day. 🟢 Kia's renotification letter for the K5 says that if popping, the light or rough running occurs the owner should pull over to a safe location and call Kia Roadside Assistance.

Should you buy a used car with a purge-valve history?

Ask for three papers. The VIN's recall and program history (18V-735, 19V-515, 26V-369, 24N07 or a GM special coverage), any repair order for a purge valve, canister, tank or pump module, and the first in-service date. 🟢 Ford's 24N07 and GM's later coverages follow the car to later owners, and the 15-year terms count from the warranty start or first service, not from your purchase.

Red flags: an erratic gauge, a distance-to-empty that does not change after fueling, a tank with a visible dent on its underside, a hard start right after refueling on the test drive, a code cleared without a repair order, and a Focus whose recall shows complete but whose owner describes a stall. Our used-car inspection checklist covers the rest of the walk-around, and the model guides for the Ford Focus, Fusion and Escape cover the other common faults by mileage.

Clearing P0496 or P0443 before an inspection

Clearing the code does not fix the cause and does not pass an inspection: it resets the readiness monitors, which many inspection programs check, and a stuck valve sets the code again. 🟢 Ford's 25E05 notice adds that California and Massachusetts require emissions recalls to be completed before registration renewal. Have the dealer read and record the code, run the valve test and clear it only after the repair. Our reset guide explains the monitors, and our inspection cost guide covers the fees.

What a shop should do with P0496 or P0443, checkpoint by checkpoint

Checkpoint 1: the code and the freeze frame: P0496 or P0443, any companion codes, the fuel level and the time since the last fill-up.

Checkpoint 2: the VIN lookup: safety recalls, customer programs, special coverages and software bulletins written on the repair order.

Checkpoint 3: the software: whether a calibration bulletin applies, as Land Rover N881, Volkswagen 01-22-02 or Ford 24-2246 do.

Checkpoint 4: the hoses, connectors and ducts: a smoke test and a visual check of the purge hoses, the connector at the valve and the vent line, before the valve.

Checkpoint 5: the valve test: Ford's CPV check in FDRS, Land Rover's Purge Valve Self-Test, or Volkswagen's click test followed by a vacuum check of about -0.6 bar on engines with removable hoses, the valve disconnected from the engine.

Checkpoint 6: the canister and the tank: liquid fuel in the lines, and for a Focus a measurement of how far the bottom of the tank is deformed.

Checkpoint 7: the paperwork: the test result, the program or recall number, and a refusal reason in writing.

Three P0496 and P0443 traps that cost owners the most

Trap 1: the valve ordered from the code alone. 🟢 Volkswagen's bulletin 01-22-02 for the 1.4T Jetta and Golf says not to diagnose or replace components for P0496 before the update, and its purge-valve diagnosis bulletin says the function test and vacuum check "are essential to diagnose proper operation and to avoid unnecessary replacements." Lesson: ask for the test result before the part.

Trap 2: the closed recall. A dealer says the recall was done and will not look again, while the car stalls. 🟢 Two further Ford recalls exist because cars repaired under 18V-735 did not get the intended software (19V-515), or the repair was recorded complete without it (26V-369). Lesson: ask which software level is installed and whether 19V-515 or 26V-369 applies to the VIN.

Trap 3: the closed window. 🟢 Ford's 24N07 refund for owner-paid valve repairs made before its December 2024 owner letter expired on 31 January 2026; GM's printed refund deadlines passed in 2019 (18029), 2020, 2023 and 2024 for the valve coverages and in 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 for the four purge-pump coverages. Several owners in our file paid for a valve and learned of the program after. Lesson: keep every receipt and look up the VIN before paying for any EVAP part, because the work may be free for a repair done tomorrow and unrefundable for one done last year.

Three P0496 and P0443 claims, decoded

These are composite scenarios, not individual customers: each combines details from the documents and complaints above.

Scenario 1: Range Rover Sport, AJ126 engine, light on after a fill-up with the engine running, no symptoms. The dealer runs the Purge Valve Self-Test, which passes, clears the code, resets the adaptations and installs the PCM update. The cost is the 0.2-hour update, billed to the maker under the campaign. Lesson: for P0496 on these engines, the fill-up and the software come before the valve.

Scenario 2: 2016 Ford Focus 2.0L GDI, stalls at a light after fueling, fuel gauge wrong, a valve replaced at the owner's cost two years ago. The dealer finds the bottom of the tank deformed by more than 25 mm and replaces the tank, the pump module and the canister under the recall; Ford refuses to refund the earlier valve because the refund window closed. Lesson: the tank rule and the refund window decide the bill, and both are in Ford's letters.

Scenario 3: 2021 Buick Encore GX 1.3L, P0496 and a hard start after fueling, under warranty. The dealer confirms the hose connections, finds a leak between the purge solenoid and the air inlet duct, and replaces both together, 0.7 hour, as GM's bulletin PIP6037A directs. Lesson: a bulletin that says not to separate the valve from its duct turns a ⚪ $150 to $300 valve into a matched assembly, and the diagnosis names the part.

The P0496 and P0443 plan: 10 minutes, today, this week

10 minutes: read and photograph the code and the freeze frame; think about the last fill-up; look up the VIN for recalls; check the fuel gauge and the tank underside.

Today: if you smell fuel, hear a popping noise from the tank area or the car will not restart, do not drive or refuel it: have it towed to a dealer. If the engine stalls or the gauge is wrong, get it to a dealer that day or tow it; on a 2012-2018 Focus with the 2.0L engine, Ford's advice is to keep the tank at least half full until the recall repair. Otherwise book a dealer and ask by VIN about recalls 18V-735, 19V-515 and 26V-369, program 24N07, the GM special coverages, and the software bulletins for your brand.

This week: get the test result, the software level and any refusal reason in writing. If you already paid for a purge valve, ask the maker whether a refund window is still open.

Sources and documents

Primary documents only. Where a claim in this guide is marked 🟢, it rests on one of the items below, and the reference is given so you can pull the document yourself. Claims marked ⚪ are shop-price estimates carried from PulsCar's repair guides — estimates, not measurements from a dataset we own.

1. Ford programs and bulletins: customer satisfaction programs 24N07 and 17M06; emissions recall 25E05 (dealer package); technical bulletins 16-0062, 24-2199 and 25-2431, 24-2246; special service messages SSM 50306, SSM 50348 and SSM 51247.
2. Ford, Kia and Hyundai recalls: 15V-793, 18V-735, 19V-515, 26V-369, 25V-794, 25V-796; Kia SC288 technical bulletin revision 6; the recall files, Part 573 reports, dealer bulletins and owner letters for all six are listed in our published file.
3. General Motors: PIP5552, PIP5634, PIP5284 and PIP5284A, PIP6037 and PIP6037A, 17-NA-409; special coverages N192210240, N222369620, N232395300, purge pump N202324990, N232395310, N242441120 and N242484740, 18029.
4. Land Rover and Jaguar: SSM71658, SSM74279, SFCC-14MAR19, SSM74799, N747v3 and Jaguar JTB00697NAS1.
5. Volkswagen: technical bulletin 01-22-02, purge-valve diagnosis bulletin V201702 and the on-car analysis lists, for example April 2019.
6. Chrysler and Jeep: 14-002-14, 14-001-16 and 08-326-26.
7. NHTSA investigations: recall query RQ23-006 (Focus; opened 15 September 2023, closed 20 December 2024), PE13-016 (Chrysler 300, Charger and Magnum; closed 10 February 2014) and PE12-016 (Chrysler 200 and Avenger 3.6L; closed 15 October 2012), read from NHTSA's investigation file.
8. PulsCar analysis of NHTSA public data, October 2026: 2,657 complaints about the purge valve, each sorted twice, independently, by the same written rules; owner-reported amounts; the document list with read status. Complaints, amounts, documents, sorting rules and how we did it.

For the neighboring pages: the P0441 guide for the purge-flow code and the Ford Focus timeline, P0440, P0442, P0455, P0456 and P0446 for the other EVAP codes, the check engine light guide, car hesitates when accelerating, car stalls while driving, car smells like gas and the code index. If you are choosing a reader that shows maker codes, our OBDLink MX+ review covers one.

PulsCar's free sound check listens to a short recording of an idling engine. It does not read codes or test a purge valve; for P0496 and P0443, the shop's test and the documents above are the evidence.

Methodology. The complaint set is every complaint in NHTSA's file received from January 2015 and searched through 4 October 2026 that names P0496 or P0443 in any spelling we searched, names the purge valve or solenoid in owners' words, describes a fuel tank collapsed or deformed under vacuum with an EVAP, vapor, recall or purge tie, or cites a purge-valve recall or campaign — 2,657 in all. Every complaint was sorted twice, independently, by the same written rules, which were fixed and dated before the sorting began, with an addendum dated before the second batch. The two sortings matched on the category for 2,459 of 2,657 (93 percent). Every disagreement was settled under written rules published with them, and two final checks of the agreed sortings changed 135 rows. Owner amounts are every dollar figure a relevant complaint ties to the repair or its diagnosis, classed as quoted, paid, billed or not stated. The documents are every NHTSA manufacturer communication whose index summary names P0496, P0443 or a purge valve fault, what a second, wider search added, and the files of six purge-system recalls: 727 files, of which 297 were read in full, 130 opened and confirmed not to name either code or a purge valve, 221 near-duplicates and 79 byte-identical copies. Every quotation was checked by script against the document or complaint text. Coverage status "as of October 2026" is our computation from the terms each document prints. The data are published under CC BY 4.0.

Prices verified July to October 2026 in the repair guides they are carried from and in the owner reports above, and reviewed quarterly. Technical documents verified October 2026: the 727 files we reviewed (297 read in full), listed in our published file — among them Ford 24N07 and 25E05, GM PIP6037A and Land Rover N747v3.

Had P0496 or P0443 fixed by software, a hose, a valve or a tank, or a program refused? Email [email protected] with the vehicle, mileage and outcome.